One of my favorite essayists, David Sedaris, has a new book out. When You Are Engulfed in Flames is his memoir about reaching midlife. At 50, he has reached that time in life when the clock urges you to reflect upon the past and prepare for inevitable death, at the same time. Of course, Sedaris will make this examination funny, adding years to your life, which makes the book that much more important to read. This is your health we’re talking about!

In her New York Times book review, Vanessa Grigoriadis says Sedaris has written “a diary of his quest to quit smoking.” The 22 stories in this book span a range of seriousness from his mother’s battle with lung cancer and her death, to his unfortunate seating arrangement on a flight to Raliegh when he inadvertently spits a cough drop into his seat-mate’s lap; one whom had only a few minutes before called him “an asshole” for not switching seats with her husband.

Even more good news about his memoir: Sedaris says it is “realish” and “97 percent…true.”