I also read some David Sedaris, finally, while in NYC (seemed vaguely appropriate, and my friends had it on their bookshelf). Me Talk Pretty One Day is the one with the child-like writing on a chalkboard for a cover. You probably saw it in bookstores on the display or recommended shelves for months on end. I never knew what it was, or really what Sedaris was all about, until I saw him on Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert. For those similarly impaired, he's a humorist of a peculiar kind and the brother of Amy Sedaris (also a humorist of a peculiar kind). MTPOD deals half with life in America, including his weird family, half with living in France and trying to learn French; that's where the title comes from, his inept grammar and terrible classroom experiences.
I won't say I wasn't amused, because I was, but it wasn't very anything to me; it wasn't really very laugh-out-loud or very memorable or very shocking or very original or very clever or very biting or... you get the idea. This might be my own fault, since I was hoping for a modern-day Thurber of sorts. I get the sense that he is that to some. I suppose the way I'd summarize it in a quick conversation is, "Yeah, it was OK. I guess I'd recommend it. Didn't rush out to read anything else of his, though."
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I highly recommend DS's SantaLand Diaries, which can be found in his books Holidays On Ice and Barrel Fever. The only other author who makes me laugh until I wheeze is Garrison Keillor. Also, I enjoyed reading your comments about A Tale Of Two Cities. I have been following the show for a few years and saw the Sarasota production. Looking forward to seeing it on Bway this fall. :)
Thanks -- with a recommendation I'm certainly willing to try him again. Hope you enjoy Tale on Bway. I don't know how it will fare; I can't imagine that the critics will be too kind, but the cast really deserves to be seen.
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