Status
Checked out
Publication
Simon & Schuster (2006), Edition: First Edition, Paperback, 258 pages
Description
Sarah Vowell exposes the glorious conundrums of American history and culture with wit, probity, and an irreverent sense of humor. With Assassination Vacation, she takes us on a road trip like no other -- a journey to the pit stops of American political murder and through the myriad ways they have been used for fun and profit, for political and cultural advantage. From Buffalo to Alaska, Washington to the Dry Tortugas, Vowell visits locations immortalized and influenced by the spilling of politically important blood, reporting as she goes with her trademark blend of wisecracking humor, remarkable honesty, and thought-provoking criticism. We learn about the jinx that was Robert Todd Lincoln (present at the assassinations of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley) and witness the politicking that went into the making of the Lincoln Memorial. The resulting narrative is much more than an entertaining and informative travelogue -- it is the disturbing and fascinating story of how American death has been manipulated by popular culture, including literature, architecture, sculpture, and -- the author's favorite -- historical tourism. Though the themes of loss and violence are explored and we make detours to see how the Republican Party became the Republican Party, there are all kinds of lighter diversions along the way into the lives of the three presidents and their assassins, including mummies, show tunes, mean-spirited totem poles, and a nineteenth-century biblical sex cult.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member mhgatti
Vowell, a frequent commentator on NPR's This American Life, focuses on three gunned-down Chief Executives - Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley. She drags relatives and friends (well, technically, she convinces them to take her) to visit every single historic marker, childhood home, and pretty much any
No matter how trivial the artifact, Vowell never uses them (or the mini-industry around them, or the sincere caretakers who maintain them) as comic fodder. Vowell is genuinely respectful of these sites and uses them only to trigger [no pun intended] some interesting and off-beat presidential stories. She's enthusiastic about American history - one of those people who actually like when a tour guide goes into a long story. Someone who, when asked after a tour if there are any questions, has questions.
It's hard not to be pulled into that kind of enthusiasm, especially when it's surrounded by funny stories from her life and the life of the presidents, or little known facts about places (like DC, NYC and even Buffalo) and history's supporting actors (especially Robert Todd Lincoln, who was unfortunate enough to have close connections to each of the three presidents). Vowell shows that our history is accessible to everyone, you just have to be willing to look for it.
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other piece of minutia associated with these fallen leaders.No matter how trivial the artifact, Vowell never uses them (or the mini-industry around them, or the sincere caretakers who maintain them) as comic fodder. Vowell is genuinely respectful of these sites and uses them only to trigger [no pun intended] some interesting and off-beat presidential stories. She's enthusiastic about American history - one of those people who actually like when a tour guide goes into a long story. Someone who, when asked after a tour if there are any questions, has questions.
It's hard not to be pulled into that kind of enthusiasm, especially when it's surrounded by funny stories from her life and the life of the presidents, or little known facts about places (like DC, NYC and even Buffalo) and history's supporting actors (especially Robert Todd Lincoln, who was unfortunate enough to have close connections to each of the three presidents). Vowell shows that our history is accessible to everyone, you just have to be willing to look for it.
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LibraryThing member bookgirljen
If you had told me that I would read and enjoy a book about presidential assassinations, I would have said you were crazy. My preferred genres are chick lit and historical fiction. But, I loved Assassination Vacation!
I decided to give this a try after seeing so many good reviews, and reading the
It was funny and snarky in the tradition of Jen Lancaster and Laurie Notaro, with the added bonus of actual historical facts. Like all of us, I knew the basic facts of Lincoln's assassination, but I didn't know some of the more interesting details. And I knew nothing about McKinley's and Garfield's assassinations - what I had learned in school didn't stick with me. But, now after reading this book, I know a lot more, and I think I'll remember it, because it was so entertaingly told.
For me, President Garfield will now always be Mr. Loner McBookworm. LOL! And Robert Todd Lincoln will be Jinxy McDeath.
I highly recommend this book. Even if you think this isn't your cup of tea, give it a try. It'll be worth it.
