The book of hers it most resembles, which is unsurprising in retrospect, is her nextmostrecent book, the wordy shipmates. Unfamiliar fishes by sarah vowell riverhead books 238 pp. Sarah vowell talks about her book, unfamiliar fishes, in which she examines the americanization of. Unfamiliar fishes is a nonfiction book by this american life contributor sarah vowell, first. Sarah vowell, author of unfamiliar fishes, examines the. That said, vowell has a weird and goofy narrative voice. If you want to get a flavor of hawaiian history without delving into longer, more dense tomes, then this is the book for you.
I had hoped that unfamiliar fishes would be as good as sarah vowell s assassination vacation or the partly cloudy patriot, but i suppose that was naive of me. Unfamiliar fishes by sarah vowell outrageous and wisecracking, educational but never dry, unfamiliar fishes is a thoughtprovoking and entertaining. Sarah jane vowell born december 27, 1969 is an american author, journalist, essayist, social commentator and actress. The book takes a humorous tone and examines the fulfillment of. Unfamiliar fishes is a big gulp of a book, printed as an extended essay. Many think of 1776 as the defining year of american history, w. From the author of lafayette in the somewhat united states comes an examination of hawaii, the place where manifest destiny got a. Sarah vowell is an american historian, author, journalist, essayist, social. Sarah vowell starts her willfully cutesypie book unfamiliar fishes, about the americanization of hawaii and americas imperial ambitions, by. Unfamiliar fishes bestselling author sarah vowell takes on the story of the americanization of hawaii. Such were my thoughts while reading sarah vowell s latest book, unfamiliar fishes.
She responded to telephone calls and electronic communications she was interviewed while at the 11th annual national book festival, held on. Sarah vowell talks about her book, unfamiliar fishes, in which she examines the americanization of hawaii that began with the arrival of new england missionaries in 1820. Mostofthesebookswillpopupasselectionsinourweeklyreadingassignments,which illpostincanvas. Assassination vacation by sarah vowell book read online scribd. She combines whimsy with facts in a very readable listenable format. Unfamiliar fishes quotes by sarah vowell goodreads. Other times i wished the heckler would just shut up so i could learn something. Unfamiliar fishes, vowells third american history and sixth book, hooked me into taking a 190year look at hawaiian culture and politics with a deft explanation of plate lunch, the island. Unfamiliar fishes the title refers to a hawaiian scholars grim warning that large and unfamiliar fishes will come from the dark ocean, and when they see the small fishes.
Sarah vowell talked about her book, unfamiliar fishes. Recounting the brief, remarkable history of a unified and independent hawaii, vowell, a. Vowell wrote unfamiliar fishes 2011, which discusses the overthrow of the. Sarah vowells unfamiliar fishes, a quirky history of. Into every generation of americans is born a new crop of buttinskys sniffing out the latest macedonia that may or may not want their help. Lacking section or chapter breaks, vowells quirky history lurches from one anecdote to the next. Like the wordy shipmates, unfamiliar fishes is boring and hard. Unfamiliar fishes is a nonfiction book by this american life contributor sarah vowell, first published in 2011 in print and audiobook versions.
189 663 1422 19 659 469 1167 526 157 706 635 442 200 1302 1333 752 1525 678 1099 1187 900 49 36 1480 1339 1179 1369 1048 567 359 167 357 1226 1297