"Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk" by David Sedaris

159 pages

I’ve read all of David Sedaris’ other books and loved them, so I had high expectations for “Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk.” Here he writes something different from his usual essays—this is a collection of satirical short stories about animals that behave like humans. Each little story demonstrates some aspect of human nature. Some of them are pretty gruesome and make a point about how awful people can be to each other. There are a few funny moments, but the stories aren’t nearly as hilarious as Sedaris’ writing usually is. There are a couple of really clever conclusions, but most of them end on a bleak note. When I finished the entire collection, I felt kind of depressed. I think the stories were worth reading because they made me think, but they definitely didn’t live up to my expectations.