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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
I've heard so many wonderful things about Sarah Vowell's nonfiction books, I expected to love this. But I found her discursive style hard to follow. I'd be reading about Hawaiian royalty and incestuous intermarriage on one page, when suddenly Sarah would wander off on a digression about sandalwood trees. Not my thing, I'm afraid.
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Fantastic audiobook, I wish I’d listened to it before I went to Hawaii. Does a great job of explaining the history of the now-state in a funny but honest way
Really more like 3.5 stars. I enjoyed this book. Sarah Vowell is a funny writer and because of all my "This American Life" exposure I always hear her amusing distinctive voice in my head when I read her work. The topic, the history of Hawaii, is also something I knew very little about and so I learned a lot from the book. I would even recommend it to anyone who is about the visit the islands. It was a quick read too! But even saying all that, it still dragged a little, which is something I have never thought about any of Vowell's other books. So while the book is worth reading (especially if you're about to go to Hawaii), I would recommend all of Vowell's other books before this one.
funny
informative
sad
fast-paced
This is due back at the library soon, but it's not worth renewing. The book has no structure and the writing is very meandery. Not crazy about the author's flippant attitude toward Christianity, either.
funny
informative
fast-paced
funny
informative
medium-paced
funny
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
A scattershot but informative history of our 50th state and how it was stolen from the Hawaiian people.