# David Sedaris writes about the suicide of his sister Tiffany **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 31, 2013, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773 "2013-10-31T19:11:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2013, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/1 "2013-10-31T19:11:26Z")
Those familiar with his work will remember multiple references to his sister and her troubled life. A few months back she committed suicide. He recently wrote a piece in the New Yorker about it. > **[David Sedaris’s “Now We Are Five”](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/10/28/now-we-are-five)** > > A person expects his parents to die. But a sibling? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/2 "2013-11-02T20:35:41Z")
Moving piece. It’s interesting he doesn’t try to whitewash her or his family. I’m not that familiar with her: Gretchen and Amy are the two sisters he writes most about. Judging by his writings, was she an addict or mentally ill or just difficult? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/3 "2013-11-02T20:53:13Z")
His family’s an absolute trainwreck. I don’t think he’s funny, either. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/4 "2013-11-02T21:02:23Z")
Sedaris mentions the yearbook of the sister as containing scribbled messages about marijuana use, but doesn’t really go into it any further. Agreed: a moving piece (thanks, BurnMeUp, for the link). ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/5 "2013-11-02T21:20:33Z")
That was incredibly sad. I can identify too closely with some of the thoughts he expressed, like how his family was the only group he wanted to belong to. I can see my family reacting this way to my eventual (and inevitable) suicide. I’m not sure I’d need the second box, though. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/6 "2013-11-02T21:27:40Z")
I’m going to a reading/signing of his tonight. It’ll be my first and I’m pretty excited abut it. nearwildheaven - If you are able to read Santaland Diaries without laughing, I question your place in this world. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/7 "2013-11-02T21:45:27Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > nearwildheaven - If you are able to read Santaland Diaries without laughing, I question your place in this world. This is the Dope. People will shit on anything. “Shakespeare? More like Crapspeare. What’s he ever written that Robert Heinlein hasn’t done better?” I am also looking forward to reading this. I like Sedaris even better when he isn’t being funny. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/8 "2013-11-02T21:55:55Z")
It’s a good article but he and his family don’t exactly come off looking all that good in it. His Dad especially sounds like a shithead, imo. I get that David Sedaris is a writer and probably needed to write this all out, but publishing it, knowing that Tiffany was so unhappy about being part of his public family, knowing that he was guaranteed the last word here, seems like a rotten thing to do. Tiffany Sedaris, by the by, was sent to the [Elan School](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89lan_School) as a teen. It’s a wonder that more Elan students haven’t killed themselves, actually. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/9 "2013-11-02T22:09:46Z")
Have you read any of his other work, Merneith? His family never comes off looking all that good. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/10 "2013-11-02T22:35:07Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > Have you read any of his other work, Merneith? His family never comes off looking all that good. David often comes off looking badly himself, I am thinking of his desire to buy the Anne Frank House while he was visiting. Thanks for sharing a moving read. **Capt Kirk** ---
**Author:** ![toofs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@toofs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toofs)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/11 "2013-11-02T22:39:46Z")
> [@Sudden\_Kestrel](#): > > That was incredibly sad. I can identify too closely with some of the thoughts he expressed, like how his family was the only group he wanted to belong to. I can see my family reacting this way to my eventual (and inevitable) suicide. I’m not sure I’d need the second box, though. Don’t. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/12 "2013-11-02T23:02:03Z")
> [@Sudden\_Kestrel](#): > > my eventual (and inevitable) suicide I don’t know you, or anything about you, but DO NOT DO THIS. If you seriously consider it, call 911. Please. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/13 "2013-11-02T23:02:52Z")
[QUOTE=Erdosain] I am also looking forward to reading this. I like Sedaris even better when he isn’t being funny. [/QUOTE] It actually has a surprising amount of humor considering the subject (the best lines perhaps being about what to name a beach house). > [@Capt\_Kirk](#): > > David often comes off looking badly himself, I am thinking of his desire to buy the Anne Frank House while he was visiting. I thought that was one of his funniest pieces, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/14 "2013-11-03T00:17:26Z")
If it were that simple, Sedaris would have had to find something else to write about. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/15 "2013-11-03T08:50:05Z")
A clarification: > [@toofs](#): > > Don’t. > [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I don’t know you, or anything about you, but DO NOT DO THIS. > > If you seriously consider it, call 911. Please. > > ☹ > [@Sudden\_Kestrel](#): > > If it were that simple, Sedaris would have had to find something else to write about. My comment was _supposed_ to be in reply to those of **toofs** and **nearwildheaven** , but Tapatalk and my pain meds were unable to cooperate. I also wanted to add that there is no cause for concern; my original post presented the viewpoint of a particular person with chronic mental illness. While I have no intention of committing suicide at this time, I have to acknowledge that it is way up there on my list of probable causes of death, hence my reaction to Sedaris’ article. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/16 "2013-11-03T13:30:00Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > I’m going to a reading/signing of his tonight. It’ll be my first and I’m pretty excited abut it. > > nearwildheaven - If you are able to read Santaland Diaries without laughing, I question your place in this world. I can read all of his books without laughing. I just don’t find him funny in written form. But he’s hilarious when reading it out loud. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/17 "2013-11-03T13:39:38Z")
Interesting point… I’ve never “read” any of his work. I’ve listened to almost all his work in audiobook form. Come to think of it, I’ve heard so much that even if I did read it in dead tree form, I’d hear his voice in my head. So I have no idea what it’d be like for someone to pick up one of his books cold. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/18 "2013-11-03T14:11:48Z")
It’s my feeling that his family wasn’t and isn’t THAT clever or funny, and he picked, chose, and exaggerated/edited a lot. I have no doubt they are all a clever, witty, creative bunch, but it’s like ‘reality TV’ - thousands of hours of editing go into producing an episode. (no one can be that entertaining 24/7, year after year after year!) I say this as a huge David Sedaris fan, I enjoy his writing, but when it comes to his family, I take them with a grain of salt (maybe with the exception of Amy, she is amazing on her own). ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/19 "2013-11-03T14:41:43Z")
This line from the piece has haunted me: > [@](#): > > As for my parents, there were only so many times they could apologize. “We had other kids,” they said in their defense. “You think we could let the world stop on account of any one of you?” My first reaction was to recoil. What kind of parents could possibly say or think something like that? But the more I mull it over, the less qualified I feel to judge. Six kids – that’s a lot of responsibility. I can imagine how I would react to a troubled child in the context of five other children, but I’m not walking in those shoes and I don’t know what I would do if I were living that situation. Still, how lonely I imagine it would make me feel to be that troubled child and to have been forced into an abusive situation and then to hear something like that. I’ve been present at one of David Sedaris’ readings and own all of his books (most signed by him at said reading) and think the world of him and his writing. This piece in particular has really stuck with me. ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773/20 "2013-11-03T15:22:15Z")
I’ve never though his writing was funny. Some of it is mildly humorous (the bit about his dad waking him up to tell him he had a brother, with David focusing on all the things in his room that should have told his dad his eldest boy was gay). But most of what he writes is just sad, or even revolting. It’s _good_, mind you. I just never read him as a humor writer. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-sedaris-writes-about-the-suicide-of-his-sister-tiffany/672773.md?page=2)