David Sedaris sets himself free in ‘Calypso’
You’ll want to #BookmarkThis. On Aug. 3, join USA TODAY for a live video chat with author David Sedaris about his new book, “Calypso.”
#BookmarkThis is a series of live video chats with best-selling authors, and fans can submit questions during the chat and in advance.
“Calypso” (Little, Brown), the latest collection of essays from the humorist known for his caustic wit, was released on May 29. It landed at No. 6 on USA TODAY’s Best-Selling Books list and has remained a best-seller through the summer.
Sedaris’ many other best-sellers include “Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls,” “Theft By Finding: Diaries: 1977
2002,” “Me Talk Pretty One Day” and “When You Are Engulfed in Flames,” which hit No. 1 on USA TODAY’s list in
2008.
Sedaris’ most famous essay is “Santa-Land Diaries,” his account of working as an elf at Macy’s.
In “Calypso,” his subjects include hosting guests (somewhat reluctantly) at the house in West Sussex, England, he shares with boyfriend, Hugh; logging excessive countryside miles on foot, spurred on by Fitbit; and what it’s like to be short. (“I’ve been called ‘diminuitive’ … and ‘elfin,’ as if I sleep in a teacup.”)
But he also takes on more serious subjects (seen through the lens of dark humor), such as his sister Tiffany’s suicide, his relationship with his father, and mortality. “Though there’s an industry built on telling you otherwise, there are few real joys to middle age,” Sedaris, 61, writes.
In a ★★★☆ review, USA TODAY’s Gary Levin said that “Calypso,” with its “more melancholy, self-reflective turn … feels more substantial and rewarding than some of his earlier efforts.”
Sedaris became an NPR contributor in the 1990s, and many of his essays have appeared in The New Yorker. He won the 2001 Thurber Prize for American Humor, and is a four-time Grammy nominee.
He also frequently tours. Last year he stirred up controversy with critical remarks about President Donald Trump.
The details
When: Aug. 3 at 1 p.m. EDT/10 a.m. PDT
Where: www.facebook.com/usatodayLife
RSVP to get a reminder from Facebook. Ask questions in advance (or live during the chat).