Me Talk Pretty One Day

I rarely read non-fiction and almost never memoir. I had heard great things about David Sedaris, so I thought I would give it a whirl. (Plus I found the book for cheap at the second-hand store.)

It took a little while to get used to his style. In fact, I almost stopped reading. I wasn't used to someone dwelling on their own life so much. However, he is an intriguing guy with a colorful life—at least as he frames it—so I continued.

It took a while to understand the title. It was something that happened when he moved to France with his partner and took French lessons. However, speaking was never his strong suit. He starts the book relaying his grammar school experiences with a speech therapist who tried to cure his lisp. He revealed the kinship he found with other males who also lisped, and not many of them took a vested interest in being cured.

He's boldly honest about his experiences as a gay man in a judgmental world. It was an eye-opener to see things from his self-deprecating point of view. His time as a furniture mover was particularly charming. His description of his quirky family are entertaining. It surprised me that he portrayed himself as somewhat of a slacker.

It's worth the read alone to see the world from his perspective.