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katieinca's review against another edition
4.0
History with a healthy helping of snark. To make the medicine go down. Great for fans of Drunk History. Also Hamilton, although A. Ham himself is rarely spotted.
I could have used an end-ier ending.
I could have used an end-ier ending.
shareen17's review against another edition
4.0
This is a great audiobook choice for family listening, which is how I experienced it. Sarah Vowell, who has a truly unique voice suited to her sarcastic, humorous writing style, and a cast of famous actors read it, making engaging listening. Her book is for history fans who don't mind a jokey, personality-focused telling of American history events.
alidottie's review against another edition
5.0
What a refreshing enjoyable way to review the history of the Revolutionary War. I studied Lafayette's book about his tour of the US in 1824 when I was in college, but somehow I don't think I knew just how much Lafayette was involved in the Revolution. I don't even think I knew just how key France was to our winning. I am so glad I had a refresher course from an author I always enjoy!
hp_reading's review against another edition
3.0
This book tells the history of the United States, and sometimes the world, through the life of Lafayette. I find this structure interesting and easier to process than some of the broader world histories. By telling this very well known American event through the life of one very wealthy, French teenager allows us to see the American Revolution through a different perspective. We see the power and idealism and hope of the American Dream through someone who could have had anything he wanted. Clearly there is something intoxicating about the ideals that our founders presented - a very basic human need to be free. A very basic need we are still striving to define. This book has truly beautiful moments that capture this essence, but at many times the author's point of view seems to ramble. Her own personality shines through, but I think sometimes it shines so bring that it distracts from her narrative. And while the ending may seem detached and unfinished, America is also still unfinished.
rosietomyn's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell is a great read that feels very timely at this historical moment.
As an American wrangling with the reality that US democracy as we know it it is under attack from within, I have found historical context incredibly enlightening. Looking back at our country's foundations, its rebellions, and even the history of the crown that once controlled it, is both educational and cathartic. This current battle may be new, and the erosion of the laws that stabilize our republic may be coming from the very seats we thought would protect it (seats that have, historically), but history indicates that our systems were built to withstand incredible disunity.
In telling the Marquis de Lafayette's story, Vowell weaves a compelling history of the foundations of our nation. She shares interesting and funny anectodes, and her conversational style makes the people, events, and places she shares very real and relevant.
I thoroughly enjoyed her connections of more present-day issues to the past. I only wish she had written this in the post-2016/post-2020 landscape as I would appreciate her perspective now that we know just how much worse things can get.
In this moment, our history offers key insights into how we should move forward to preserve our democracy. I hope we take the time look back and listen.
As an American wrangling with the reality that US democracy as we know it it is under attack from within, I have found historical context incredibly enlightening. Looking back at our country's foundations, its rebellions, and even the history of the crown that once controlled it, is both educational and cathartic. This current battle may be new, and the erosion of the laws that stabilize our republic may be coming from the very seats we thought would protect it (seats that have, historically), but history indicates that our systems were built to withstand incredible disunity.
In telling the Marquis de Lafayette's story, Vowell weaves a compelling history of the foundations of our nation. She shares interesting and funny anectodes, and her conversational style makes the people, events, and places she shares very real and relevant.
I thoroughly enjoyed her connections of more present-day issues to the past. I only wish she had written this in the post-2016/post-2020 landscape as I would appreciate her perspective now that we know just how much worse things can get.
In this moment, our history offers key insights into how we should move forward to preserve our democracy. I hope we take the time look back and listen.
melissa_who_reads's review against another edition
4.0
A fun read, with her trademark weaving of history and contemporary life. I am not a "military history" kind of person, but I did enjoy her discussions of the battles and of this military figure that the US owed so much to at it's founding. And I enjoyed her inclusion of the Quaker critique of that history. I had known relatively little of Lafayette prior to reading this, and indulged in looking him and his wife up on Wikipedia to gain a broad sense of their lives -- but her vision of him as a gung-ho teenager looking for glory is very persuasive.
I found myself reading portions out loud to whomever I was with - not the worst thing while sitting bored in an ER waiting to be called in. Liked the drawings of various figures included in the book: was surprised that the artist only got a "thank you very much" in the acknowledgements, and not his own mention in the front. And I really wanted there to be chapters. The book pretty much flowed from one topic to another, with small breaks -- but there is something about chapters to give you a sense of moving forward.
I recommended it: it serves as a reminder of what the French meant to the US in the Revolutionary War (and what the Americans meant to the French). And bonus - a reminder that some place names were named after real people (for instance, Vergennes, Vermont -- named after the foreign minister of France under Louis XVI -- a lovely little town I have driven through many times). And all the places named after Lafayette himself ... and a discussion of all the protests that happen in Lafayette Park, near the White House, under the statue of Lafayette himself. I particularly enjoyed the description of the suffragette addressing Lafayette's statue in 1918, since she got as much response from him as she did from President Wilson or the Congress about the Susan B. Anthony amendment ... Lots of gems of historical information in this book. It is about context, isn't it?
I found myself reading portions out loud to whomever I was with - not the worst thing while sitting bored in an ER waiting to be called in. Liked the drawings of various figures included in the book: was surprised that the artist only got a "thank you very much" in the acknowledgements, and not his own mention in the front. And I really wanted there to be chapters. The book pretty much flowed from one topic to another, with small breaks -- but there is something about chapters to give you a sense of moving forward.
I recommended it: it serves as a reminder of what the French meant to the US in the Revolutionary War (and what the Americans meant to the French). And bonus - a reminder that some place names were named after real people (for instance, Vergennes, Vermont -- named after the foreign minister of France under Louis XVI -- a lovely little town I have driven through many times). And all the places named after Lafayette himself ... and a discussion of all the protests that happen in Lafayette Park, near the White House, under the statue of Lafayette himself. I particularly enjoyed the description of the suffragette addressing Lafayette's statue in 1918, since she got as much response from him as she did from President Wilson or the Congress about the Susan B. Anthony amendment ... Lots of gems of historical information in this book. It is about context, isn't it?