Me Talk Pretty One Day

By: David Sedaris

Narrated by: David Sedaris

A hilarious collection of essays from David Sedaris, 'the premier observer of our world and its weirdnesses' (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'©2003 David Sedaris

Critic 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

He is, simply, very funny... refusing to find anything an unfit subject for humour

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)

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

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

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)

The world's most eloquent malcontent, Sedaris has turned self-deprecation into a celebrated art form

Loved it

Where does Me Talk Pretty One Day rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

How does a guy get so funny. Loved every word of this book. Definitely my best so far.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Me Talk Pretty One Day?

Too many to list

What about David Sedaris’s performance did you like?

Everything. The writing, his delivery, his self-deprecation (so refreshing compared to so many people these days), his pathos, his empathy. He is just a great writer across the board.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

His writing about learning French in Paris. That was not only funny but helpful for me because I'm a language teacher and it really helped me to empathise more with my students.

Any additional comments?

I just hope my next audio book will be even half as good as this one.

His sense of humour

I enjoyed listening to him. David reading it made it a whole lot more authentic. I found it quite surprising how well articulated his words were; those random intrusive thoughts that often cross most of our minds but David penned them down capturing their essence in its raw form. It’s a good listen.

I wept

I am a huge recent fan of David Sedaris, and this book didn't disappoint. My whole family was listening to it on a long drive. At one point I thought my husband was going to run off the road he was laughing so hard. I was weeping with laughter, so couldn't even take over the driving. David Sedaris has the best delivery, and the best self-deprecating humour that comes through even when the subject matter is less hilarious than piquant. We'll listen to it more than once.

Hilarious!

Fantastic narration and very very funny. Very easy to listen to and giggle along with the anecdotes.

Still hilarious twenty years later!

David Sedaris' food-hoarding father sounds exactly like my Chinese parents who did not live through abject poverty! Loved hearing about his years living as the American village idiot also in Normandy, France. Very relatable with my broken French in spite of twenty years of on-and-off French classes!!