I decided to give this a try after seeing so many good reviews, and reading the
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first few pages on Amazon.com. I was laughing from the very beginning, and couldn't wait to read more. So much so, that I didn't want to wait to get it from Amazon, and went down to my local Borders to buy it that same day. I read it in just two days.It was funny and snarky in the tradition of Jen Lancaster and Laurie Notaro, with the added bonus of actual historical facts. Like all of us, I knew the basic facts of Lincoln's assassination, but I didn't know some of the more interesting details. And I knew nothing about McKinley's and Garfield's assassinations - what I had learned in school didn't stick with me. But, now after reading this book, I know a lot more, and I think I'll remember it, because it was so entertaingly told.
For me, President Garfield will now always be Mr. Loner McBookworm. LOL! And Robert Todd Lincoln will be Jinxy McDeath.
I highly recommend this book. Even if you think this isn't your cup of tea, give it a try. It'll be worth it.
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LibraryThing member jawalter
A humorous romp through American history, but having read a great deal about Lincoln already, I was disappointed that he was (perhaps understandably) the focus of so much of the book. There are so many odd coincidences and anecdotes about his death, but once you already know them, it's difficult
The rest of the book was a treat (and don't get me wrong, the Lincoln stuff is still good). Vowell seems like an excellent travel companion and the perfect guide to some of the darker moments in American history.
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for any writer to make the story particularly fresh.The rest of the book was a treat (and don't get me wrong, the Lincoln stuff is still good). Vowell seems like an excellent travel companion and the perfect guide to some of the darker moments in American history.
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LibraryThing member Aeyan
What could be better than listening to Sarah Vowell read her own witticisms and eccentric historical musings at 4 a.m. while driving to Northern California? Well, sleep for one, but not many other things. Okay, sex and raw cacao dipped in honey, but not...oh wait, moving to a place in a yoga pose
Anyway, this absolutely engaging narrative of Vowell's assassination quest (obsession?) to unearth knowledge and visit historical sites relating to the lives and murder of three U.S. presidents reads like a travel story on the Travel channel via Comedy Central. That Vowell reads the text herself, inviting guests to play other roles (Catherine Keener rules), elevates the audio version to a level that no Kindle Text-to-Speech could ever emulate, single-handedly proving that audiobooks are and will remain a valid investment of money and time. The dry and acerbic tone Vowell invests into her narrative reading could be heard within the words, but to hear her inflect and snark was a delight.
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where I've never been before, but other than that... Anyway, this absolutely engaging narrative of Vowell's assassination quest (obsession?) to unearth knowledge and visit historical sites relating to the lives and murder of three U.S. presidents reads like a travel story on the Travel channel via Comedy Central. That Vowell reads the text herself, inviting guests to play other roles (Catherine Keener rules), elevates the audio version to a level that no Kindle Text-to-Speech could ever emulate, single-handedly proving that audiobooks are and will remain a valid investment of money and time. The dry and acerbic tone Vowell invests into her narrative reading could be heard within the words, but to hear her inflect and snark was a delight.
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LibraryThing member Jeffrey414
I thought I'd throw in my book review of Assassination Vacation while the
memory is still somewhat fresh. I was able to finish AV by SV in HV (at
the Empire State Games in Hudson Valley-I thought I'd toss in some of her
irreverent humor). I marveled at the specific details in Sarah Vowell's book on
Even at Disney World with her young nephew she makes a side trip to locate another! I thought her comments on the political and social
culture of each of the times were fascinating. In addition, despite concern to the contrary, I found a great deal of accurate historical
information in this work of fiction, humor, or was it history? Imagine the dilemma of the stock boy trying to place the book in the correct section of the bookstore or the interested reader trying to decide where
to look for it! The details of the "Lincoln conspiracy" were entirely new to me. I had no idea two other government officials were considered for assassination and that, in fact, Seward was attacked and stabbed by one of
the conspirators and that a half dozen co-conspirators were hanged. I thought Booth shot Lincoln, was chased, and then shot within the evening. I had no idea he was on the loose for days and weeks nor that he was treated by Dr. Mudd for his injured leg. The origin of the "His name is mud." quote was also new to me. Was it necessary to pare down the details
to fit it in the high school curriculum? I enjoyed the Buffalo connection and some local history even though it was for an asassination. I also had no idea Roosevelt suffered such a serious assassination attempt, his glass case and long speech saving his life! Not being a Sarah Vowell listener on National Public Radio, I had no idea of her humorous side. She weaves some incredibly witty lines into the historical research making
the entire book a "hoot" to read, painfully so at times. The moniker, "Presidential angel of death" she gives Robert Todd Lincoln for being
present at three assassinations is one such humorous line. "Going to Ford's Theater to watch a play is like going to Hooter's for the food." another. Her cynical look at previous and current policies and administrations and their similarities are some of her best moments. The Lincoln Memorial dedication was segregated in 1922 and Vowell can
