Me Talk Pretty One Day

Book Cover

So this will be my first and quite possibly last book review ever on this beautiful little blog. The book is Me Talk Pretty One Day by the always funny David Sedaris. The book is nonfiction, published in 2000, and all short little essays. Starting off, the essays are about Sedaris' childhood in Raleigh, NC, slowly evolving to his more "troubled" and odd job years in New York City. The second "half" of the book is about his move to Normandy, France and Paris, France with his partner Hugh.


I'm not used to listening to people like Sedaris tell stories. He is sort of dark, cynical, and, if I'm being honest, not really someone you would usually cast as a main character of a book. These are his own little memoirs if you will, so I know he didn't have much choice, but I'm used to reading fiction. I'm used to having a hero of a main character, who even if they come from a troubled past, will get their act together and end up with good intentions. Sedaris is not this kind of guy. He gets involved with drugs, is not very smart, is sort of a downer at times, and not someone I would choose to be friends with in real life. I would consider him introverted. But, somehow, he got me laughing. He would take absolutely uncomfortable situations and make them seem hilarious with a little side commentary.

 The book was not what I expected, but I did end up enjoying it at the end. His stories don't end well in my opinion; there is an obvious climax but the conclusion does not come in with a bang. Which makes you want to start on the next story without really contemplating the last.

Altogether, I pretty decent book I'd say. Opened me up to a different lifestyle for sure, as I would probably consider Sedaris and I complete opposites.

Sincerely Sydney