"Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

David Sedaris may be one of the most interesting (and perhaps influential for some) thinkers of this century. Thankfully, he decided to put his ideas on paper, and as a result we were treated to some of the most unique, thrilling, thought-provoking and funny novels of all time, such as Naked for example, one of his most famous works.

Deciding to provide a tad of insight into his own life, David Sedaris wrote Me Talk Pretty One Day, a collection of 27 essays, many of which originally appeared in newspapers such as The New Yorker.

The book itself is dedicated to his father, Lou, who tried with exasperation to manage all the details of his children’s lives. In traditional Sedaris style, he manages to draw humor even from depressing situations, such as his father’s desperate battle to try and put the kids into a jazz band together.

Also, he talks about how his father’s punishment for being overly involved was David’s brother Paul who became known as "The Rooster", somewhat because of his outrageously loud, half-literate and profane language. In addition to that, keeping with the theme of language, Sedaris recounts his own experiences in France, and how difficult it was for him to learn the language. 

His look on things is a very interesting one and worth taking into consideration, as he seems to be able to interpret everything within context. For example, despite the fact that he was a grown man, he knew that he couldn't "feel superior to a toddler", mainly because he was a strange man in a strange land.

All in all, I could spend all day talking about all the different stories he recounts, but that would be better left for you to do on your own. Regardless of what you even think about books in general, there is no doubt that most find a way to like or relate to Sedaris’ mystifying writing. In the end, Sedaris always had a reputation from draining the life out of people and exhausting them, and that’s exactly what this man’s running thoughts will do to you. 

You will be jumping from story to story (such as his recollection of a cat’s cremation, transitioning straight into his mother’s cremation) without ever feeling like what you are reading doesn’t have its place there.

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David Sedaris Personal site David Sedaris is an American comedian, humorist and author who received national recognition back in 1992 when his essay, "SantaLand Diaries" was broadcast on National Public Radio. Since then he has been publishing essay collections, articles and audio recordings on a very regular basis, and they include Me Talk Pretty One Day and When You Are Engulfed in Flames.