understand how some one could "summon up so much bitterness toward a Presidential human being." Vowell's inspiration for all of her morbid curiosity supposedly comes from reading the Lincoln-Kennedy coincidences we all know some of. Then she shoots a hole in the Booth ran to a warehouse-it was a barn. I thought her work on Garfield and his assassin
was interesting in that she states and I agree, we know nearly nothing about either of them. Vowell again is hilarious here suggesting Guiteau "couldn't even get laid in the free love commune" he stayed in for two
years. And his infamous quote during his trial, "Doctors killed Garfield, I just shot him." accurately reporting that the infection caused by doctor's probing fingers is what actually killed Garfield. Reminds me of the psychiatric defense for religious fervor in Under a Banner of Heaven, one of our previous selections. She state, Las Vegas and Salt
Lake City, "one sin and one salvation-yet identical, one-dimensional company towns built up out of the desert by the sheer will of true
believers." Vowell does an interesting job of weaving her opinions in her book. A self-described 'history geek' who clearly loves her country and our democracy but appears frequently disappointed by our lackluster
leaders and their policies. We study history to learn of our mistakes and hopefully not repeat them. Vowell shows us how we are still making mistakes made during the McKinley administration by attacking countries
with contrived reasoning and suspect aims. She reminds us that our history is not always an account of our justice and the triumph of our democracy we would all like it to be. I really enjoyed the book and as one reviewer stated, "read it for the journey, not the destination."
memory is still somewhat fresh. I was able to finish AV by SV in HV (at
the Empire State Games in Hudson Valley-I thought I'd toss in some of her
irreverent humor). I marveled at the specific details in Sarah Vowell's book on
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the assassinations of three American Presidents. Her detailed research into the location of historical markers was particularly notable.Even at Disney World with her young nephew she makes a side trip to locate another! I thought her comments on the political and social
culture of each of the times were fascinating. In addition, despite concern to the contrary, I found a great deal of accurate historical
information in this work of fiction, humor, or was it history? Imagine the dilemma of the stock boy trying to place the book in the correct section of the bookstore or the interested reader trying to decide where
to look for it! The details of the "Lincoln conspiracy" were entirely new to me. I had no idea two other government officials were considered for assassination and that, in fact, Seward was attacked and stabbed by one of
the conspirators and that a half dozen co-conspirators were hanged. I thought Booth shot Lincoln, was chased, and then shot within the evening. I had no idea he was on the loose for days and weeks nor that he was treated by Dr. Mudd for his injured leg. The origin of the "His name is mud." quote was also new to me. Was it necessary to pare down the details
to fit it in the high school curriculum? I enjoyed the Buffalo connection and some local history even though it was for an asassination. I also had no idea Roosevelt suffered such a serious assassination attempt, his glass case and long speech saving his life! Not being a Sarah Vowell listener on National Public Radio, I had no idea of her humorous side. She weaves some incredibly witty lines into the historical research making
the entire book a "hoot" to read, painfully so at times. The moniker, "Presidential angel of death" she gives Robert Todd Lincoln for being
present at three assassinations is one such humorous line. "Going to Ford's Theater to watch a play is like going to Hooter's for the food." another. Her cynical look at previous and current policies and administrations and their similarities are some of her best moments. The Lincoln Memorial dedication was segregated in 1922 and Vowell can
understand how some one could "summon up so much bitterness toward a Presidential human being." Vowell's inspiration for all of her morbid curiosity supposedly comes from reading the Lincoln-Kennedy coincidences we all know some of. Then she shoots a hole in the Booth ran to a warehouse-it was a barn. I thought her work on Garfield and his assassin
was interesting in that she states and I agree, we know nearly nothing about either of them. Vowell again is hilarious here suggesting Guiteau "couldn't even get laid in the free love commune" he stayed in for two
years. And his infamous quote during his trial, "Doctors killed Garfield, I just shot him." accurately reporting that the infection caused by doctor's probing fingers is what actually killed Garfield. Reminds me of the psychiatric defense for religious fervor in Under a Banner of Heaven, one of our previous selections. She state, Las Vegas and Salt
Lake City, "one sin and one salvation-yet identical, one-dimensional company towns built up out of the desert by the sheer will of true
believers." Vowell does an interesting job of weaving her opinions in her book. A self-described 'history geek' who clearly loves her country and our democracy but appears frequently disappointed by our lackluster
leaders and their policies. We study history to learn of our mistakes and hopefully not repeat them. Vowell shows us how we are still making mistakes made during the McKinley administration by attacking countries
with contrived reasoning and suspect aims. She reminds us that our history is not always an account of our justice and the triumph of our democracy we would all like it to be. I really enjoyed the book and as one reviewer stated, "read it for the journey, not the destination."
