First published 2001
When humorist David Sedaris moves from New York to Paris, he faces a new challenge: learning the language. Enrolling in a sadistic French class, he stumbles through exercises and conversations, his "spooky man-child" persona clashing with the Parisian way of life. But Sedaris' trademark wit and observational humor transform even his most mortifying language blunders into riotous stories, revealing the universal struggles of feeling like an outsider.
Genres: humor, autobiography, contemporary, memoir, non-fiction, comedy
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: France, New York City, Normandy, North Carolina, Paris, Raleigh
Period: 2000
272 pages · Hardcover · Little, Brown and Company