Sedaris’s gradual acquisition of the French language and time spent in France leads him to question American sensibilities, something which he has never thought about until he has spent considerable time outside of the U.S. The author shares his struggles with learning French, negotiating American and French customs, and finding ways of expressing his unique sense of humor in a French setting. Part Deux takes place primarily in France, a country that Sedaris begins exploring after meeting his partner, Hugh, who owns a second home in Normandy. He much prefers hot dogs to the elaborate and expensive entrées in SoHo, and supports his sister Amy’s antics that defy conventional standards of beauty in favor of unconventional displays of humor. While Sedaris achieves a greater level of financial stability as an adult, these chapters articulate his preference for things that are simple and non-pretentious over something with more glamorous appeal. The author offers commentary about social and economic disparity, particularly in New York City where wealth distribution is prevalent. In the last chapters of Part One, Sedaris explores some of his job struggles as an underpaid writing instructor, an underappreciated personal assistant to an eccentric heiress, and a mover. The introduction of a foul-mouthed brother and other unconventional family responses to mourning mitigates with humor some of the solemnness of the author’s subjects of death and grief. He also reveals the loss of his mother and several beloved pets in the family.

With humor, Sedaris discusses his errors as a young artist as well as his encounters with grief. Later in Part One, the author reveals some of the struggles in his early artistic career, including his drug addiction alongside the ups and downs of his visual arts practice. These chapters also contrast Sedaris’s creative imagination with his father’s more scientific approach to life.

This sets the stage for future challenges to authority, especially as his sexuality eventually becomes an issue for those around him such as his homophobic music teacher.

In response to a persistent speech therapist, Sedaris concocts a spy fantasy to situate his struggles in overcoming his speech impediment. They explore the early beginnings of his fantasy life, which allows him to make sense of other people’s responses to his speech impediment and sexuality. The first three chapters of the book take place at different points in Sedaris’s childhood.

David sedaris me talk pretty