If you go
› What: Readings by humorist David Sedaris.› When: 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21; doors open at 7 p.m.› Where: Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St.› Admission: $39.50, $49.50 and $59.50 plus fees.› Phone: 423-757-5580.› Website: www.tivolichattanooga.com.
David SedarisDavid Sedaris, whose sardonic wit and incisive social critiques have made him one of America's preeminent humor writers, will bring his latest book tour to the Tivoli Theatre on Friday, Oct. 21.
His latest collection of essays, "Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls," traces his offbeat travels, which involve encounters with everything from French dentistry and Australian kookaburras to Beijing squat toilets and a wilderness Costco.
Here are five fast facts about this master of satire.
1. He is the author of "Barrel Fever" and "Holidays on Ice," as well as collections of personal essays, "Naked," "Me Talk Pretty One Day," "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim," "When You Are Engulfed in Flames" and "Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls," all of which have been best-sellers. He also is the author of the best-selling collection of fables titled "Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary" (with illustrations by Ian Falconer). He was also the editor of "Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules: An Anthology of Outstanding Stories."
2. The audio version of "Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls" is a Grammy Award nominee for Best Spoken Word Album. He was previously nominated in 2005, 2009 and 2014.
3. His pieces appear regularly in The New Yorker and have twice been in "The Best American Essays."
4. Ten million copies of his books are in print, and they have been translated into 25 languages.
5. He and his sister, Amy Sedaris, have collaborated to write half a dozen plays that have been produced at La Mama, Lincoln Center and The Drama Department in New York City. They include the Obie Award winner "One Woman Shoe."
Excerpt from “Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls”
From the chapter “Dentists Without Borders,” about his experiences with dental care in France:I see Dr. Guig for surgery and consultations, but the regular, twice-a-year deep cleanings are performed by his associate, a woman named Dr. Barras. What she does in my mouth is unspeakable, and because it causes me to sweat, I’ve taken to bringing a second set of clothes and changing in the bathroom before I leave for home. “Oh, Monsieur Sedaris,” she chuckles. “You are such a child.”A year ago, I arrived and announced that, since my previous visit, I’d been flossing every night. I thought this might elicit some praise — “How dedicated you are, how disciplined!” — but instead she said, “Oh, there’s no need.”It was the same when I complained about all the gaps between my teeth. “I had braces when I was young, but maybe I need them again,” I told her. An American dentist would have referred me to an orthodontist, but, to Dr. Barras, I was just being hysterical. “You have what we in France call ‘good time teeth,’” she said. “Why on earth would you want to change them?”“Um, because I can floss with the sash to my bathrobe?”“Hey,” she said, “enough with the flossing. You have better ways to spend your evenings.”I guess that’s where the good times come in.Source: www.npr.org.