When You Are Engulfed in Flames

A masterful collection of essays from America's most beloved humorist that will take readers to wilder and more entertaining heights than ever.

"The preeminent humorist of his generation ... His reluctant charm and talent for observing every inch of the human condition remain intact." ―Entertainment Weekly

In this hilarious volume, Sedaris proceeds from the bizarre conundrums of daily life—having a lozenge fall from your mouth into the lap of a fellow passenger on a plane or armoring the windows with LP covers to protect the house from neurotic songbirds—to the most deeply resonant human truths. Culminating in a brilliant account of his venture to Tokyo in order to quit smoking, David Sedaris's sixth essay collection is a masterpiece of comic writing.

"Older, wiser, smarter and meaner ... Sedaris defies the odds once again by delivering an intelligent take on the banalities of an absurd life." —Kirkus Reviews

"Sedaris's best stuff will still—after all this time—move, surprise, and entertain."  —Booklist

David Sedaris is the author of the books Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Holidays on Ice, Naked, and Barrel Fever. He is a regular contributor to The New Yorker and Public Radio International's "This American Life."