• Me Talk Pretty One Day

  • By: David Sedaris
  • Narrated by: David Sedaris
  • Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (11,999 ratings)

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Me Talk Pretty One Day  By  cover art

Me Talk Pretty One Day

By: David Sedaris
Narrated by: David Sedaris
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Publisher's summary

David Sedaris' new collection of essays - including live recordings! - tells a most unconventional life story. It begins with a North Carolina childhood filled with speech-therapy classes ("There was the lisp, of course, but more troubling than that was my voice itself, with its excitable tone and high, girlish pitch") and unwanted guitar lessons taught by a midget. From budding performance artist ("The only crimp in my plan was that I seemed to have no talent whatsoever") to "clearly unqualified" writing teacher in Chicago, Sedaris' career leads him to New York City and eventually, of all places, France. His move to Paris poses a number of challenges, chief among them his inability to speak the language. Arriving a "spooky man-child" capable of communicating only through nouns, he undertakes language instruction that leads him ever deeper into cultural confusion. Whether describing the Easter bunny to puzzled classmates or watching a group of men play soccer with a cow, Sedaris brings a view and a voice like no other to every unforgettable encounter.
©2000 by David Sedaris, All Rights Reserved (P)2000 by Time Warner AudioBooks, A Division of Time Warner Trade Publishing

Critic reviews

"At his best, he makes you laugh out loud, which indeed may be worth the price of admission." (The New York Times)

Featured Article: The Best Comedy Audiobooks to Get You Laughing Out Loud


It’s no secret that good comedy can lighten our spirits and brighten our lives. So if you’re looking for a hilarious new listen to liven up your work day, hit the treadmill, or unwind with some leisure time at home, we’ve got the list for you. With these listens, you can laugh along with stories from some of the world’s greatest comedians, all delivered with pitch-perfect performances. From personal memoirs to multi-cast recordings, we’ve got the perfect listen.

What listeners say about Me Talk Pretty One Day

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    8,067
  • 4 Stars
    2,371
  • 3 Stars
    904
  • 2 Stars
    341
  • 1 Stars
    316
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    6,905
  • 4 Stars
    1,056
  • 3 Stars
    393
  • 2 Stars
    134
  • 1 Stars
    146
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5,887
  • 4 Stars
    1,652
  • 3 Stars
    616
  • 2 Stars
    254
  • 1 Stars
    196

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Subtly Funny Musings on Life Experiences

This is my first Sedaris book and chuckled throughout. The book isn't a straightforward novel, but a compilation of different events/periods in his life coupled with live performances. It's deeply reflective and humorous in a subtle manner. Highly recommend and can't wait to download his other titles.

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61 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Pure Genius

I've listened to David Sedaris on the radio on This American Life. When I found that he had a book out, I jumped at the chance to get it on audio. Usually I find that I am disappointed when I expect so much from an author. I was not disappointed this time. I did alot of walking while I listened to this, and people gave me a wide berth because I was laughing all the time! I looked like a crazy person. Do yourself a favor and get this book. The man is a genius. Honestly the funniest thing I've ever read.

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60 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

CAUTION -- DO NOT LISTEN WHILE DRIVING!

My husband and I listened to this in the car on a long road trip. We were both laughing so hard we thought we were going to have to pull off the road or have an accident. David Sedaris is hilarious in general, but listening to him read his own material takes it to an all new level. His ability to take mundane life and twist it around is part of it, but his voice and expression make it a side splitting experience. This is one of the few authors where hearing the material is better than just reading it out of a book.

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46 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Cynical but Cute - Better than reading the book.

A friend recommended this book to read. It is even better on audiobook read by the author. I would not say that it made me laugh but there are some really well written and cute stories that will keep you interested.

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44 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Sedaris is great!

I was not familiar with David Sedaris before I bought this book, and I absolutely loved it. The stories are heartfelt and funny. The audio delivery is superb. I now keep an eye out for anything Sedaris has written knowing I will enjoy it. Keep the books coming! I can't wait to hear more.

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43 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • GH
  • 06-19-13

A constant set of chuckles and a few gotchas!

I really like this Sedaris book. True to his other novels, this is a compendium of stories. The title is taken from the first story where David, as a 3rd grader, goes to a speech therapist. You cannot help but laugh as the story unwinds and young David gets the best of the teacher in the end. And so the stories continue one by one making you laugh and every now and again he slips in a potent serious message.

Sedaris narrates his own work, so the stories comes off more powerful than a classic text might; especially in the first story where he talks about a lisping problem he had as a child.

This is a relatively short listen and it should appeal to anyone who like satirical humor drawn from personal introspection. Although many of the stories involve family members, they are not mean spirited. You feel like you are at a dinner table and just reliving the 'best of' stories with family members. I highly recommend this series of stories -- they are all winners.

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39 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Not Worth the Price of Admission

Disregard the 4 rating and make sure you listen to the sample before buying. If you can take 4 hours of 4:30, listening to exactly the same thing, buy it. I made a mistake and took the 4 rating on faith. I wanted to, because I had so thoroughly enjoyed David Sedaris Live at Carnegie Hall. Even after I listened to the download sample and finding the author's in-studio reading style to be as mediocre as the subject matter, I still bought the book. I did so because the reviews said otherwise. I reasoned that I was listening to the beginning and it would soon change. Boy was I mistaken. The drone of his recounting his HS speech problems, went on and on and on. It finally did change, but that was at the 4-hour mark. For the remaining 30 minute, the listener is once again treated to a live performance, as funny, as full of wit and as crisply delivered, as is his Carnegie Hall performance. However, 30 minutes out of 4:30, is hardly worth the price of admission. The only saving grace was I used a 20% discount instead of a book credit to buy the book.

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25 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

You will ROFL

In spite of being leery about books read by their authors, I listened to this book read by
Sedaris himself. My concerns were ungrounded as I quickly realized he was as good a narrator, or maybe I should say performer, as he was an author: he kept me in stitches throughout this whole book. It is a collection of memoirs based on Sedaris' life, but told through exceptionally good writing and with insightful humor, making his drug addiction and other excesses seem forgivable. Throughout the book, I had no doubt that Sedaris accepts responsibility for his mistakes, and that somewhere along the way he decided to get clean, or at least cleaner, and make something of his life. His ability to poke fun at himself and his slightly strange family is evident as he turns event after average event into reasons to laugh out loud. Decidedly gay, he is nevertheless entertaining to all kinds of audiences.

On a personal note, although clever, the only part of the book I did not enjoy were the dog poems. Others will say that is the best part, and I understand. They just came across as smutty to me. My favorite parts were "learning to speak French," and "disdain of computers." So funny!

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20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Sedaris - Not for everyone

I am making my way through all the Sedaris which make excellent lockdown reading. This one made me laugh out loud dozens of times, and I had to share many of the snippets with my family. I am a lover of short stories, good writing, and very very offbeat humor. Check, check, and check. Only downsides are it is short and is just a collection without the strong theme found in Sedaris.

If you have enjoyed other Sedaris, you will likely enjoy this as well. Some readers will be offended by the (often crude and dark) observations of this book. If stories involving drugs, sex, excrement, or homosexuality bother you at all, this is not for you. The humor is sometimes so rude, raw, and/or mean as to be shocking to the uninitiated.

I really appreciate the author's narration. He adds a subtle spin to many lines that make one truly appreciate Audible format.

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Me Get It

A dry sense of humor is required to really enjoy David Sedaris' self-deprecating stories. The sections of tape he recorded in front of a crowd were probably some of my favorites. I'll definately listen to it again to catch what i may have missed. And I'll recommend it to others.

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18 people found this helpful