Lafayette in the Somewhat United States

By: Sarah Vowell

Narrated by: Alexis Denisof, John Slattery, Sarah Vowell, Patton Oswalt, Fred Armisen, John Hodgman, Stephanie March, Nick Offerman, Bobby Cannavale

From the bestselling author of Assassination Vacation and Unfamiliar Fishes, a humorous account of the Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette—the one Frenchman we could all agree on—and an insightful portrait of a nation's idealism and its reality.

On August 16, 1824, an elderly French gentlemen sailed into New York Harbor and giddy Americans were there to welcome him. Or, rather, to welcome him back. It had been thirty years since the Revolutionary War hero the Marquis de Lafayette had last set foot in the United States, and he was so beloved that 80,000 people showed up to cheer for him. The entire population of New York at the time was 120,000.

Lafayette's arrival in 1824 coincided with one of the most contentious presidential elections in American history, Congress had just fought its first epic battle over slavery, and the threat of a Civil War loomed. But Lafayette, belonging to neither North nor South, to no political party or faction, was a walking, talking reminder of the sacrifices and bravery of the revolutionary generation and what they wanted this country to be. His return was not just a reunion with his beloved Americans, it was a reunion for Americans with their own astonishing singular past.

Lafayette in the Somewhat United States is a humorous and insightful portrait of the famed Frenchman, the impact he had on our young country, and his ongoing relationship with some of the instrumental Americans of the time, including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and many more.

Multiple-narrator setup is clunky and distracting

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would recommend that the friend read the print or Kindle version. I ADORE Sarah Vowell and have devoured every one of her books, but she's simply not a good long-form narrator, and having an all-star cast jump in on occasional quotes SOUNDS like a good idea - but in execution it just comes across oddly.

How could the performance have been better?

Smoother, with a professional narrator.

It was ok.

The narration was good, but not her best. The history was good, but not her best. It was ok.

Vowell at the top of her American History game

This is Vowell at the top of her game - funny, insightful, wistful, cutting, and absolutely encyclopedic in her knowledge of her subject matter. Her research is exhaustive, and I love the immediacy of how she integrates stories of visiting the sites and talking to park guides, locals, and other history experts with the "dry" facts to bring history alive. While no book will de-throne Assassination Vacation as my favorite Vowell, this one is now second on my list. I learned a ton about the American Revolution and its key players - not just the young and charismatic Lafayette but also George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Henry Knox, and others. Rercommended for history fans and anyone that wants a more personal, unbiased look at the founding of our nation.

As always, Vowell narrates her own work in her funny, NPR-lauded and The Incredibles-famed unique voice, lending emphasis and cutting humor to her tale. Historyis never dry when viewed through Vowell's eyes.

I laughed out loud!

Possibly the best listen I've ever had. Fascinating, informative, entertaining, engaging and hillarious to boot. Wish history could always be this much fun. Let me know if she attempts the Old Testament. Lafayette, I am there.

Interesting: learned a lot. Appreciate History!

This was a very interesting read, and I enjoyed the humor and contemporary political connections included by the author. I love history, and this was written in an easy-to-follow and fun way, including lots of primary source quotes and details you don’t get in history class. The voice actors playing Lafayette and the founding fathers were good. The narrator took a little getting used to, but she did a good job. Very sarcastic. Sometimes I’d get annoyed by her nasally tone, but it fit for a lot of her humor. I wish she had not inputted her own political views and opinions so much(even if I’m inclined to agree with her, I would have preferred a more moderate or unbiased view of history, and not an author’s ranting.)