Me Talk Pretty One Day

Me Talk Pretty One Day

• Genre: Nonfiction; autobiography; humor
• Originally Published: 2000
• Reading Level/Interest: College/adult
• Structure/Length: Divided into 27 chapters; approximately 272 pages; approximately 5 hours, 51 minutes on audiobook
• Central Concern: In this collection of essays, David Sedaris offers humorous and poignant reflections on his life, moving from his quirky childhood in North Carolina to his adventurous adulthood in France. Through witty anecdotes, he recounts his efforts to learn the French language and navigate cultural differences while managing the eccentricities of his own family. With his signature wit and sharp observational humor, Sedaris touches on themes of identity, language barriers, and the quirks of everyday life.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Some mature and potentially controversial content related to family dynamics, sexuality, and personal relationships; irreverent and/or dark humor  

David Sedaris, Author

• Bio: Born 1956; American humorist, comedian, and author; known for his distinctive voice and ability to turn ordinary experiences into laugh-out-loud stories; frequently contributes to public radio’s This American Life; has earned three Grammy nominations for audio versions of his works as well as an honorary doctorate from Binghamton University
• Other Works: Naked (1997); Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (2004); Calypso (2018)
• Awards: Thurber Prize for American Humor (2001); Time’s Humorist of the Year (2001)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Language
• Imagination and Reality
• Self-Identity and Sexuality
• Class Difference and France’s Perception of America/Americans

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the socio-cultural and environmental contexts regarding living as an expatriate, which impact the writer’s life.
• Study paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of Language, Imagination and Reality, Self-Identity and Sexuality, and Class Difference and France’s Perception of America/Americans.
• Research and analyze additional essays by David Sedaris and present their work to their peers based on text evidence.
• Examine and appraise the author’s treatment of his family members to make conclusions in structured essay responses regarding rhetorical strategy, the book’s humor, and other topics.