Me Talk Pretty One Day (Paperback)

David Sedaris (author)

£9.99

Paperback 288 Pages
Published: 03/01/2002

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Synopsis Author

A hilarious collection of essays from 'the premier observer of our world and its weirdnesses,' New York Times bestselling author David Sedaris (Adam Kay, author of This is Going to Hurt)

Anyone who has heard David Sedaris speaking live or on the radio will tell you that a collection from him is cause for jubilation. A move to Paris from New York inspired these hilarious pieces, including 'Me Talk Pretty One Day', about his attempts to learn French from a sadistic teacher who declares that 'every day spent with you is like having a caesarean section'.

His family is another inspiration. 'You Can't Kill the Rooster' is a portrait of his brother, who talks incessant hip-hop slang to his bewildered father. And no one hones a finer fury in response to such modern annoyances as restaurant meals presented in ludicrous towers of food and cashiers with six-inch fingernails.

Readers say:

'Fantastically funny book which gets better and better'

'Oh how I loved this book. David Sedaris and his adventures in learning to speak French made me cry with laughter, especially the terrifying teacher at the language classes'

'Why have I not discovered him before'

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
ISBN: 9780349113913
Number of pages: 288
Weight: 233 g
Dimensions: 196 x 126 x 24 mm

MEDIA REVIEWS

Sedaris is the premier observer of our world and its weirdnesses -- Adam Kay, author of This is Going to Hurt
Still keeps me company like a party guest who's been asked to spend the night...His essays about living in Paris are full of piss and vinegar and achingly funny * Armistead Maupin *
He is, simply, very funny... refusing to find anything an unfit subject for humour * Sunday Times *
A deadpan, darkly comical portrait of the American underbelly . . . Sedaris shares something of [Alan] Bennett's detached curiosity, and they both have a thirst for amusement -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *
So often Sedaris's phrasing is beautiful in its piquancy and minimalism...His life is extraordinary in so many ways - the drug addiction, the eccentric family, the crazy jobs, the fame, the globetrotting - but one of the more unlikely achievements here is in making it all seem quite ordinary. Ultimately, his masterstroke is in acting as a bystander in his own story * Guardian *
Audaciously combining memoir, essay, and what has to be fiction, this fourth collection of short pieces offers pleasures normally to be found only in the best novels and the rare standup act that is actually funny * The New Yorker *
He makes me laugh so much. In an era when US satire is outpacing our own he's a sharp, humane and hilarious voice that never fails to make you smile - and sometimes weep. Apparently effortless humour is difficult, and precious. He's the real thing -- James Naughtie * Radio Times *
The world's most eloquent malcontent, Sedaris has turned self-deprecation into a celebrated art form * Amazon.com editor review *
Still keeps me company like a party guest who's been asked to spend the night...His essays about living in Paris are full of piss and vinegar and achingly funny. * Armistead Maupin *
Audaciously combining memoir, essay, and what has to be fiction, this fourth collection of short pieces offers pleasures normally to be found only in the best novels and the rare standup act that is actually funny. * THE NEW YORKER *
He is, simply, very funny... refusing to find anything an unfit subject for humour. * SUNDAY TIMES *
A sophisticatedly funny take on modern life. Treat yourself to this book. * IRISH TIMES *

David Sedaris

Incisively quick, sardonic, risqué and riotously funny, American author David Sedaris is one of the world’s most popular comic writers. An essayist and raconteur, his work is most often identified by his unique brand of autobiographical writing and performed readings.

He first made his name on American radio, marking his debut on American National Public Radio with his now-famed essay SantaLand Diaries about his time employed as a Macy’s department store Christmas elf. Now resident in the UK, Sedaris tours regularly and is a frequent contributor to BBC R4. His books include: Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls and Theft By Finding.

Visit the David Sedaris author page