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laurenisallbooked's review
4.0
3.5 stars. I love Sara Vowell, but this book felt like reading the radio and the stories ended up feeling disjointed because of it, like they came from the wrong medium. Overall, some of these essays were great, but others were just okay.
meginsanity's review
2.0
Okay, I've given up on Sarah Vowell. I think I have tried to read all of her books at this point. The only one I truly enjoyed was Assassination Vacation. After working my way through her other stuff, I think I know why. Assassination Vacation forced her to actually think about somebody else for once. I mean, yeah, she's funny, and she's writing articles about herself and her family history so her stuff is going to be a little self-centered, but I've rarely read anyone who can twist anything, even Burmese twins, to be about her. She'll go on about how she's a loner and she doesn't like people, but it's easy enough to tell she craves attention.
I didn't really read anything groundbreaking in this book. It was written in 2000 and 2001 (with the obligatory 9/11 article), so she's super-upset about the Bush presidency, and Al Gore, and various injustices. I think the problem is her themes of jaded patriotism, questioning the government's actions, etc., etc., have been repeated enough, and heard enough, that I'm kind of sick of it. Maybe the book's just a little too dated - dated, but too recent to be an interesting product of its time.
I didn't really read anything groundbreaking in this book. It was written in 2000 and 2001 (with the obligatory 9/11 article), so she's super-upset about the Bush presidency, and Al Gore, and various injustices. I think the problem is her themes of jaded patriotism, questioning the government's actions, etc., etc., have been repeated enough, and heard enough, that I'm kind of sick of it. Maybe the book's just a little too dated - dated, but too recent to be an interesting product of its time.
leasummer's review
4.0
Sarah Vowell is hilarious. She makes me want to get really active in politics while at the same time reminding me of the heartbreak that keeps me from it. She is a must read!
wicked_sassy's review
4.0
Sarah Vowell always, always makes me giggle.
"I've always had these fantasies about being in a normal family in which the the parents come to town and their adult daughter spends their entire visit daydreaming of suicide. I'm here to tell you that dreams really do come true." P. 9
"Once or twice a day, I am enveloped inside what I like to call the Impenetrable Shield of Melancholy. This shield, it is impenetrable. Hence the name. I cannot speak. And while I can feel myself freeze up, I can't do anything about it. As my family fusses, I spend an inordinate amount of time pretending to dry my hair, the bedroom door closed, the hair dryer open full blast, pointed at nothing." P. 13
"I revere the Bill of Rights, but at the same time I believe that anyone who's using three or more of them at a time is hogging them too much." P. 152
"...I am my parents' daughter. Because they have always enjoyed playing up the things we do have in common, like Dolly Parton and Ibuprofen." P. 170
"[after September 11th,] I waited invasion for someone like me to stand up and say that the only thing those of us who don't believe in god have to believe in is other people and that New York City is the best place there ever was for a godless person to practice her moral code." P. 170
"Our common bond is that we both live in extreme places where, if you're at all given to reflection, you constantly question where and how you live. In Manhattan, I lack spaciousness and nature and quiet; in the sticks, she lacks choices and culture and bagels." P. 190
"I've always had these fantasies about being in a normal family in which the the parents come to town and their adult daughter spends their entire visit daydreaming of suicide. I'm here to tell you that dreams really do come true." P. 9
"Once or twice a day, I am enveloped inside what I like to call the Impenetrable Shield of Melancholy. This shield, it is impenetrable. Hence the name. I cannot speak. And while I can feel myself freeze up, I can't do anything about it. As my family fusses, I spend an inordinate amount of time pretending to dry my hair, the bedroom door closed, the hair dryer open full blast, pointed at nothing." P. 13
"I revere the Bill of Rights, but at the same time I believe that anyone who's using three or more of them at a time is hogging them too much." P. 152
"...I am my parents' daughter. Because they have always enjoyed playing up the things we do have in common, like Dolly Parton and Ibuprofen." P. 170
"[after September 11th,] I waited invasion for someone like me to stand up and say that the only thing those of us who don't believe in god have to believe in is other people and that New York City is the best place there ever was for a godless person to practice her moral code." P. 170
"Our common bond is that we both live in extreme places where, if you're at all given to reflection, you constantly question where and how you live. In Manhattan, I lack spaciousness and nature and quiet; in the sticks, she lacks choices and culture and bagels." P. 190
matthewreid's review
5.0
I love this collection of essays. My favorite is The Nerd Voice which talks about Al Gore, the 2000 presidential election, and what Gore could've learned from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. As a fellow nerd I really appreciated it. But all of them were very enjoyable.