If you like: laughing so hard you cry, caustic wit, audiobooks, This American Life, Sarah Vowell, Ira Glass.
I own a few copies of this book, but the best way to experience David Sedaris is through audiobook. Me Talk Pretty One Day is all about how we connect, so listening to Sedaris’ unusual voice is part of its charm.
Each of his chapters tells a complete story: A personal essay from any given point of Sedaris’ life. Sedaris ponders the French noun gendering of a female Niagra Falls and a male Grand Canyon, reminisces on mixing meth with conceptual art while in college, and describes his sister waddling around in public wearing only half of a fat suit.
My favorite essay in this book, by far, is Jesus Shaves, in which Intermediate French students of different nationalities try to explain the point and meaning of Easter to a Moroccan student.
“Part of the problem had to do with grammar. Simple nouns such as cross and resurrection were beyond our grasp, let alone such complicated reflexive phrases as ‘To give of yourself your only begotten son.’ Faced with the challenge of explaining the cornerstone of Christianity, we did what any self-respecting group of people might do. We talked about food instead.”
As far as food goes, Sedaris tries to explain in his own broken French that the Easter Bunny delivers chocolate, while his teacher, aghast, says the French believe the sweets are delivered by a bell. The story is so funny and well-written that I guffaw every time I listen, but it also illuminates the way faith works—the change we make on belief and religion as we pass them from person to person. (listen to a version of the essay on This American Life)
That’s why I love Sedaris. He is caustic and sharp with his wit, but (almost) every story circles back to a theme that is humanistic. It’s a mirror held up to the world that hilariously reflects all of its ugly annoyances, but there’s always another tilt that can be made to allow more into the picture, to show hope.
Me Talk Pretty One Day is the perfect example of Sedaris’ humor, and depth. I laugh and cry, sometimes at the same time, and feel a little bit better about the world when I’m done. You can always count on Sedaris for self-deprecating humor, and the way he reflects on uncomfortable situations he got himself into.
“Though we were forbidden to speak anything but French, the teacher would occasionally use us to practice any of her five fluent languages.
‘I hate you,’ she said to me one afternoon. Her English was flawless. 'I really, really hate you.’
Call me sensitive, but I couldn't help taking it personally.”
"Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris; Back Bay Books; 2009.
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