There’s something undeniably infectious about David Sedaris, the way he weaves tales that are both deeply personal and universally relatable, all infused with his unique brand of humor and insight. Sitting in his publisher’s office, the first real spring afternoon of the year, he’s draped in gray Comme des Garçons pants, his legs crossed in contemplation, discussing his latest book, The Land and Its People.
David Sedaris has a way of meandering through topics, from meeting the Pope to maximizing his Duolingo score, with Conan O’Brien‘s wife being the perfectly dressed person for the occasion, showcasing his ability to find intrigue in the mundane. His essays, such as the story of his secret marriage to his longtime partner, Hugh Hamrick, are tied together by subtle thematic links like legacy, mortality, and what the body can and cannot do over time, even if he himself dramatically undersells these connections.
With a career spanning over three decades, David Sedaris has become one of our great living noticers, with a legacy that has infiltrated the psyche of a generation of comic writers who grew up reading Me Talk Pretty One Day and listening to Santaland Diaries in the back of their parents’ minivan every December. His influence is evident in authors like Coco Mellors, Rob Franklin, and Orlando Whitfield, who all cite him as a favorite, and in content creators like Tefi Pessoa, who credits him with inspiring her to see the world beyond her hometown and to never be ashamed of wanting more.
Born in New York but raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, as one of six siblings, David Sedaris often tells stories of his childhood, including his senile Greek “YaYa” and his naughty sister Amy Sedaris, who would become famous in her own right. His breakout success began on public radio with This American Life’s Ira Glass, who discovered him in a Chicago club, leading to his first two-book deal after the national acclaim of his essay Santaland Diaries, a set of dispatches from his time working as a Macy’s Christmas elf.
