Nick Young never heard of best-selling author David Sedaris before he heard him read several works in progress Tuesday night.
Sedaris read his works in front of about 1,200 people, describing an encounter with an eccentric taxidermist, his own greed and his time living next to the Israeli Embassy in London.
"I like him a lot. It was funny and I wasn't expecting it to be funny," Young said. "I'm definitely going to read his books."
Sedaris was conservative with his movements yet his sarcastic high-pitched drawl suited the content of his writings. The university paid the Grammy-nominated author $35,000 for his appearance, Robert Myers, director of Emens Auditorium said. Sedaris was the first spoken word performer to visit John R. Emens Auditorium in more than 19 years.
Sedaris is the author of "Barrel Fever: Stories and Essays" and "Holidays on Ice: Stories" and other best-selling collections of personal essays - some of which have appeared regularly in The New York Times and Esquire.
Sedaris' agent, Steven Barclay, contacted Emens at the request of Rai Peterson, associate professor of English at Ball State and a personal friend of Barclay's.
Peterson said she had hoped for Sedaris to appear at Ball State for years.
"I've heard him read before and I think just going to his readings is a really fun experience," Peterson said. "I thought it would be a nice alternative to the usual fare at Emens which doesn't often cater to people our students' age, which I think Sedaris does."
Susan Lyons of Indianapolis said she connected with Sedaris' satirical outlook on his family.
"Families in general all have that dark side," Lyons said. "I think he's great. I like the way that he exposes himself and the problems he had growing up and puts it out there for us to empathize and sympathise with but laugh at as well."
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