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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
Well, I could listen to Sarah Vowell talk all day...
I only ever "read" to Sarah Vowell's history books on audiobook anymore. Part of this is because it's just fun to listen to that wonderful, squeaky-snide voice. But another big part is because the audio producers get other famous folks to read major characters whom Vowell quotes extensively.
In this one, the austerity of Edward Norton and Catherine Keener did the old-fashioned starchiness of the New England missionaries to Hawaii perfectly, and Maya Rudolph was a wonderful surprise as some of the proud native Hawaiian nobility. And John Hodgman as Teddy Roosevelt left me in stitches.
The story she tells is thoroughly tragic, but the audiobook is completely delightful.
In this one, the austerity of Edward Norton and Catherine Keener did the old-fashioned starchiness of the New England missionaries to Hawaii perfectly, and Maya Rudolph was a wonderful surprise as some of the proud native Hawaiian nobility. And John Hodgman as Teddy Roosevelt left me in stitches.
The story she tells is thoroughly tragic, but the audiobook is completely delightful.
While I always enjoy Vowell's take on history, this book suffers from a lack of clear focus. I learned a lot about Hawaii, but I feel a lot was sped past and there is much more that could have been explored.
Tedious. Her stream-of-consciousness style screams for organization - like, maybe, chapters?
I'm inclined to agree with the reviews of some of my friends. This was good, but not as good as some of the other Sarah Vowell books I've read like Assassination Vacation. Still, it was interesting subject matter and it was sprinkled (if not liberally) with the wit I read her for.
Phew...bottom line is Hawaii got screwed. First by missionaries, then by the U.S. Government. No big surprise there, eh? Vogel is a funny writer. This is normally where if insert a "but" but I don't have one today. I'm but-less.
Like all of Ms. Vowell's work, this volume is intelligent and interesting. A mixture of history and personal encounter presented with her one of a kind humor.
With her patented blend of actually pretty good historical research and smartassery, Sarah Vowell takes her Wordy Shipmates to their logical conclusions--their New England descendants packing up their Bibles and Mahan (a colonizing starter pack!) or whaling harpoons to go bother the people of the South Pacific.
While Vowell's wit still sparkles, the history of Hawaii's conquest by American missionaries and its subsequent annexation by the U.S. is almost heartbreaking.