"Calypso," by David Sedaris

Author and humorist David Sedaris’ hugely successful work is characterized by his wry tone, his seeming extreme candidness, the unexpected nature of some of the twists and turns in his writing, and – what I noticed more than ever when I read “Calypso” (Little, Brown, 2018) – his devotion to his family. His parents and his five siblings, as well as his partner Hugh, are all major characters in this new book, as well as in his other work. He writes touchingly (but always with a note of humor) about how much it means to him to have his family as the water he swims in, and of how they are always there for him, despite disagreements and even sometimes temporary estrangements. Sedaris and Hugh live in the countryside in England, but also have a beach house in North Carolina, where he is from, mainly so they can gather family members there whenever possible. All is not easy in Sedaris family land. The six siblings’ mother died young. Their father is now in his 90s and well loved despite his eccentricities and conservative politics (which are at odds with those of his children). The saddest family matter is the mental illness, lifelong problems, and recent suicide of their sister Tiffany. In a recent Fresh Air interview with Sedaris, a sentence that broke this reader’s heart was that Sedaris’ mother never really liked Tiffany. Sedaris himself cut off communication with her for many years, partly because he felt helpless, despite many efforts, to do anything about her sad and difficult situation. Other themes in this book of essay-like chapters include anything from the whimsical to the serious. Sedaris’ book tours, obsession with his Fitbit and the increasing number of miles in his daily walks (picking up trash along the way), love of animals, shopping, health, travel, fights with and quick reconciliations with Hugh, and the family love of stories are among the topics he covers, always with his signature blend of humor and truth. I have said before here that although I like Sedaris’ writing, a little of it goes a long way. Whether because he has gotten better as a writer, or because I have warmed up to his style and topics, I now appreciate, relate to, and enjoy his work more than before.