PositiveSeattle TimesFlames reads like a hit-and-miss set; some selections simply run out of ideas before they’re over ... The best pieces, as ever, are the most closely observed, including those about his boyfriend, Hugh, that resolve into bittersweet comments about their mutual love and dependency ... When You Are Engulfed in Flames isn’t the best way to introduce a new reader to Sedaris. But for fans, it’s good just to be back at the table, hearing that unforgettable voice chatting away. Kind of like catching up with one of your best friends. It’s not always what they have to say, but the endearingly entertaining way they say it.
