Assassination Vacation

By: Sarah Vowell

Narrated by: Conan O'Brien, Stephen King, Dave Eggers, Jon Stewart

Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

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 lighter diversions into the lives of the three presidents and their assassins, including mummies, show tunes, mean-spirited totem poles, and a 19th-century biblical sex cult.

In Order of Appearance:
Conan O'Brien...Robert Todd Lincoln
Eric Bogosian...John Wilkes Booth
Stephen King...President Abraham Lincoln
Dave Eggers...Mike Ryan
Catherine Keener...Gretchen Worden
Jon Stewart...President James A. Garfield
Tony Kushner...John Humphrey Noyes
Brad Bird...Charles Guiteau & Emma Goldman
Daniel Handler...President William McKinley
Greg Giraldo...President Theodore Roosevelt
David Rakoff...Leon Czolgosz

©2005 Sarah Vowell (P)2005 Simon & Schuster Inc. AUDIOWORKS is an imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division, Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Critic reviews

• 2005 Audie Award Nominee, Multi-Voiced Performance
• 2005 Publishers Weekly Listen Up Award, Humor

"Vowell has a perspective on American history that is definitely funny." (School Library Journal)
"Wacky, weirdly enthralling....This is history at its most morbid and most fascinating and, fortunately, one needn't share Vowell's interest in the macabre to thoroughly enjoy this unusual tour." (Publishers Weekly)
"An engaging tour....Audiobook listeners get serious bang for their buck, including guest appearances by Stephen King (as Lincoln), Jon Stewart, Conan O'Brien, and Eric Bogosian, among others." (AudioFile)

This woman is absolutely hilarious

I don't think anybody realizes that Sarah Vowel was the voice of the daughter Violet in the Pixar movie "The Incredibles." A video essay of hers called "Vowellette" is featured on the DVD, and she is hilarious in it and very smart. Based on that, I am definitely buying this book.

Amazing!

I was shocked -- I usually find Sarah Vowell's voice as soothing as nails on a chalkboard but, not only did I survive listening to hours of her, but I enjoyed the experience. This book has stayed with me for months now and may be the first audible.com DL that I listen to for a second time. Interesting and fun.

Smart, funny and educational too!

I'd give it a 4.8 if possible. I was so happy to find Sarah after enjoying her work on "This American Life". She is very bright and I really like her voice. Author's are not always the best narrators but Sarah is a clear exception. She is able to communicate exactly what she means with her vocal nuances, particularly her highly developed sense of irony. Well done!

OK but Not Great

I really like Sarah Vowell and she maximizes the humor in this book. But when it comes right down to it, her topic isn't that interesting. She writes about street corners and statues of ex and often dull presidents. There is a whole chapter written about her thoughts on the musical "Assassins." I was looking forward to all of the guest narrators (Stephen King, Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart & Conan O'Brian) but having famous narrators didn't add much to the story because they all read the lines straight.

A few parts that I did find interesting:
Charles Guiteau's time in the Oneida coop back when they were a sex cult and before they made china; Robert Todd Lincoln as the symbol of doom having witnessed two presidential assassinations.

Assasination Vacation

This was a great read(Listen). Well worth the time. I found myself sitting in my car after arriving at my destination to learn more wacky history as told by the author. Bravo.

Macabre information delivered with a humorous touc

What did you love best about Assassination Vacation?

Sarah Vowell has a unique voice, and a unique interest in some of the darker moments of American History. But maybe I'm a little twisted, too, because I really enjoyed learning the bits of trivial information, as well as very detailed parts, about the assassination of three presidents. Her fascination, though delivered with her sometimes monotone voice, was infectious to me. I yearn to learn more about our history in the way she reveals it.

Sarah never fails

This is the third book I've read\ listened to written by Sarah Vowell. I haven't been disappointed yet. Sarah Vowell is a brilliant wordsmith. She truely has a gift for storytelling, a talent for educating and she swings a mighty sword of intelligence that cuts to the (funny) bone.

Love her humor

Sarah Vowell is smart and funny and so are her books. I enjoy her point of view and her ability to see the absurd. She really brings an insight to our countries history that is not taught in schools and I love her little squeaky voice!

Fascinating, funny, informative

Once I got used to Ms. Vowell's voice, I enjoyed her wry sense of humor and slightly macabre perspective. I've always enjoyed history, but enjoy it so much more when shared outside the usual dry, dull, testosterone-colored tomes. Her adventures in assassination history reminded me of family trips to State Parks and Civil War sites. Days of exploration, learning and picnics in the park.

The best boo I ever read.

I know Sarah Vowell's voice is a bit nasal and creaky but she's a brilliant writter and a lot of other voices lend themselves to this reading. The way she weaves in historic facts with reflections on the present is beautiful and witty and funny
I highly recommend this book.