When You Are Engulfed in Flames
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | June 3, 2008 |
| Founder | David Sedaris |
| Products | Essay collection |
| Parent | Little, Brown and Company |
When You Are Engulfed in Flames is a compilation of essays authored by American humorist David Sedaris, released on June 3, 2008.
This sixth publication by Sedaris gathers essays that explore a variety of topics, such as brewing coffee without water, purchasing drugs in rural areas, uncomfortable moments on airplanes, safeguarding a home from birds, and the challenge of quitting smoking while in Japan. The initial hardcover edition, published by Little, Brown and Company, consisted of 100,000 copies. The book achieved notable commercial success, maintaining the top position on The New York Times Best Seller list for eight consecutive weeks.
Television appearances
On June 3, 2008, Sedaris featured on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, where he advocated relocating to Hiroshima, Japan, for three months as an effective way to stop smoking—a technique he elaborates on in the closing essay of the book. He also mentioned that the book’s title was inspired by a chapter heading seen in a hotel room in Hiroshima. Additionally, Sedaris appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman on July 18, 2008.
Cover art
The cover design for the first edition was created by Chip Kidd and showcased Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette, an early artwork by Vincent van Gogh.
Contents
- It's Catching – Reflections on Sedaris's partner Hugh and his mother
- Keeping Up – Efforts to match Hugh’s pace
- The Understudy – Recollections of an inadequate babysitter
- This Old House – Experiences moving into a boarding house
- Buddy, Can You Spare a Tie? – Thoughts on poor clothing choices and accessories
- Road Trips – Encountering a driver soliciting favors
- What I Learned – Insights about Princeton
- That's Amore – Dealing with an unpleasant neighbor named Helen
- The Monster Mash – A fascination with cadavers
- In the Waiting Room – Effects of language barriers
- Solution to Saturday's Puzzle – An incident involving a throat lozenge on an airplane
- Adult Figures Charging Toward a Concrete Toadstool – Parents acquiring artwork
- Memento Mori – Purchasing a skeleton for Hugh
- All the Beauty You Will Ever Need – Brewing coffee without water alongside relationship observations
- Town and Country – Personal stories shared by a New York taxi driver
- Aerial – Using album covers as bird deterrents
- The Man in the Hut – A French neighbor imprisoned for abuse
- Of Mice and Men – Icebreaker conversations
- April in Paris – Animal interactions and recalling a spider encounter
- Crybaby – Sitting beside a grieving man on a flight
- Old Faithful – Hugh treating an abscess on Sedaris's backside
- The Smoking Section – Attempts to quit smoking during time spent in Japan