I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence
by Amy Sedaris
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Book Reviews of I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence
Book Review: Amy's Book: I don't like you
Summary: 2 Stars
What is this book? Cookbook? Joke book? Humorous biography? Or none of the above? "I Like You" is a potpourri of good advice (replace things you break in someone's house, don't serve alcohol to people in the program), over-the-top ideas (stuffing marbles in your med cabinet to shame snoopy guests) and just weird party ideas (play "Gypsy" at a kids' party by driving them across town and making them find their way home!). Sedaris usually overreaches on her jokes, more so as the book progresses. "Joking" about back-alley abortions, drug dealers or using frozen pets as party ornaments will probably offend more than amuse. It's hard to know where reality ends and excess takes off. Sedaris counsels hosts to stock a "grief bag" for after-funeral get-togethers, and stocks it with reasonable items like Kleenex as well as odd ones like laminated holy cards. It would have been nice if she could have packaged her jokes and her good advice more obviously.
"I Like You" is another in a long line of humor books whose comedy comes from flouting the normal rules of polite behavior, insults vulnerable groups like children, the elderly and the handicapped and parades and endless stream of unfunny jokes about genitalia. The book's saving grace (I think) is in its recipes, which mostly seem reasonable and often tasty. I picked up the audio version hoping that having Sedaris read her own material would make it funnier, but no dice. Even the book's sound effects announcing "My Stain Box" (suggestions on getting out stains), and her sidebars are contrived and lack humor.
Get the book for the recipes and for ideas about way-out party favors, but skim the rest.
Book Review: Hilarious and helpful
Summary: 5 Stars
I've always been a bit of a crafty and I love the Sedaris family. This book marries those two loves excellently. Its witty and smart and has awesome recipes and helpful tips to boot. And the layout/photos are incredible!