Happy-Go-Lucky (book) explained

Happy-Go-Lucky
Author:David Sedaris
Audio Read By:David Sedaris
Country:United States
Language:English
Media Type:Print, e-book, audiobook
Pages:272
Isbn:978-0-316-39245-7
Preceded By:Calypso

Happy-Go-Lucky is a collection of 18 semi-autobiographical essays by David Sedaris.[1] [2] It was published on May 31, 2022, by Little, Brown and Company.[3] [4] Out of these 18 essays, 13 were previously published in a magazine or through Amazon Original Stories; some of these were published under a different title or in a different form.[5]

Synopsis

In Happy-Go-Lucky, Sedaris continues where he left off in Calypso, writing about his transition into late midlife during the final years of the Trump administration and into the COVID-19 pandemic. He writes about his life and the lives of his family—including his siblings, his longtime partner Hugh, and the decline of his 98-year-old father, with whom he had a fractured relationship.

Reception

Happy-Go-Lucky debuted at number one on The New York Times nonfiction best-seller list for the week ending June 4, 2022.[6]

Happy-Go-Lucky received favorable reviews from critics, with a cumulative "Positive" rating at the review aggregator website Book Marks based on a sample of 12 reviews.[7] Publishers Weekly wrote, "Sedaris's tragicomedy is gloomier than usual, but it's as rich and rewarding as ever."[8] In a rave review, Anita Snow of the Associated Press wrote, "Writing about his teen years, Sedaris is simultaneously amusing and brutal while unflinchingly exposing the ironies of his family and life in general."[9] In a mixed review, Houman Barekat of The Guardian criticized Sedaris as coming across as "glib on racial politics", "cranky" toward the younger generation, and "petty" and "bitter", but admitted "it is partly because of these flaws that people relate to him." Barekat concluded, "On the page he's a somewhat diminished presence: engaging but rarely captivating."[10]

Notes and References

  1. News: Alford. Henry. May 30, 2022. The Sneaky, Subversive Thrills of David Sedaris. The New York Times. June 11, 2022.
  2. Web site: McAlpin. Heller. May 31, 2022. In 'Happy-Go-Lucky,' David Sedaris reflects on his fraught relationship with his dad. June 11, 2022. NPR.
  3. Web site: Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris. June 12, 2022. Little, Brown and Company.
  4. Web site: Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris. March 11, 2022. Kirkus Reviews. June 11, 2022.
  5. Book: Sedaris, David. Happy-Go-Lucky. Little, Brown and Company. 978-0-316-39245-7.
  6. Web site: Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction. The New York Times. June 19, 2022. June 8, 2022.
  7. Web site: Happy-Go-Lucky. Book Marks. June 11, 2022.
  8. Web site: March 22, 2022. Nonfiction Book Review: Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris. June 11, 2022. Publishers Weekly.
  9. News: Snow. Anita. May 31, 2022. Review: 'Happy-Go-Lucky,' an amusing look at life’s ironies. Associated Press. June 12, 2022.
  10. News: Barekat. Houman. Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris – lockdown, loss and dentistry. The Guardian. June 12, 2022.