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LibraryThing member bookworm12
I love Vowell’s sense of humor. She’s sarcastic, yet somehow sincere. She’s an unashamed nerd and history buff, which is awesome, because I am too. Assassination is Vowell at her best. She chronicles her travels around New England as she visits spots relevant to Lincoln, Garfield and
She fills the book with a blend of historical facts, hilarious trivia bits and personal anecdotes. I always feel like I’m learning something while reading her books, but at the same time she cracking me up. She makes presidential assassinations incredibly entertaining.
The audio versions of Vowell’s books are particularly good. Like David Sedaris’ work, she reads her own books and so she provides the perfect pauses and inflections for maximum hilarity. She also manages to get an all-star cast of people to read lines for her supporting characters. Everyone from Dave Eggers to Conon O’Brien to John Stewart chime in for a line or two.
I can’t say enough to recommend her work. Whether she’s talking about being stuck in a flowery Bed & Breakfast with old people or describing her nephew’s name for graveyards (Halloween parks), she nails every scene. If you’ve never read anything she’s written, please check her out. Assassination Vacation is a great place to start.
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McKinley’s assassins. She fills the book with a blend of historical facts, hilarious trivia bits and personal anecdotes. I always feel like I’m learning something while reading her books, but at the same time she cracking me up. She makes presidential assassinations incredibly entertaining.
The audio versions of Vowell’s books are particularly good. Like David Sedaris’ work, she reads her own books and so she provides the perfect pauses and inflections for maximum hilarity. She also manages to get an all-star cast of people to read lines for her supporting characters. Everyone from Dave Eggers to Conon O’Brien to John Stewart chime in for a line or two.
I can’t say enough to recommend her work. Whether she’s talking about being stuck in a flowery Bed & Breakfast with old people or describing her nephew’s name for graveyards (Halloween parks), she nails every scene. If you’ve never read anything she’s written, please check her out. Assassination Vacation is a great place to start.
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LibraryThing member Cauterize
A few years ago, I saw Sarah Vowell promoting this book on The Daily Show. She was really witty, sarcastic and funny on the show and her enthusiasm for this book put it on my TBR list even though I am not remotely interested in this topic. Assassination Vacation is one-half memoir and one-half
Vowell's subversive humour and her obvious passion for this topic makes this an enjoyable read for both period buffs and non-enthusiasts, alike. I needed the laughs; I'm not American and I don't care about this period in history. If I am going to read about Vowell's visit the island prison of the doctor who harbored John Wilkes Booth after the assassination... it better be funny. Little nuggets of fun, like finding out that the Oneida flatware company started out as a free love commune, is what makes history interesting and not boring. And Vowell goes everywhere. She travels to the most obscure museums, to the actual spot on the street where Garfield was shot, to mountain resort where Roosevelt was informed he was now the acting president. History is so interconnected and full of coincidences and now I know that for these three men, the string that ties them together is Robert Todd Lincoln, the "Jinxy McDeath" of his time. Vowell is so adept at throwing so much information and writing you into her shoes, that you appreciate how she can boil it all down and still make a compelling narrative.
