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Detail of drawing of David Sedaris prepared for the print version of this story.Anthony Jenkins/The Globe and Mail

If you had a book club, what would you make it read?

I would pick Birds of America, by Lorrie Moore. Her stories are joke, joke, joke, joke, joke and then you're devastated. How does she do it? I try taking it apart, and I just … I just … the ingredient is Lorrie Moore. I met her once. I put together this anthology to raise money. I just did it so I'd look generous – I don't even remember what the charity was. We did a reading in New York. I am awful at meeting people I admire, because I get very nervous. Either you're going to be repelled by my nervousness, or you're going to be Lorrie Moore. She takes that and says, we'll just get rid of that. And she's the loveliest person you've ever met. I absolutely love her writing. I live for her, really.

–David Sedaris, as told to Globe Books

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