Me Talk Pretty One Day

After his literary success, Naked, David Sedaris strikes gold yet again with Me Talk Pretty One Day. Sedaris shares his life stories through a collection of hilarious, and sometimes even sad, short eassys. He lets his life hang loose, but with humor this genuine, how could anyone not want to sneak a peek?

Humor is not something anyone can pick up over night. Some people have the ability to write humorously, and others don’t. Sedaris most definitely does. He has perfected and showcased his talent in his twenty-eight knee-slapping, rib-tickling tales. His stories range from the loss of childhood pets to the biggest turd he has ever seen in his life. Sedaris’ key to humorous writing is keeping it as authentic as possible and knowing when to laugh at himself. In an interview with Linda Richards, Sedaris admits, “it's much easier …[to] talk about what an asshole you are. And I'm the biggest jerk in every one of those stories, but that's not faked.” Sedaris, mixed in with ridiculously funny images, tells the truth, which, as simple as that sounds, is the funniest thing about the book. Few other authors have the guts to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth as Sedaris does in Me Talk Pretty One Day. He boldly makes fun of nearly every type of person, including his ex-boss, a cheap rich lady who acts as if she is living in poverty, his father, who eats rotten food that he has hoarded for many months, and even himself when insomnia strikes. He shamelessly recounts his life as a so-called “artist” during his crystal methamphetamine stage and makes it seem like it is no big deal. Sedaris reveals some of his most private and humiliating stories to the world without even blinking an eye.

Sedaris recalls enough unique experiences in Me Talk Pretty One Day to last anyone a lifetime. Many of the stories he tells seem as if they came from two completely different people. Who would have guessed that the same innocent fifth grader in speech therapy could have grown up to be a drug addict, who later lived in France with a boyfriend? His life is so cinematic that the reader begins to feel as if anything is possible. Me Talk Pretty One Day has something for everyone. Dysfunctional families, high expectations from parents, horrible bosses, pesky tourists, or whatever else it may be, Sedaris has been there and done that. Although the average person’s experience may not compare to Sedaris’ over-the-top-writing, it is bound to bring memories rushing back. Me Talk Pretty One Day is relatable, giving each story a third dimension, allowing Sedaris’ readers to draw from their own personal experiences, which upps the hilarity.

David Sedaris’ account of his seemingly simple family and life experiences brings humorous writing to a whole new level in Me Talk Pretty One Day. With such brutal honesty, it is hard not to congratulate Sedaris on his collection of essays. Burnouts, artists, teachers, foreign exchange students, and every other type of person will find at least one story that will catch their attention, and after that, they won’t be able to put the book down until they have read every last hysterical word.