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history lesson; the reader follows along with Vowell as she roadtrips (or as she likes to say 'pilgrimages') around America to the historical importance sites of the assassinations of the American presidents: Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield and Robert McKinley.Vowell's subversive humour and her obvious passion for this topic makes this an enjoyable read for both period buffs and non-enthusiasts, alike. I needed the laughs; I'm not American and I don't care about this period in history. If I am going to read about Vowell's visit the island prison of the doctor who harbored John Wilkes Booth after the assassination... it better be funny. Little nuggets of fun, like finding out that the Oneida flatware company started out as a free love commune, is what makes history interesting and not boring. And Vowell goes everywhere. She travels to the most obscure museums, to the actual spot on the street where Garfield was shot, to mountain resort where Roosevelt was informed he was now the acting president. History is so interconnected and full of coincidences and now I know that for these three men, the string that ties them together is Robert Todd Lincoln, the "Jinxy McDeath" of his time. Vowell is so adept at throwing so much information and writing you into her shoes, that you appreciate how she can boil it all down and still make a compelling narrative.
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LibraryThing member EmScape
This is the rarest of all things: a work of non-fiction that I just could not put down. Vowell makes obscure historical figures and the places related to them fascinatingly relevant to the modern reader. Snarky, irreverant, peppered with personal anecdotes that actually add to the narrative instead
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of detract from it, Assassination Vacation should be required reading for every high school history class. Show Less
LibraryThing member msf59
Looking for an off-beat, yet intriguing getaway? Something involving a healthy dose of U.S. history and a trio of past presidents, all who have been slain in office? Well, Sarah Vowell did just that and she has crafted a quirky travelogue, that has her visiting and commentating on the key locations
on the killers individual histories, including this tidbit: Charles Guiteau, Garfield’s assassin, was a member of a New York sex cult, circa the 1840s, which would make Alfred Kinsey cringe. She also cleverly refers to Robert Todd Lincoln as “Jinxy McDeath”, due to his proximity to all three deaths.
Here she describes a visit to the Lincoln Memorial:
“The people who visit the memorial always look like an advertisement for democracy, so bizarrely, suspiciously diverse that one time I actually saw a man in a cowboy hat standing there reading the Gettsyburg Address next to a Hasidic Jew. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they had linked arms with a woman in a burka and a Masai warrior, to belt out ‘It’s a Small World After All’, flanked by a chorus line of nuns…”
By the end of this book, I have to confess, I was smitten by this witty, articulate, totally engaging author.
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and highlights, or is it lowlights, of the assassinations of President’s Garfield, McKinley and Lincoln. Vowell goes deep on all stories, focusingon the killers individual histories, including this tidbit: Charles Guiteau, Garfield’s assassin, was a member of a New York sex cult, circa the 1840s, which would make Alfred Kinsey cringe. She also cleverly refers to Robert Todd Lincoln as “Jinxy McDeath”, due to his proximity to all three deaths.
Here she describes a visit to the Lincoln Memorial:
“The people who visit the memorial always look like an advertisement for democracy, so bizarrely, suspiciously diverse that one time I actually saw a man in a cowboy hat standing there reading the Gettsyburg Address next to a Hasidic Jew. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they had linked arms with a woman in a burka and a Masai warrior, to belt out ‘It’s a Small World After All’, flanked by a chorus line of nuns…”
By the end of this book, I have to confess, I was smitten by this witty, articulate, totally engaging author.
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LibraryThing member Lisa2013
I love the author’s irreverence, wit, and humorous outlook. I find her hilarious when she’s speaking, such as when I’ve seen her on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show. This book is funny, but her writing is not nearly as hilarious as she is when speaking. I think this book would be great as an
I was disappointed that only 3 Presidents (Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley) were the focus here, and that they are all Republicans, although there are extremely brief mentions of JFK, RFK, and Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, and a bit more than them about Teddy Roosevelt. And I loved that she revisited the Lincoln-Kennedy coincidence list; I hadn’t thought about it for many years.
There were some very amusing and educational portions, and for me it got better and better as I went along. I went from being disappointed to really enjoying the reading experience.
I particularly enjoyed the more personal material, particularly the part about the author’s young nephew. I can see why she likes as well as loves him.
I got a huge kick out of Garfield’s love of reading; he’s a president about which I’d known very little, and I’d known the most about Lincoln and very, very little about the other two, but from this book I learned a lot about all three. Now, I wasn’t reading for school, but for pleasure, and there were so many juicy tidbits that I’m afraid in very short order I will forget most of the information. This is history spiced up, but I’ve always enjoyed history and don’t need it to be made more palatable. However, I did really appreciate the information that isn’t typically included in history books, and even in many biography books
So, I did end up enjoying this, but she’s still much funnier in person.
