Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
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Book Reviews of Me Talk Pretty One Day
Book Review: Milk-through-the-nose funny, and yet often poignant
Summary: 5 Stars
Sedaris has a real gift for language. Although according to the book, that langauge is decidedly not french.The tales that comprise the first half of the book relate his childhood and family - they're the sort of absurd family everyone has but never really talks about. They're an odd bunch, and Sedaris truly manages to make them seem larger-than-life even though you know deep-down they're no stranger than anyone else's clan. Particularly howl-inducing is the story of his youngest brother, who has mystifyingly deisgnated himself "the Rooster" and is about as far at-odds with the rest of the family as could possibly be. And yet, between the Rooster's foul language and rough manners, the sense of kinship between him and the clan's detatched patriarch si definitley conveyed in a heartfelt and stupifyingly funny manner.
Also notable is the vignette "12 Moments in the Life of the Artist" which self-deprecatingly plays on Sedaris's own artistic pretension and relates his daliances with art school, sculpting, methamphetamines and most terrifyingly conceptual and performance art. An absolutely brilliant piece, he manages to skewer the whole performance art movement as well as his own silly notions of the artist lifestyle in one fell swoop.
The second half of the book details his life in France and his struggles with the language. While slightly less emotionally attached than the first half of the book, it is often even funnier, with the ridiculous mangling of the french langauge, the odd things he learns to say (he studies medical french for fun), the aggressive and verbally abusive french teacher, and the difficulties with noun gender.
I've read this book a dozen times already and never does it fail to send me into fits. Definitely one of my all-time favorites.
Book Review: ggggggg
Summary: 5 Stars
I couldn't dislike this book if I tried. Upon completion, I find myself flipping back through essays, re-reading over and over again finding little details that I missed before and laughing out lout in inappropriate situations. Sedaris is so likeable and undeniably funny that it might take a while before you start questioning how this dry, often pestamistic passive observer became the protagonist of his stories for no obvious reasons and became your personal hero. He's not really criticizing human behavior, he's just admitting that no one is above it and for being a writer with such wit and charm stripped down to confessionals, you can't help but love him for writing the words that never left your mouth with such cleverness and fluency. "Me Talk Pretty One Day" is the collected writings of David Sedaris' experiences in France and that general era of his life, but instead of being filled with the hopelessness and drama he was searching for, he manages to find whimsical humor everywhere he goes, never failing to display his own pretentions and akward mannerisms to which I relate and praise him for. Even though I have yet to meet an eccentric bipolar french-teacher who constantly throws objects and asks questions purely for the intent of criticizing thier answers, a father who refuses to not eat appaulingly old food and forces his children to appreciate jazz, or a speech therapist who seems to interrigate her child patients determined to find flaws in thier speech, I'll never lose my appreciation for those great story tellers who'm I've never had the privelege to be. Sedaris and his world full of eccentric characters, never fail to entertain.Book Review: Hilarious!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've read this book twice, and it was even funnier the second time. Sedaris has had very interesting and amusing life experiences, and he's more than willing to share these with us. As a chain-smoking, lisping homosexual in a country that has banned smoking for the most part and often detests gay men with "effeminate" characteristics, Sedaris is unabashed and certainly not regretful. He shares his experiences of his quirky family that includes his sister Amy Sedaris, former star of "Strangers with Candy" and his rotten-fruit-eating father. He recounts his struggles with a speech therapist who attempts to correct his lisping (the apparently obvious mark of homosexuality) and his brilliant tactics to avoid its correction. Many of his stories are taken from his time in France where he lived with his boyfriend Hugh. These stories successfully convey both the difficulties and joys of living the expatriate life - appreciating a new culture, learning a new language, and viewing American tourists in a new and often all too revealing light.
The best of his stories, in my opinion, unleashes onto us his younger brother, a foul-mouthed, gangster rap fan who is a stark contrast to his father but is his most dependable support. This particular story really demonstrates what Sedaris is capable of. It's incredibly funny but so poignant at the same time.
This book will make you laugh at loud, and I hope you get a chance to read it. Make sure you check out "Naked" also for more of Sedaris' brilliance.
Book Review: Alchoholics and Speach Impetiments - Thats Funny
Summary: 5 Stars
"Me Talk Pretty One Day" is a compliation of short stories, and memories written by David Sedaris. Beginning at the age of 5, the book follow's his life up until the present. Written with sarcastically dry humor and wit, every chapter is more riduclous and hilarious than the last. I had been imatiantly awaiting a follow-up on "Naked," which consisits of the same ideas and memories as this book. I didn't think anything could top "Naked," but this one is way up there.The first chapter is about Sedaris' speach impetiments when he was a child, and his first cruel, cruel, speech therapist, who, in his own words " Would be much happier giving random root canals to the school girls in Africa than actually doing her job." Such topics are the basis of every chapter; they range from his crazy parents and siblings to the midget guitar teacher his father hired for him when he was 12.
Though there are several reasons why I enjoyed this book, the main one would have to be Sedaris' "real life" writing style. His childhood growing up sounded like hell; his mother was an alchoholic, he didn't have any friends and what not, but somhow, his writing style and techniques make it all hilarious. I think if anyone else wrote about this life, it would have sounded depressing and scary.
So, if you're feeling sorry for yourself, dealing with a mid-life crisis, or just bored, you should definatly read this book.
Book Review: Funnier than a Rhino in a tu-tu!
Summary: 5 Stars
David Sedaris did an excellent job meshing together humor and anecdotes to create a book that both powerfully funny and unendingly creative. Whether his life was really this adventurous is up to interpretation, but even if they are all lies, they're average enough to believe.
There are multiple aspects of the book that make it a page-turners dream. Its "interesting essay" breakup, excessive use of humor, and imaginative characters all up to one grand book.
The essay format I'm talking about is Sedaris's usual prose. He breaks up his interesting life into succinct chapters that are actuallly standalone essays that seem to casually flow together, except for where the author purposely leave out content to make you guess or feel different than if you knew all of the innards of the situation, such as the first few times Hugh is mentioned.
Hugh is one of the many interesting and hilarious characters that have surrounded Sedaris through his life. I won't go into the characters and their personal quirks due to the spoilers, but trust they are not a boring bunch.
So, Sedaris's semi-autobiography is full of laughs, laughs, and, uh, laughs. I'd recommend reading the second or thrid chapter. If you like it, you'll love the book, if you don't, this may not be for you. Just grab your funny bones and be prepared to stay up all night. This is one book you won't want to miss, unless you like your world unfunny that is.