Publisher's summary
From the best-selling 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 30 years since he 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 instrumental Americans of the time, including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and many more.
John Slattery as the Marquis de Lafayette
Nick Offerman as George Washington
Fred Armisen as Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
Bobby Cannavale as Benjamin Franklin
John Hodgman as John Adams
Stephanie March as Evelyn Wotherspoon Wainwight and Linda Williams
Alexis Denisof as The British Leadership
Patton Oswalt as Thomas Jefferson and Sherm
Critic reviews
"An A-list of recognizable voices, including those of John Hodgman reading John Adams and Nick Offerman portraying George Washington, delivers dozens of quotes from our forefathers. Vowell deftly stirs together tones of satire, superlative research, and, yes, patriotism to make American history irresistible. If she isn't a national treasure, she should be." (AudioFile)
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
The Partly Cloudy Patriot
- By: Sarah Vowell
- Narrated by: Sarah Vowell, Conan O'Brien, Seth Green, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sarah Vowell travels through the American past and investigates the dusty, bumpy roads of her own life. Her essays confront a wide range of subjects, icons, and historical moments: Ike, Teddy Roosevelt, and Bill Clinton; Canadian Mounties and German Filmmakers; Tom Cruise and Buffy the Vampire Slayer; twins and nerds; the Gettysburg Address, the State of the Union, and George W. Bush's inauguration. The result is an engrossing audiobook, capturing Vowell's memorable wit and her keen social commentary.
-
-
One of the best surprises on AUDIBLE.COM!!
- By Doggy Bird on 04-14-04
By: Sarah Vowell
-
Assassination Vacation
- By: Sarah Vowell
- Narrated by: Conan O'Brien, Stephen King, Dave Eggers, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
extremely entertaining and informative
- By Rachel on 08-17-05
By: Sarah Vowell
-
The Wordy Shipmates
- By: Sarah Vowell
- Narrated by: Sarah Vowell
- Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sarah Vowell's special brand of armchair history makes the bizarre and esoteric fascinatingly relevant and fun. She takes us from the modern-day reenactment of an Indian massacre to the Mohegan Sun casino, from old-timey Puritan poetry, where "righteousness" is rhymed with "wilderness," to a Mayflower-themed waterslide. Throughout, The Wordy Shipmates is rich in historical fact, humorous insight, and social commentary by one of America's most celebrated voices.
-
-
I love Sarah Vowell
- By Audiophile on 10-25-09
By: Sarah Vowell
-
Unfamiliar Fishes
- By: Sarah Vowell
- Narrated by: Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, John Hodgman, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Unfamiliar Fishes, Sarah Vowell argues that 1898 might be a year just as crucial to our nation's identity, a year when, in an orgy of imperialism, the United States annexed Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam, and invaded Cuba and then the Philippines, becoming a meddling, self-serving, militaristic international superpower practically overnight. Of all the countries the United States invaded or colonized in 1898, Vowell considers the story of the Americanization of Hawaii to be the most intriguing.
-
-
Sarah Vowell does it again!
- By Kat on 03-23-11
By: Sarah Vowell
-
Stone Mattress
- Nine Tales
- By: Margaret Atwood
- Narrated by: Margaret Atwood, Rob Delaney, Mark Bramhall, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A collection of highly imaginative short pieces that speak to our times with deadly accuracy. Vintage Atwood creativity, intelligence, and humor: think Alias Grace. Margaret Atwood turns to short fiction for the first time since her 2006 collection, Moral Disorder, with nine tales of acute psychological insight and turbulent relationships bringing to mind her award-winning 1996 novel, Alias Grace.
-
-
Staggeringly Good
- By The Amester on 06-01-15
By: Margaret Atwood
-
Lafayette
- By: Harlow Giles Unger
- Narrated by: Matthew Boston
- Length: 18 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this gripping biography, acclaimed author Harlow Giles Unger paints an intimate portrait of the heroic young French soldier who, at 19, renounced a life of luxury in Paris and Versailles to fight and bleed for liberty - at Brandywine, Valley Forge, and Yorktown. A major general in the Continental army, he quickly earned the love of his troops, his fellow commanders, and his commander in chief, George Washington, who called him his "adopted son".
