A do-it-yourself suburban dad saves money by performing home surgery. A man who is loved too much flees the heavyweight champion of the world. A teenage suicide tries to incite a lynch mob at her funeral. A bitter Santa abuses the elves.

With a perfect eye and a voice infused with as much empathy as humor, Sedaris writes stories and essays that target the soulful ridiculousness of our behavior.

Barrel Fever is like a blind date with modern life, and anything can happen.