3 ½ stars I rounded up because of this book’s ingenuity.
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audio book if read by the author. Even her voice and inflections are funny, and while I laugh out loud when listening to her, including when she talked about this book, reading this book elicited some smiles from me, but that’s about it. Of course, it’s only because of the author that I’d expected a book about Presidential assassinations would make me laugh.I was disappointed that only 3 Presidents (Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley) were the focus here, and that they are all Republicans, although there are extremely brief mentions of JFK, RFK, and Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, and a bit more than them about Teddy Roosevelt. And I loved that she revisited the Lincoln-Kennedy coincidence list; I hadn’t thought about it for many years.
There were some very amusing and educational portions, and for me it got better and better as I went along. I went from being disappointed to really enjoying the reading experience.
I particularly enjoyed the more personal material, particularly the part about the author’s young nephew. I can see why she likes as well as loves him.
I got a huge kick out of Garfield’s love of reading; he’s a president about which I’d known very little, and I’d known the most about Lincoln and very, very little about the other two, but from this book I learned a lot about all three. Now, I wasn’t reading for school, but for pleasure, and there were so many juicy tidbits that I’m afraid in very short order I will forget most of the information. This is history spiced up, but I’ve always enjoyed history and don’t need it to be made more palatable. However, I did really appreciate the information that isn’t typically included in history books, and even in many biography books
So, I did end up enjoying this, but she’s still much funnier in person.
3 ½ stars I rounded up because of this book’s ingenuity.
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LibraryThing member readingrebecca
I would be so happy to know Sarah Vowell and go on her historical pilgrimages. This book just fascinated me. There is humor on almost every page, hard to imagine in a book about presidental assassinations! But it's true. She covers so much information about the time before the event, the event
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itself and the aftermath. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves American history. Show Less
LibraryThing member mabrown2
I love Sarah Vowell's approach to history, tying it in with tourism. Her enthusiasm always makes me want to go visit these places (and I have already done so in some cases). I look forward to reading more of her works in the future.
LibraryThing member NicholasPayne
Simultaneously witty and reverent, Vowell handles this material superbly. I especially enjoyed her accounting of the character of inveterate loser Charles Guiteau.
LibraryThing member rcooper3589
i've been waiting for this book to come out in paperback for a good part of a year now. i've really enjoyed vowell's previous two books (the partly cloudly patriot and take the canolli)and i sooo enjoyed this one, too. not only do i now want to travel to all the places sarah talked about in the
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book, but i want to learn more!! i feel this book should be required for all high schoolers. i've never enjoyed reading a history book so much before. did you know that lincoln's son was not only present at his father's assination but also garfield's and mckinley's! or how about that the prosecutor for leon (garfield's murderer) passed garfield's spine around the jury box! crazy!! i recommend you read this- i only read it in a week and i'm a wicked (holy crap, there's the rhode islander in me)slow reader. Show Less
LibraryThing member cmc
Sarah Vowell is a nut. But she’s my kind of nut. She’s obsessed with presidential assassinations (especially that of Abraham Lincoln), and this book details her trips (pilgrimages) to sites associated with Presidents Garfield, Lincoln, and McKinley during their lives, their deaths, and their
But Vowell is funny—these aren’t dry recountings of academic research trips, they’re filled with stories of her encounters with others along the way, and their reactions to her enthusiasm for discussing these assassinations.
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afterlives (in the form of memorials, museums, and statues).But Vowell is funny—these aren’t dry recountings of academic research trips, they’re filled with stories of her encounters with others along the way, and their reactions to her enthusiasm for discussing these assassinations.
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LibraryThing member msmalnick
I really enjoyed this snarky look at the assassinations of lincoln, garfield, and mckinley. Interspersed with bits of humor and a tiny bit of autobiography, avowed liberal Vowell takes the reader on a little journey through her obsessions of famous american violence. But she pulls it off and it's
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fun & interesting. It's not easy to find books about history that keep you awake from start to finish. This one succeeded. Show Less
LibraryThing member marfita
This book helped me focus in a recent trip to DC (not that I needed anything extra to see in DC; there's more than enough there to keep someone busy for weeks), and I was grateful. I might not have climbed all the way up the Lincoln Memorial or visited the Ford Theatre if I hadn't read this book.