-
-
WE GET IT! HE'S A "KNIGHT"
- By Anonymous User on 01-13-22
-
The Partly Cloudy Patriot
- By: Sarah Vowell
- Narrated by: Sarah Vowell, Conan O'Brien, Seth Green, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sarah Vowell travels through the American past and investigates the dusty, bumpy roads of her own life. Her essays confront a wide range of subjects, icons, and historical moments: Ike, Teddy Roosevelt, and Bill Clinton; Canadian Mounties and German Filmmakers; Tom Cruise and Buffy the Vampire Slayer; twins and nerds; the Gettysburg Address, the State of the Union, and George W. Bush's inauguration. The result is an engrossing audiobook, capturing Vowell's memorable wit and her keen social commentary.
-
-
One of the best surprises on AUDIBLE.COM!!
- By Doggy Bird on 04-14-04
By: Sarah Vowell
-
Assassination Vacation
- By: Sarah Vowell
- Narrated by: Conan O'Brien, Stephen King, Dave Eggers, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
extremely entertaining and informative
- By Rachel on 08-17-05
By: Sarah Vowell
-
The Wordy Shipmates
- By: Sarah Vowell
- Narrated by: Sarah Vowell
- Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sarah Vowell's special brand of armchair history makes the bizarre and esoteric fascinatingly relevant and fun. She takes us from the modern-day reenactment of an Indian massacre to the Mohegan Sun casino, from old-timey Puritan poetry, where "righteousness" is rhymed with "wilderness," to a Mayflower-themed waterslide. Throughout, The Wordy Shipmates is rich in historical fact, humorous insight, and social commentary by one of America's most celebrated voices.
-
-
I love Sarah Vowell
- By Audiophile on 10-25-09
By: Sarah Vowell
-
Unfamiliar Fishes
- By: Sarah Vowell
- Narrated by: Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, John Hodgman, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Unfamiliar Fishes, Sarah Vowell argues that 1898 might be a year just as crucial to our nation's identity, a year when, in an orgy of imperialism, the United States annexed Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam, and invaded Cuba and then the Philippines, becoming a meddling, self-serving, militaristic international superpower practically overnight. Of all the countries the United States invaded or colonized in 1898, Vowell considers the story of the Americanization of Hawaii to be the most intriguing.
-
-
Sarah Vowell does it again!
- By Kat on 03-23-11
By: Sarah Vowell
-
Stone Mattress
- Nine Tales
- By: Margaret Atwood
- Narrated by: Margaret Atwood, Rob Delaney, Mark Bramhall, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A collection of highly imaginative short pieces that speak to our times with deadly accuracy. Vintage Atwood creativity, intelligence, and humor: think Alias Grace. Margaret Atwood turns to short fiction for the first time since her 2006 collection, Moral Disorder, with nine tales of acute psychological insight and turbulent relationships bringing to mind her award-winning 1996 novel, Alias Grace.
-
-
Staggeringly Good
- By The Amester on 06-01-15
By: Margaret Atwood
-
Lafayette
- By: Harlow Giles Unger
- Narrated by: Matthew Boston
- Length: 18 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this gripping biography, acclaimed author Harlow Giles Unger paints an intimate portrait of the heroic young French soldier who, at 19, renounced a life of luxury in Paris and Versailles to fight and bleed for liberty - at Brandywine, Valley Forge, and Yorktown. A major general in the Continental army, he quickly earned the love of his troops, his fellow commanders, and his commander in chief, George Washington, who called him his "adopted son".
-
-
WE GET IT! HE'S A "KNIGHT"
- By Anonymous User on 01-13-22
-
Marquis
- Lafayette Reconsidered
- By: Laura Auricchio
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A major biography of the Marquis de Lafayette, French hero of the American Revolution, looks past the storybook general and selfless champion of righteous causes who, at the age of 19, volunteered to fight under George Washington, casting aside fortune and family (from one of France's oldest families; his ancestors served in the Crusades and alongside Joan of Arc) to advance the transcendent aims of liberty and justice.
-
-
Lafayette: A Hit Abroad! & A Miss at Home!
