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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
Everyone who lives in Hawaii should read this. That said - I felt as though there were holes in it. I wanted her to elaborate on the influence of Catholics a bit more - and the Mormons. The information on land management was great - and all in all it was a pretty worth while read.
Although as thoroughly researched and insightful as Sarah Vowell's other outings, I didn't like this one as much as the others. I think part of it was the subject - I only have a passing interest in Hawaiian history - and the other part is that the only thing new here is the details. White people came in and did their darnedest to destroy a culture and take over land and other resources with little regard to the people who lived there. It was depressing and there wasn't enough quirk or snark to make it less so.
Not my favorite Sarah Vowell book, but probably just because I am not that interested in Hawaiian history. The snark and dry humor still make it a pretty interesting read.
This was my first foray into Sarah Vowell's stuff and, from the blurbs on the back of the book and the jacket description, it sounded like a great time.
I enjoyed the first dozen or so asides, but found myself wishing she'd just get on with the story a few times. I'd never really thought about the history of Hawai'i all that much before -- I'd seen the Hawaiian independence folks before when we visited a few years ago, visited a few pre-missionary sites on the Big Island that we really enjoyed, the site when Captain Cook arrived, but didn't know much else of the recent history of the island.
The book gave an interesting insight into where the tensions between the white missionaries (and their tourist ancestors/brethren) and the locals have arisen. But I found myself rushing through the book just to get it over with, at a certain point -- I think I just found asides like "a vessel so crappy it made the Mayflower look like the QE2" tedious, rather than amusing after a while, they broke up the flow of the story so many times that it became distracting.
I enjoyed the first dozen or so asides, but found myself wishing she'd just get on with the story a few times. I'd never really thought about the history of Hawai'i all that much before -- I'd seen the Hawaiian independence folks before when we visited a few years ago, visited a few pre-missionary sites on the Big Island that we really enjoyed, the site when Captain Cook arrived, but didn't know much else of the recent history of the island.
The book gave an interesting insight into where the tensions between the white missionaries (and their tourist ancestors/brethren) and the locals have arisen. But I found myself rushing through the book just to get it over with, at a certain point -- I think I just found asides like "a vessel so crappy it made the Mayflower look like the QE2" tedious, rather than amusing after a while, they broke up the flow of the story so many times that it became distracting.
As always with the wonderful Ms Vowell, this book is a witty, detailed, delightful read on a subject you'd never imagine you'd be interested in but find yourself intrigued by nonetheless. I knew very little about Hawaii's history, and I'm sure I'm far from alone in that, and there's quite a lot to learn! I went to Hawaii as a teenager, in 1995, and this book almost makes me want to go back and see the many museums and sites she describes...if I weren't both too ill to travel and too terrified to fly even in perfect health. But that's what books are for, to take us places mentally we cannot get to on the Earthly plains. :)
https://cdnbookworm.blogspot.ca/2016/11/unfamiliar-fishes.html
Read this book while traveling in Hawaii, and seriously that is the best way to read it. I really enjoyed it and learned so much, and laughed a lot. I knock off the star because it was pretty rambling and it was hard for me to not have the structure of chapters. Once I finished it I understood the arc and she tied everything together. It hit me hard the reality of our history and what was done to Hawaii in the name of world domination - but Sarah Vowell explains it with all the nuance and from so many angles and ties together seeming disparate influences on the events. Anyway - good read do not miss - but please travel to Hawaii and read this there.
I listened to this book along with another on a long car ride over the pat weekend. Vowell, like always, is entertaining and the book is fairly interesting. If you are reading this review before picking up the book don't expect anything spectacular. It's just a solid middle of the road effort.
Not factored into my rating: Vowell's voice gets to be a little much after listening for extended periods of time. I think I'll stick to reading Vowell from now on as opposed to listening to her.
Not factored into my rating: Vowell's voice gets to be a little much after listening for extended periods of time. I think I'll stick to reading Vowell from now on as opposed to listening to her.
If only history books were more like Vowell's books. She's snarky, historically factual, and also aware of her biases without the need to defend them. For all things Hawaiian inquire within and you won't be disappointed.
Has there ever been a more perfect book about the scourge of Christian missionaries and white colonialism?