The Opposition…

Assassination Vacation

Sarah Vowell

Discussion: 2006-Jan-Feb-Mar

Why we're reading this: The Daily Show February 21, 2006; author segment guest on The Colbert Report September 28, 2006
[close] The Daily Show February 21, 2006; author segment guest on The Colbert Report September 28, 2006

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 3 topics — 3 comments total

2006-Jan-Feb-Mar

This topic has been closed to new comments.

* March 2006
By Tiffany , WristStrong · 1 post · 6 views

last updated Dec 04, 2010 12:02AM

* February 2006
By Tiffany , WristStrong · 1 post · 5 views

last updated Nov 29, 2010 01:47AM

What Members Thought

Jun 05, 2010 Wallace rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

Type: {Impress Your Friends Read: notable; prize-winner or all around intelligent crowd conversation piece}
Rating: {I’m Lovin’ It: Very entertaining!}

Why You’re Reading It:
- You’re a proud history buff
- You’re a secret history buff
- You’re a HUGE fan of Sarah Vowell and wish she would be besties with you (ahem, I’m just saying… maybe YOU feel this way)
- You want to know more about history but just can’t take reading another dry history book; you want something that will keep your attention

What I Type: {Impress Your Friends Read: notable; prize-winner or all around intelligent crowd conversation piece}
Rating: {I’m Lovin’ It: Very entertaining!}

Why You’re Reading It:
- You’re a proud history buff
- You’re a secret history buff
- You’re a HUGE fan of Sarah Vowell and wish she would be besties with you (ahem, I’m just saying… maybe YOU feel this way)
- You want to know more about history but just can’t take reading another dry history book; you want something that will keep your attention

What I Thought:
Sarah Vowell is one of my favorite authors. I know I can pick up one of her books and, pretty much, no matter what she says I’m enthralled. I like to listen to her; to take her for walks and drives with me, and pretend that she is telling me her stories just because I’m an old friend. Two like-minded geeks just hanging out talking about how very cool it is that we can actually go to the places where history happened. Alas, we are not together and the conversation is one-sided… but don’t think that stops me from laughing loudly to myself as I’m walking down the street or exclaim, me too!, out loud even though fellow neighborhood walkers think I’m strange. Oh Sarah, how you get me.

As with all of her books, Vowell takes us through history as though we are a buddy she has taken on the trip with her. In Assassination Vacation she delves into the assassinations of Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley. Her colloquial, witty, and intelligent way of talking about not only the historical timeline of events, but also her adventures and travels in re-discovering these events, makes you feel as though you actually want to know more about the deaths of these three presidential men. You will spend your time reading this book being entertained and will leave the book smarter than when you entered it. Vowell somehow always finds the things you never knew you always wanted to know about a particular subject. She uses her own curiosity to propel her research and in doing so unearths details that one’s normal historical non-fiction doesn’t excavate. Though Lincoln’s section was by far the most interesting, Garfield’s wasn’t far behind. By the time we got to McKinley it wasn’t that I was sick of hearing these morbid accounts (because, honestly, you just don’t get sick of Sarah Vowell telling you stories — no matter what they are), but rather that poor McKinley just didn’t grasp my attention (so sorry, old sir). However, Vowell (or her editor) did a pretty good job of arranging this book with the meatiest stories first, taking up the most pages.

Like I’ve said before, I propose you listen to this work so that you can hear Vowell’s most unique voice and hear the words delivered with her perfect inflection and timing. But regardless of how you read it, read it.
...more

Like · see review