lickyrlolli

If you’ve been in a bookstore in the past few days, you’ve probably noticed David Sedaris’ new book of humorous essays, When You Are Engulfed in Flames. I work in a bookstore where Engulfed is displayed around every corner, and the cover image begs to be looked at. The picture is classic Sedaris humor: dark, demented and a little haunting. It features a skeleton smoking a cigarette, and at first glance it looks like a Grateful Dead poster. However, it has a weird power that pulls you back, as if it may have changed while you were looking away.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, the author reveals that the image is in fact a Vincent van Gogh painting. Sedaris bought a postcard of it during a trip to Amsterdam, and became infatuated with it. He also reveals that Army bases were reluctant to feature the cover, saying that the cigarette could easily be taken for a joint. The author of course gets a kick out of this, and points out that in van Gogh’s time, that’s what ciggies looked like. Really the Army should be thankful the skeleton isn’t toasting us with a glass of absinthe.

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