- By James on 03-05-15
By: Laura Auricchio
-
Hero of Two Worlds
- The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution
- By: Mike Duncan
- Narrated by: Mike Duncan
- Length: 17 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the massively popular podcaster and New York Times best-selling author comes the story of the Marquis de Lafayette's lifelong quest to protect the principles of democracy, told through the lens of the three revolutions he participated in: the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the Revolution of 1830.
-
-
Thrillingly storytelling — brilliant narration
- By Byron on 08-24-21
By: Mike Duncan
-
Lafayette and the American Revolution
- By: Russell Freedman
- Narrated by: Luis Moreno
- Length: 2 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When the Marquis de Lafayette ran off to join the American Revolution against the explicit orders of the king of France, he was a strong-willed 19-year-old who had never set foot on a battlefield. Although the U.S. Congress granted him an honorary commission only out of respect for his title and wealth, Lafayette quickly earned the respect of his fellow officers with his bravery, devotion to the cause of liberty, and incredible drive. Playing a pivotal role in the Revolution, he led his men to victory at Yorktown.
-
-
Very Interesting
- By Dawn Bunger on 08-19-20
By: Russell Freedman
-
Heads Will Roll
- By: Kate McKinnon, Emily Lynne
- Narrated by: Kate McKinnon, Emily Lynne, Tim Gunn, and others
- Length: 4 hrs and 6 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Heads Will Roll is an Audible Original from Saturday Night Live star Kate McKinnon and her cocreator/costar (and real-life sister) Emily Lynne. Produced by Broadway Video, this is not an audiobook - it’s a 10-episode, star-studded audio comedy that features performances from Meryl Streep, Tim Gunn, Peter Dinklage, Queer Eye’s Fab Five, and so many more. Please note: This content is not for kids.
-
-
More like this please
- By Anon893 on 05-03-19
By: Kate McKinnon, and others
-
Me Talk Pretty One Day
- By: David Sedaris
- Narrated by: David Sedaris
- Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
David Sedaris' collection of essays - including live recordings! - tells a most unconventional life story. With every clever turn of a phrase, Sedaris brings a view and a voice like no other to every unforgettable encounter. You can also listen to Sedaris in an interview with Terry Gross on Fresh Air.
-
-
Subtly Funny Musings on Life Experiences
- By FanB14 on 09-03-12
By: David Sedaris
-
Carsick
- John Waters Hitchhikes Across America
- By: John Waters
- Narrated by: John Waters
- Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
John Waters is putting his life on the line. Armed with wit, a pencil-thin mustache, and a cardboard sign that reads "I’m Not Psycho", he hitchhikes across America from Baltimore to San Francisco, braving lonely roads and treacherous drivers. But who should we be more worried about, the delicate film director with genteel manners or the unsuspecting travelers transporting the Pope of Trash?
-
-
another great piece of filth from john waters!
- By randy on 06-06-14
By: John Waters
-
Lincoln in the Bardo
- A Novel
- By: George Saunders
- Narrated by: Nick Offerman, David Sedaris, George Saunders, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
February 1862. The Civil War is less than one year old. The fighting has begun in earnest, and the nation has begun to realize it is in for a long, bloody struggle. Meanwhile, President Lincoln’s beloved eleven-year-old son, Willie, lies upstairs in the White House, gravely ill. In a matter of days, despite predictions of a recovery, Willie dies and is laid to rest in a Georgetown cemetery. “My poor boy, he was too good for this earth,” the president says at the time. “God has called him home.”
-
-
"Where might God stand?"
- By Mel on 02-17-17
By: George Saunders
-
The Dutch House
- A Novel
- By: Ann Patchett
- Narrated by: Tom Hanks
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves. The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother.
-
-
Not my favorite Patchett
- By Regina on 12-07-19
By: Ann Patchett
-
A Long Petal of the Sea
- A Novel
- By: Isabel Allende, Nick Caistor, Amanda Hopkinson
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
- Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the late 1930s, civil war grips Spain. When General Franco and his Fascists succeed in overthrowing the government, hundreds of thousands are forced to flee in a treacherous journey over the mountains to the French border. Among them is Roser, a pregnant young widow, who finds her life intertwined with that of Victor Dalmau, an army doctor and the brother of her deceased love. In order to survive, the two must unite in a marriage neither of them desires.
