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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
Sarah Vowell is a geeky amateur historian who loves to plumb the depths of centuries past and pull out quirky facts. She holds them up and says, “Can you believe how hilarious this is? How outrageous?” And because she’s on NPR, we say, “Wow, yeah.” That’s probably a little too harsh—-I’m a history geek with no credentials myself, and I love it when someone does the grunt work of reading original sources and writes it up in a fun, comprehendible way. I appreciated Vowell’s unapologetically contemporary worldview—-of course we’re going to giggle and think it’s kind of awesome that traditional Hawaiians had a special hula praising their rulers’ genitals. I also appreciated her guarded fondness for the stuffy but sincere missionaries who sailed to Hawaii in the 1820s. Her sympathies are ultimately with the oppressed, but she knows oppressors are people too (especially when they endure mastectomies without anesthesia in one painfully memorable scene).
But for all its potential, this book lacks a real thesis and reads as a cobbled together history with a few anecdotes about her nephew thrown in. Colin Dickey’s Cranioklepty, which examines Europe’s transition from saint-hunting religiosity to science and pseudo-science through the strange history of skull stealing, is a better example of what the historical creative nonfiction genre can do. If you’re a fellow almost-fan of Unfamiliar Fishes, I encourage you to check it out.
But for all its potential, this book lacks a real thesis and reads as a cobbled together history with a few anecdotes about her nephew thrown in. Colin Dickey’s Cranioklepty, which examines Europe’s transition from saint-hunting religiosity to science and pseudo-science through the strange history of skull stealing, is a better example of what the historical creative nonfiction genre can do. If you’re a fellow almost-fan of Unfamiliar Fishes, I encourage you to check it out.
Well researched history of the Hawaiian islands and it’s people, based on historical facts and personal anecdotes, many of which are quite humorous.
I made the mistake of listening to this instead of reading it for myself. I enjoyed the book quite a bit, but her voice made it difficult to listen for long periods.
challenging
informative
slow-paced
Excellent history telling! Hawaii and it's monarchs and their lands rich history intertwined with early American history is well presented! Love the subtle sarcasm and dry wit also written into this book. Like the Bob Newhart of historians!
funny
informative
medium-paced
Oh, Sarah Vowell. I always laugh right out loud at your books, and I learn so much!
This one was especially interesting to me as I had just started to learn about Hawaii's annexation before I heard this book was coming out. It took me longer to read than it needed to just because I kept finding quotes I wanted to make sure to save before moving on.
I think that Vowell really did a good job of presenting a balanced picture, describing events from our present-day perspective, but trying to point out how the viewpoints of the time informed the participants' decision-making. She isn't forgiving them, exactly, but she tried not to dehumanize them into monsters, and I think that's important.
(Of course, some of those people were just jackwads out for personal gain, and she certainly didn't shy away from showing that, either.)
I also think it was important to show that Hawaii's ruling class was not just taken over unawares or out of nowhere. They were willing participants in the Americanization of their government and nation, to a point. Despite the influx of Protestant missionaries, the native religion was destroyed not by Europeans, but by King Kamehameha (the first), and his descendants often requested the help of these missionaries, the American and British military, and other haole advisors in their decision-making process.
I'm glad to see that Hawaii is making more attempts now to hold on to its traditions, including the native Hawaiian language. I really, really want to visit there now, and see many of the sites described in the book - an experience that would mean so much more than a typical tourist trip having gotten some background on the situation.
This one was especially interesting to me as I had just started to learn about Hawaii's annexation before I heard this book was coming out. It took me longer to read than it needed to just because I kept finding quotes I wanted to make sure to save before moving on.
I think that Vowell really did a good job of presenting a balanced picture, describing events from our present-day perspective, but trying to point out how the viewpoints of the time informed the participants' decision-making. She isn't forgiving them, exactly, but she tried not to dehumanize them into monsters, and I think that's important.
