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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
medium-paced
I was never able to get into this book beyond an extremely superficial level, even though I love the author and her other books. The history of Hawaii should have been more interesting to me, but beyond the sections on whale hunting and leprosy it's all a blur.
I liked it and thought it was interesting, but the pacing made it a bit difficult to read, since there were no chapters and Vowell jumped around between different topics a lot, making it hard to follow. I honestly can't remember a lot of the information I learned from this book because of the way it was structured made it difficult to retain information. It was well written, and entertaining (and interesting) to read, I just wish there would have been chapters to divide it up better and to make it easier to keep up with.
My second Sarah Vowell, I read it between breaks of Their Eyes Were Watching God, I was once again riveted by the author's voice. This book, peppered with primary sources, offers the reader a brief history of Hawaii, its people, and the colonization process that led it to becoming a state.
I wasn't particularly impressed with this one, despite liking several of the author's other books. The information wasn't well organized, but didn't even have the excuse of being for the sake of humor, like some of her other works. This one wasn't particularly funny, and it felt more like a rough draft than a completed book.
There were some decent moments and some spots of interesting information, but on the whole, meh.
There were some decent moments and some spots of interesting information, but on the whole, meh.
Not my favorite of Sarah Vowell's, but good nonetheless! I love her sarcastic narratives.
Not as good as her previous but I was interested in the topic very much after visiting Hawaii this last January and falling in love. Much like the missionaries Vowell writes about.
I've taken to just picking up Sarah Vowell's latest book and listening to it, without regard for content or review. All I knew about Unfamiliar Fishes was that it was about Hawaii's history. It made for an interesting read (actually, I listened to it) and I learned a lot about Hawaii's past and the influence of the missionaries.
Like The Wordy Shipmates, I miss Vowell's ability to mix her own travels and reflections with the history of her subject matter. Yes, there are the occasional mentions of her nephew Owen (I loved his statement that he would marry Hawaii if he could), but they're far too few. Still, if you enjoy Vowell's other books, you'll most likely enjoy this one.
If you'd like to know more about a major turning point in the United States' history, this is an excellent book. I grew up taking Hawaii's statehood for granted. This will give you an entirely different perspective on it.
Like The Wordy Shipmates, I miss Vowell's ability to mix her own travels and reflections with the history of her subject matter. Yes, there are the occasional mentions of her nephew Owen (I loved his statement that he would marry Hawaii if he could), but they're far too few. Still, if you enjoy Vowell's other books, you'll most likely enjoy this one.
If you'd like to know more about a major turning point in the United States' history, this is an excellent book. I grew up taking Hawaii's statehood for granted. This will give you an entirely different perspective on it.
I listened to the audio version. I wasn't sure about hearing Sarah Vowell's voice for 7 discs, but it grows on you. And you know the inflections are how the author intended. Also, she has some great cameo readers.
Way back when I was in high school, I thought I didn't like history as a subject. I now realize I didn't like the way history was taught. Vowell's history of Hawaii is one of the most entertaining non-fictions books I've ever encountered. Some of the history is grim, and she doesn't skip that. But she keeps it so interesting.
This book is thoroughly researched and even-handed. At times I laughed out loud and at other times I was just appalled at some happenings. I most appreciated her penchant for including a broader context for all the anecdotes.
Also, me hearing how much water it takes to grow sugar cane might be very good for my diet.
Way back when I was in high school, I thought I didn't like history as a subject. I now realize I didn't like the way history was taught. Vowell's history of Hawaii is one of the most entertaining non-fictions books I've ever encountered. Some of the history is grim, and she doesn't skip that. But she keeps it so interesting.
This book is thoroughly researched and even-handed. At times I laughed out loud and at other times I was just appalled at some happenings. I most appreciated her penchant for including a broader context for all the anecdotes.
Also, me hearing how much water it takes to grow sugar cane might be very good for my diet.
Enjoyable, yet slightly dry history of Hawaii, that reveals some of the good things, but more of the foibles about America. I really think Sarah Vowell needs to write a book about the Trail of Tears.