-
-
Impressive
- By Jean on 05-24-20
By: Isabel Allende, and others
-
At Home
- A Short History of Private Life
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 16 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bill Bryson and his family live in a Victorian parsonage in a part of England where nothing of any great significance has happened since the Romans decamped. Yet one day, he began to consider how very little he knew about the ordinary things of life as he found it in that comfortable home. To remedy this, he formed the idea of journeying about his house from room to room to “write a history of the world without leaving home.”
-
-
Bryson does it again
- By Robert on 10-15-10
By: Bill Bryson
-
The Monsters We Defy
- By: Leslye Penelope
- Narrated by: Shayna Small
- Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Washington D. C., 1925. Clara Johnson talks to spirits, a gift that saved her during her darkest moments in a Washington D. C. jail. Now a curse that’s left her indebted to the cunning spirit world. So, when the Empress, the powerful spirit who holds her debt, offers her an opportunity to gain her freedom, a desperate Clara seizes the chance. The task: steal a magical ring from the wealthiest woman in the District.
-
-
absolutely perfect!
- By Kindle Customer on 02-22-23
By: Leslye Penelope
-
Saving Time
- Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock
- By: Jenny Odell
- Narrated by: Kristen Sieh
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In her first book, How to Do Nothing, Jenny Odell wrote about the importance of disconnecting from the “attention economy” to spend time in quiet contemplation. But how can we reclaim our time? In order to answer this seemingly simple question, Odell took a deep dive into the fundamental structure of our society and found that the clock we live by was built for profit, not people. This is why our lives, even in leisure, have come to seem like a series of moments to be bought, sold, and processed ever more efficiently.
-
-
Not as advertised
- By Joaquín on 04-29-23
By: Jenny Odell
What listeners say about Lafayette in the Somewhat United States
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- John Mc
- 04-12-16
Story good, performance not so good
Make sure you listen to the sample before buying. I found the narrator (author) irritating. This is of course personal.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Christine
- 02-18-19
History IS Entertaining
I love history books that are also entertaining, and this book by Sarah Vowell fits the bill. Vowell does her usual great job of research, visiting the places she will discuss, going off on interesting tangents, and making historical figures come alive with all of their strengths and weaknesses.
i worried before buying this book about the actors, wondering if each chapter would have a different narrator. That is not it at all. The actors say the quotations that are in the book; for example, Nick Offerman is George Washington. Many people have written that they did not like this, but I did. It gave my ears a break from Vowell's voice, which is very distinct, and it kept her from trying to sound like 18 different people (French accents, men, etc.). To me, that would have been awful.
So this book is a biography of Lafayette, for whom so many things in the USA are banned, as well as a mini history of the Revolution, at least the parts that involved Lafayette. I learned a great deal about Lafayette and so many others, in such an entertaining way.
What has really stood out to me was the brutality of the war on the US soldiers. I had been taught about the bad winters, the lack of support, the lack of training our troops had, but this book really made these things more visual? Tangible? Real? i am not sure, but I will never forget Washington (and others) freaking out about soldiers' bloody footprints in the snow leading the Red Coats right to them.
George Washington is, besides Lafayette, the other historical figure who looms large here. It would be hard NOT to admire him after reading this book, even though Vowell does not present him as flawless.
I admit that I enjoy stopping for Historical Markers as I travel by car and I often enjoy visiting historical sites/museums, etc., so when Vowell heads to Colonial Williamsburg or small towns in Pennsylvania, I am right there with her, seeing the places now and then, which is awesome. I think she does a great job with this material, and she obviously is passionate about American history. (I also read Assassination Vacation a few years ago for a book club and recommend that as well.) I also enjoy her pop culture references, and the connections she makes--one of the best is a connection to Ferris Bueller's Day Off!
I will be buying her other books here on Amazon.
Highly recommended to anyone, but especially those interested in: American history, French and US relations, biographies, American Revolution, travelogues, Quakers, Founding Fathers (there was not a whole lot about the Founding Mothers here), George Washington, war history, humor, and why the name Lafayette is all over our country.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Rich
- 11-02-18
Well Presented History - Enjoyable While Painful
Historical non-fiction is not at the top of my like list, I am consoled by the excellent information and presentation of the historical story this book relates. It's a well composed tale of how the US succeeded, despite enormous hardships - much we can relate to today - by a quasi government not mature nor free from personality and prejudices enough to prosecute a full scale war. Nevertheless, with truly heroic, yet flawed individuals and not a little luck we are invited to appreciate how the rabble army and fortunate in its allies, threw off British oppression. And it's the arcane but important facts that are known to only a few historians or Revolutionary War buffs that have you shaking your head in either disbelief or appreciation.