(Of course, some of those people were just jackwads out for personal gain, and she certainly didn't shy away from showing that, either.)
I also think it was important to show that Hawaii's ruling class was not just taken over unawares or out of nowhere. They were willing participants in the Americanization of their government and nation, to a point. Despite the influx of Protestant missionaries, the native religion was destroyed not by Europeans, but by King Kamehameha (the first), and his descendants often requested the help of these missionaries, the American and British military, and other haole advisors in their decision-making process.
I'm glad to see that Hawaii is making more attempts now to hold on to its traditions, including the native Hawaiian language. I really, really want to visit there now, and see many of the sites described in the book - an experience that would mean so much more than a typical tourist trip having gotten some background on the situation.
Fishes of the shallows
Vowell takes her title from a letter the Hawaiian David Malo wrote to friends, referring to the big, unfamiliar fishes (the Americans) coming to swallow up the fishes of the shallows, the native Hawaiians. And so it was.
"Unfamiliar Fishes" traces the first contact with the island by British explorer James Cooke to the annexation of Hawai’i by the United States by a stroke of legislative evil genius in 1898. Throughout, she incorporates her first-person experiences hiking the island, talking to natives and native historians, and infusing her mirthful wit. She has a worthy and incisive eye for historical irony, and I found this journey through Hawai’i’s history a quick and fascinating read. Moreover, I have a newfound respect for Grover Cleveland. I now know one thing about him: he vehemently opposed the imperialist tendencies of some fellow Americans, and was able to block annexation and maintain Hawaiian sovereignty for a few years. And of course, the natives were somewhat complicit in the subversion of their language, culture, agriculture, and religion. Such a truth makes the turn of events all the more heartbreaking.
This is my first Vowell read. Points against for organization: there are no chapters, only periodic ellipses, for the full 200+ pages. Anecdotes and historical tangents spring up every couple pages, linking events in multiple centuries before springing back to the main, somewhat chronological narrative. The reading can be jarring and the flow is poor at times. Without chapters or an index, it is almost impossible to return to the text to remind oneself of an event or quote (i.e. “who is this again?”). Not a problem for me, as the title pages and margins of all my books are littered with notes and underlines. But for some, this small discursive story, interesting though it is, may feel random and unfocused.
Vowell takes her title from a letter the Hawaiian David Malo wrote to friends, referring to the big, unfamiliar fishes (the Americans) coming to swallow up the fishes of the shallows, the native Hawaiians. And so it was.
"Unfamiliar Fishes" traces the first contact with the island by British explorer James Cooke to the annexation of Hawai’i by the United States by a stroke of legislative evil genius in 1898. Throughout, she incorporates her first-person experiences hiking the island, talking to natives and native historians, and infusing her mirthful wit. She has a worthy and incisive eye for historical irony, and I found this journey through Hawai’i’s history a quick and fascinating read. Moreover, I have a newfound respect for Grover Cleveland. I now know one thing about him: he vehemently opposed the imperialist tendencies of some fellow Americans, and was able to block annexation and maintain Hawaiian sovereignty for a few years. And of course, the natives were somewhat complicit in the subversion of their language, culture, agriculture, and religion. Such a truth makes the turn of events all the more heartbreaking.
This is my first Vowell read. Points against for organization: there are no chapters, only periodic ellipses, for the full 200+ pages. Anecdotes and historical tangents spring up every couple pages, linking events in multiple centuries before springing back to the main, somewhat chronological narrative. The reading can be jarring and the flow is poor at times. Without chapters or an index, it is almost impossible to return to the text to remind oneself of an event or quote (i.e. “who is this again?”). Not a problem for me, as the title pages and margins of all my books are littered with notes and underlines. But for some, this small discursive story, interesting though it is, may feel random and unfocused.
Somehow, the book felt hollow to me. It is a very piecemeal history of Hawai'i leading up to its annexation by the U.S.
adventurous
informative
medium-paced