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Cape Light

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Visual capsules of space, mood, light, color, and atmosphere depict the inhabitants, land, and seascapes near the tip of Cape Cod

Hardcover

Published May 3, 2010

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About the author

David Sedaris

123 books29.3k followers
David Raymond Sedaris is an American humorist, comedian, author, and radio contributor. He was publicly recognized in 1992 when National Public Radio broadcast his essay "Santaland Diaries". He published his first collection of essays and short stories, Barrel Fever, in 1994. His next book, Naked (1997), became his first of a series of New York Times Bestsellers, and his 2000 collection Me Talk Pretty One Day won the Thurber Prize for American Humor.
Much of Sedaris's humor is autobiographical and self-deprecating and often concerns his family life, his middle-class upbringing in the suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina, his Greek heritage, homosexuality, jobs, education, drug use, and obsessive behaviors, as well as his life in France, London, New York, and the South Downs in England. He is the brother and writing collaborator of actress Amy Sedaris.
In 2019, Sedaris was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

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5 stars
280 (73%)
4 stars
77 (20%)
3 stars
16 (4%)
2 stars
4 (1%)
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3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
61 reviews
January 13, 2011
Everything that this man writes is hilarious. Truly hilarious. He is a genius. Sometimes I feel like I want to hug him and let him know that people aren't so bad. He struggled with his OCD, and one of the funniest things I ever read was his essay on trying to make it through school with all his tics and how his mother responded to his teachers. My other favorite is the essay on the different Santa Claus mythologies of the world. I don't think I've ever laughed out loud so often and with such genuine emotion as when I read Sedaris's works. He is genius. Pick up Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, for sure.
Profile Image for Kira Rasure.
1 review2 followers
March 3, 2014
I can never get enough Sedaris, he is both hysterical and insightful. It is rare to find someone so viciously honest and endearing in equal measure.
Profile Image for stellajames.
239 reviews
November 5, 2014
I'm really reviewing David Sedaris more than this collection, which was just a way to sneak in and write about Sedaris' visit to Wyoming for WPR. As far as the collection goes, I've read all his works separately. Five stars each. There.

Sedaris was in Laramie Halloween Night, reading from his diary (Oh my goddess) and other, I assume new, writings, and signing books. The place was packed, the lines down the hall, U-turning and back up, then around the corner, and this was for will-call.

Some of the audience, this being Halloween and the University of Wyoming, was a near riot of originality, massteria!* On the other hand, this being Laramie, I think Sedaris was a bit much for some. This is not a critique on Sedaris - it's saying some were in over their heads, there because they heard he was "REALLY funny." WPR commercialed the hell out of the event, but I think they left out what I don't in the next paragraph.

Sedaris was his usual howlingly funny, shocking self — stunning in his intelligence-turned-on-its-ear incredibly dirty jokes just... thrown into the mix. But screamingly funny dirty jokes, not crude. Well, not JUST crude. Sedaris crude. With a bite. One must really listen and think, there was always a pause between the punchline and the explosion.

He is honest and he can be mean, but he justifies it beautifully in the end, just the way we justify our own judge-y-ness, jealousness, just plain not suffering fools gladly-ness, desperately missing the humor and self-depreciation.

If David Sedaris visits your town, go see him.

*massteria: mass hysteria (from the song "Trouble" - The Music Man)
Profile Image for Patricia McMillian.
1 review
May 5, 2015
David you are truly one of the greatest authors. I enjoy every essay and article. Your sense of humor never fails to lift my spirits and your unique views are inspiring. Oh and I loved the story you told about the snapping turtles. Hilarious!
2 reviews
September 7, 2012
Just love David Sedaris' stories. Can pick up and put down whenever.
Profile Image for Jill Stevenson.
597 reviews3 followers
November 19, 2018
Audio book. At first I couldn’t stand his voice and almost quit, but I persevered, grew accustomed to his tenor and cadence, and ended up loving it .
Profile Image for Victoria Lane.
Author 1 book8 followers
April 6, 2025
Something weird going on with title. The David Sedaris book is hysterical and always entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews