A review by corgi66
Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
3.0
At least three reviews list this as hilaroius, but I don't see it.
I would say it is smart, nerdy, interesting and unique.
Vowell retraces the footsteps of the first three presidential assasinations, stopping by every National Park Service run tourist stop and every plaque documenting a "he stood here when..." event.
But then she goes the extra mile and visits the places that formed the actors in each assasiniation. For example, she visits the anarchist colony of Charles Guiteau (Garfield's assasin). I found those places, the two degrees away from the assasination, to be the most interesting. She writes on the family, lovers, and acquantainces who had a hand in the early lives of the assasins.
Not surprisingly, the Lincoln chapter is the most involved. Because I did not know much at all about Garfield or McKinley's assasination, I found those more interesting than Lincoln's.
Vowell goes off on some random political, left leaning rants from time to time. I think a lot of history buffs/aficionados, who I've found in my personal experience tend to lean conservative, would enjoy this book if they can ignore or skip those parts. One could remove all those parts and still accomplish the point of the book.
I would say it is smart, nerdy, interesting and unique.
Vowell retraces the footsteps of the first three presidential assasinations, stopping by every National Park Service run tourist stop and every plaque documenting a "he stood here when..." event.
But then she goes the extra mile and visits the places that formed the actors in each assasiniation. For example, she visits the anarchist colony of Charles Guiteau (Garfield's assasin). I found those places, the two degrees away from the assasination, to be the most interesting. She writes on the family, lovers, and acquantainces who had a hand in the early lives of the assasins.
Not surprisingly, the Lincoln chapter is the most involved. Because I did not know much at all about Garfield or McKinley's assasination, I found those more interesting than Lincoln's.
Vowell goes off on some random political, left leaning rants from time to time. I think a lot of history buffs/aficionados, who I've found in my personal experience tend to lean conservative, would enjoy this book if they can ignore or skip those parts. One could remove all those parts and still accomplish the point of the book.