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For Vowell, American history is personal. And her adventures in tracking down sites of (non-current) assassination importance carry her personal impressions, not just the facts ma'am. It's her vacation, after all. She also records the impressions of her chauffeurs because she does not drive (this must be some NPR thing - the not-driving thing. There are several NPR luminaries who don't drive. Quite a shock for us suburbanites. It's like not ... not breathing, or something. Or not swimming. You breathe, you swim, so you assume everyone else does, too). You feel her casual irony, as when you learn that, if left alone, Garfield may well have survived his assassination but the well-meaning doctors probed his wound with unsterile fingers and did more damage. Having heard her on "This American Life," I can hear her voice talking to me from the page. She made me want to see all the obscure sites she visited. Show Less
LibraryThing member bhalpin
This book rocks! A really enjoyable read--like hanging out with a really interesting person who knows a lot but is not annoying about it. Also interesting for its unsentimental and honest patriotism. I really enjoyed it
LibraryThing member arouse77
non-fiction offering by Sarah Vowell part travelouge, party humorous essay, part history lesson. Vowell focuses on the assasinations of Lincoln, McKinley, and Garfield on an odyssey into the history of persidential death.
the section on Lincoln was interesting for its focus on Booth and some of the
fairly rich in historical detail, this book doesn't lend itself quite as readily to the witty observations and offbeat humor for which i have come to love Vowell. however, as far as it goes, it is a more than usually interesting historical snapshot. the sections on McKinley and Garfield were especially interesting in terms of the relative dearth of common mythos surrounding those assasinations when compared to the oft repeated tale of the Lincoln shooting.
pleasant as a light historical jaunt, though not as satisfying from an entertainment perspective as some of her other work. still well worth the read.
the section on Lincoln was interesting for its focus on Booth and some of the
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more off-beat elements of the trip. the author's embarassed admission that Booth was a looker lends the charm and immediacy so typical of Vowell's work.fairly rich in historical detail, this book doesn't lend itself quite as readily to the witty observations and offbeat humor for which i have come to love Vowell. however, as far as it goes, it is a more than usually interesting historical snapshot. the sections on McKinley and Garfield were especially interesting in terms of the relative dearth of common mythos surrounding those assasinations when compared to the oft repeated tale of the Lincoln shooting.
pleasant as a light historical jaunt, though not as satisfying from an entertainment perspective as some of her other work. still well worth the read.
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LibraryThing member podperson
Write a funny book related to the assassinations of Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley? Impossible, you say, sacrilege? Well Sarah Vowell pulls it off win ease and grace!
LibraryThing member shalulah
Sarah Vowell is wryly funny but I also learned a lot from this book. I saw the scathing review her latest, Wordy Shipmates, got in the NYT. I like that she's annoying & uppity. I like her sarcasm, flat indie-girl affect and kitsch worship!
LibraryThing member WittyreaderLI
This book was the first non fiction history book I've probably ever read. When I first started it, I was really into it. I thought that the section on Lincoln was fascinating. The second half, on Garfield was pretty interesting. By the time McKinley rolled around though, I got a little bored.
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History buffs will love this one, and Vowell's humor makes this a fun read. Show Less
LibraryThing member bkleinwort
entertaining. Who knew Lincoln's son was present at three presidential assassinations?
LibraryThing member goldiebear
I thought I was very much going to enjoy this book. I loved the whole first section on Lincoln. There were so many great facts and tidbits that I just had to underline. Then once I hit the whole Garfield section I just got so bored. Maybe because I couldn't care less about Garfield (sorry) or maybe
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I was just burnt out on Vowell's writing style. Sometimes I found it very pompus. Other times quite funny. I was annoyed how she spoke of her "phobias" so often... anyhow. Maybe some day I will pick it up again. Show Less
LibraryThing member Unreachableshelf
I've been interested in the stories surrounding the history of assassination since first seeing Stephen Sondheim's Assassins. When Sarah Vowell tries to explain the show to strangers in a bed and breakfast in the prologue, I knew this was going to be my kind of book. As always, Vowell's voice is
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witty, and filled at once for irreverence to tradition and reverence for the idea of America and what it can be at its best. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — 2006)
Green Mountain Book Award (Nominee — 2009)
Original publication date
2005
Physical description
258 p.; 8.46 inches
ISBN
074326004X / 9780743260046