When you are Engulfed in Flames, By David Sedaris

For the last decade, David Sedaris, a humourist in the Woody Allen mode, has been carrying around a small notebook in his front pocket which he pulls out on average ten times a day, jotting down observations and "thoughts on how to make money, or torment people." The fruits of his most recent labours are to be found here - including a diary of his quest to quit smoking, excerpts of which have previously appeared in The New Yorker.

Screw-ball hyperbole is Sedaris's particular talent and other entries relate the story of a foul-mouthed sexagenarian neighbour and memories of a scary babysitter who used to instruct the young Sedaris to rake her with a back-scratcher. The smoke free author ends his book with the news that "for the first time in 30 years, I feel invincible."