Infinite Books

I read a few collections of essays by David Sedaris, as well as his “Diaries”, which made me think why I don’t have a diary? Maybe the thought of putting something in my diary would make me want to do more interesting, everyday things?

“The Land and Its People” is one of those books that I couldn’t wait to get back to reading.  It was bringing me joy, and laughter, and many knowing smiles, the kind of “oh, yeah, I understand the feeling”. David Sedaris has such good observation skills and, most of all, a great sense of humor. Whenever he is: at a midnight walk in NYC, at his and Hugh’s house in Sussex with a pasture where eves live, or at an African safari, surrounded by seven lions, he never loses his slightly detached, observational sense of humor. Even when learning German with Duolingo or an AI-generated learning assistant like Lily, he shows that everyday habits can lead to a thoughtful, somewhat unlikely comparison.

He also has a great feel for language. One of my favorite essays of his, from an earlier book, is “Me Talk Pretty One Day” – it’s just so touching, human, and humorous at the same time.  In this collection, he gives us an example of his French when he talks to his French friend – another funny example of what happens when we learn a foreign language.

But, as usual, this is not just funny stories. Often, there is a genuine feeling of understanding and compassion. I really love how he talks about Hugh: the essay that starts by discussing different expressions of a close relationship – a boyfriend, a partner (which I also don’t like and find too business-like), a husband – comes to a very sweet and touching conclusion. I loved reading about his family – his parents and siblings, and I remember them from his previous books.  A one-sided conversation with his godson, Tommy, is also extremely amusing. It’s just so easy to imagine the whole situation at the breakfast table!

This book will be published in May, and I plan to buy it and return to it often, feeling like I’m meeting a cool friend and just smiling with him, talking about all the moments in life. There was no essay in this book that I didn’t like – all were different, and all were small gems.

THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE by David Sedaris, published by Little, Brown and Company, 2026