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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
informative
sad
slow-paced
emotional
slow-paced
Sarah Vowell ends on a...bright(?) note, or at least cautiously cheery note, but I closed the book with a deep sadness. But you know, how can you not feel sad when it comes to Hawaii's relatively speedy descent from being, you know, Hawai'i to being just another Puritan-snatched port for the United States Navy?
Gah. Don't get me started. I'll just say that I think Sarah Vowell is great and I really get a kick out of her pithy takes on historical topics.
Gah. Don't get me started. I'll just say that I think Sarah Vowell is great and I really get a kick out of her pithy takes on historical topics.
A nice introduction to the history of US/Hawaiian relations. It's popular history but Vowell has done extensive research and talks about an aspect of American history that doesn't get a lot of coverage. It's only 160 pages so would be the perfect length for a trans-Pacific flight to the islands, but Americans may want to wait for the return trip as the book will complicate your understanding of the state's relationship with the US. I was left wanting more of the Hawaiian voices and could have used less interesting facts of the lives of missionaries.
Sometimes it seems Vowell the humorist can't fully reconcile with Vowell the rabid historian.
There are large chunks of Unfamiliar Fishes that work quite well, with Vowell weaving her personal accounts and interviews into the discussion of how America gained control of the Hawaiian Island. It's a hell of a large topic to undertake, and at times the small size of her book seems to shortchange the tale.
Certain sections are deeply compelling even without Vowell's involvement in the topic. Her talk of early missionaries and trips to the islands have a great deal of warmth to them. The humor comes through quite well and you really get a sense of the time and place.
Vowell the historian starts to come through stronger in the second half. The narrative glue begins to wear thin, and there are chunks where it feels like a barrage of names and dates rather than a coherent discussion of history. I'm not sure if she simply didn't have enough data, ran out of time, or simply didn't wish to make the book longer, but it feels like a missed opportunity.
I've purchased every Sarah Vowell book as an audiobook. I know it seems counter-intuitive with her nasally, stilted voice, but her comedic delivery is oddly compelling. Not only that, but she has an odd number of connections to the comedy world, so guys like Fred Armisen and John Hodgeman show up to play the roles of figures quoted throughout. For $10 over the hardcover, I'd say that's a good trade off.
It's odd to find myself saying it, but I wanted Vowell to talk more. There are moments in this story that are utterly heartbreaking, such as the quote the title is derived from. If she's holding back for whatever reason, I'd really rather she stop.
There are large chunks of Unfamiliar Fishes that work quite well, with Vowell weaving her personal accounts and interviews into the discussion of how America gained control of the Hawaiian Island. It's a hell of a large topic to undertake, and at times the small size of her book seems to shortchange the tale.
Certain sections are deeply compelling even without Vowell's involvement in the topic. Her talk of early missionaries and trips to the islands have a great deal of warmth to them. The humor comes through quite well and you really get a sense of the time and place.
Vowell the historian starts to come through stronger in the second half. The narrative glue begins to wear thin, and there are chunks where it feels like a barrage of names and dates rather than a coherent discussion of history. I'm not sure if she simply didn't have enough data, ran out of time, or simply didn't wish to make the book longer, but it feels like a missed opportunity.
I've purchased every Sarah Vowell book as an audiobook. I know it seems counter-intuitive with her nasally, stilted voice, but her comedic delivery is oddly compelling. Not only that, but she has an odd number of connections to the comedy world, so guys like Fred Armisen and John Hodgeman show up to play the roles of figures quoted throughout. For $10 over the hardcover, I'd say that's a good trade off.
It's odd to find myself saying it, but I wanted Vowell to talk more. There are moments in this story that are utterly heartbreaking, such as the quote the title is derived from. If she's holding back for whatever reason, I'd really rather she stop.
Great book, and really interesting. My only criticism is that at times Vowell refers to future events she hasn't gotten to yet, and since I wasn't familiar with Hawaiian history, it could be a little puzzling.
Not a big deal. I'd definitely still recommend this.
Not a big deal. I'd definitely still recommend this.
dark
funny
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
I got a bit confused with the non-linear storytelling in the middle, but overall this was very interesting and engagingly written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Colonisation
Moderate: Alcoholism, Incest, Infertility, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization
Read the first half of this book prior to visiting Hawaii's Bishop Museum (what the Polynesian Cultural Center should have been, but isn't - oh well, we all need some Disneyfied fun, I guess, but you'd be missing out if you only went there). I joined a docent tour and it was fun to hear some of the stories that Vowell probably heard herself when she visited the museum for research. Our docent was someone only a nerd would love. He told us that there was no way he could give the tour in the allotted 25 minutes, and said we could stay for the extended version, one and half. I'm not naturally a history buff, but I stayed the whole way through. He was polished, oftentimes humorous, and seemingly very knowledgeable. Sort of like a really well-written history book, but in the form of a museum docent. Not a bad way to take in a museum, even though I know it probably sounds like a boring way to spend your time for most people. It's not.