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 Me Talk Pretty One Day :: 0316776963
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| David Sedaris became a star autobiographer on public radio, onstage in New York, and on bestseller lists, mostly on the strength of "SantaLand Diaries," a scathing, hilarious account of his stint as a Christmas elf at Macy's. (It's in two separate collections, both worth owning, Barrel Fever and the Christmas-themed Holidays on Ice.) Sedaris's caustic gift has not deserted him in his fourth book, which mines poignant comedy from his peculiar childhood in North Carolina, his bizarre career path, and his move with his lover to France. Though his anarchic inclination to digress is his glory, Sedaris does have a theme in these reminiscences: the inability of humans to communicate. The title is his rendition in transliterated English of how he and his fellow students of French in Paris mangle the Gallic language. In the essay "Jesus Shaves," he and his classmates from many nations try to convey the concept of Easter to a Moroccan Muslim. "It is a party for the little boy of God," says one. "Then he be die one day on two... morsels of... lumber," says another. Sedaris muses on the disputes between his Protestant mother and his father, a Greek Orthodox guy whose Easter fell on a different day. Other essays explicate his deep kinship with his eccentric mom and absurd alienation from his IBM-exec dad: "To me, the greatest mystery of science continues to be that a man could father six children who shared absolutely none of his interests." Every glimpse we get of Sedaris's family and acquaintances delivers laughs and insights. He thwarts his North Carolina speech therapist ("for whom the word pen had two syllables") by cleverly avoiding all words with s sounds, which reveal the lisp she sought to correct. His midget guitar teacher, Mister Mancini, is unaware that Sedaris doesn't share his obsession with breasts, and sings "Light My Fire" all wrong--"as if he were a Webelo scout demanding a match." As a remarkably unqualified teacher at the Art Institute of Chicago, Sedaris had his class watch soap operas and assign "guessays" on what would happen in the next day's episode. It all adds up to the most distinctively skewed autobiography since Spalding Gray's Swimming to Cambodia. The only possible reason not to read this book is if you'd rather hear the author's intrinsically funny speaking voice narrating his story. In that case, get Me Talk Pretty One Day on audio. --Tim Appelo Editorial Descriptions are usually submitted by the manufacturers, publishers and authors. Contact us if you are one of them, and wish to change the above description. |
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Author: Guest
I read ME TALK PRETTY book while I was stuck in my hotel room with a bad head cold and a baby with same while on a family ski trip. Although I missed the slopes, I had a great time! I could not put this book down. As the high school reviewer wrote, the chapter about the Rooster is the best! In fact, it reminded me so much of my high school days 20 years ago that I was in tears with laughter. David Sedaris is a brilliant writer with an amazing ability to communicate - you feel like you've met his parents, family, bosses....experienced his life from his eyes. Can't wait to get my hands on another of his books. Must also recommend the novel AN AUDIENCE FOR EINSTEIN.
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Author: Guest
This book hooked me on David Sedaris. I was howling from page one! After finishing this book, I went on to read three more books by him. Thus far, this book has been the one I've enjoyed the most. Maybe it just set the standard too high?
(However, I must admit that my husband read the first two pages and never even broke a smile.)
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Author: Guest
After reading the rave reviews in the front of the book, and then the glowing reviews on here, I thought I was in for a treat, especially since I love humorous books. Unfortunately, this humor wasn't for me. I found the writing self-absorbed and tedious. I didn't need to find a private place to read it since I didn't laugh out loud once. I struggled to get to the end. The first chapters were mildly amusing, but it was a slow tortuous roll downhill after that. To compare this to the writings of Mark Twain is to gravely insult Mr. Twain. Luckily, everyone has different tastes and different things tickle different funny bones, but my funny bone remained untouched by this collection.
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Author: Guest
Funny and irreverent, ME TALK PRETTY is a fantastic book. Amongst Sedaris' various ramblings on insomnia induced fantasies some inevitable political humor creeps in. One fantasy, titled "I've Got a Secret" begins: "I'm a pretty, slightly chubby White House intern whose had a brief affair with the President." But then Sedaris makes a 180 shift and "our heroine" becomes known as a brave stoic unwilling to capitalize on her unfortunate circumstances. Then after the press coverage dies down, she writes a best-selling novel under an assumed name and gets down to her life's work: sleeping with professional football players. Sedaris takes unprecedented pride his refusal to learn any useful French - despite six summer visits and a two-year stay. The book includes several essays devoted this topic. During his second summer in Normandy, Sedaris devotes himself to learning 10 new words per day, in a faux effort to expand his two-word vocabulary of "ashtray" and "bottleneck". Hysterical like McCrae's KATZENJAMMER and well-put-together a la the works of Burroughs (RUNNING WITH SCISSORS), this "perfect" Sedaris book will keep you in stitches.
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Author: Guest
I'd never heard of David Sedaris when I recently picked up this book in a sale at my local bookstore -- skimming the first couple pages and reading the backcover blurbs made it seem worth the discounted price.
Overall, my opinion of the book strongly concurs with that of Jeannette C. (October 18, 2005), the book wasn't bad in any way, or even dull or tedious. It just was a book to read, a way to pass some time.
The first story was probably the most amusing, certainly the most engaging. Some of the others seemed to be a pointless meander down memory lane, in particular 'The Rooster'. These remembrances could be funny in the right context, with some background, but within the confines of the book they were nothing more than words on a page.
The second half, dealing with the author's soujourn in France, was slightly more entertaining, though a bit heavy on the bitter self-deprecation.
I can't say I was sorry when I got to the last page though.
For me, the "funniest person writing today" is, without question, Terry Pratchett of Discworld fame.
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