From hard facts, to the authors asides, opinions and anecdotes, I'll have to reconsider my listening list. Although she jumps around quite bit in the sequence of events, the book does hold together and maintains your interest. However, here in lies the one - and it's a biggie - problem. The author is blessed with an ear for dialogue and narrative; she is not in possession of vocal gifts. Her speaking voice does not do justice to the writing. In fact, I almost returned the book after the first 15 minutes - the narration was that painful. She's lively and delightfully acerbic but her tonality just about destroys the experience. I know it's harsh, but with such great content and info - all the more disappointing it wasn't narrated by a better voice. There are notable actors who add vocalizations representing the major players in the historic events. But neither are they used quite well enough, some are too short with only one word, others in bastardized French and British accents don't make the grade either. Good idea - not executed quite well enough.
In the end, I made a commitment to stick it out because the history is so entertaining and fresh.I wish I had read rather than listened - though I wonder if Ms Vowells (Is that not a perfect name for a writer?) would have slipped in her off the cuff comic anecdotes. I'm glad for the knowledge gained and learning experience - I will gladly recommend it - though forewarning a listener to measure their tolerance for the narration.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Katherine Nesbitt
- 09-06-20
Fantastic production and performance
So wonderful to have Sarah Vowell (with her deadpan humor) and all the extra narrators bring her fascinating book to life. I have struggled through so many audible titles read by narrators with no grasp of the content of the book. This was such a breath of fresh air. Please produce more readings like this one. Thanks!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Violet Leung
- 12-19-15
A good book, but maybe a different narrator?
What did you love best about Lafayette in the Somewhat United States?
The story and the historical figures in it. This is also not a dry book, with humor interwoven throughout. This would have been a very easy listen had it not for my trouble with the narrator.
What did you like best about this story?
I have recently been looking into the American Revolution and the French Revolution and am fascinated by the Marquis de Lafayette. This book gives me more insight into this interesting 'Hero of Two Worlds'.
Who would you have cast as narrator instead of the narrators?
I quite like Davina Porter, or any female narrator capable of interjecting some humor.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Toward the end, when I heard that Lafayette is buried under soil from Bunker Hill, and that the American flag still flies over his grave, yeah, I got a little misty eyed.
Any additional comments?
I am not saying that the author did a bad job narrating her own book. She does, however, has a rather unusual voice and a slightly flat delivery that either make or break this for us listeners. I can see that some people really enjoy her narration, but I am just not one of them. I would probably recommend this to others to read instead of listen since I can't be sure whether they would enjoy the narration or not.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- D. Wolovnick
- 11-24-15
Took a little getting used to
I love Sarah Vowell and have read a lot of her stuff, but this was the first I listened to on audible. I have to say her performance took a little getting used to- I found it very bland and hard to focus on in the beginning. I was expecting more inflection or performance- so that was disappointing. I had to rewind it a lot until I got used to the monotony of her tone. I really enjoyed the cast of characters though- especially Nick Offerman as George Washington.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kimberly
- 06-21-16
Why wasn't Sarah Vowell my history teacher?
I found myself laughing out loud during my daily walks while listening to this book. One does not need to be a history buff to enjoy the hilarity.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- James Rubinstein
- 01-12-16
Good book, but Sarah Vowell is a better writer than narrator
The book is good, not quite as engaging or humorous as her earlier works, but it is informative and entertaining. Ms. Vowell's reading of her own work lets the book down though, I think, which is too bad. Her appearances on the daily show, etc made me think she'd be a funnier narrator, however her deadpan humor just gets washed out to a dull monotone by her reading. Even clearly funny lines like the British army being so well equipped (compared to the Continental) that they are called "redcoats" fell flat. It's too bad because there's clearly humor in the material and Sarah Vowell can definitely be funny, but the two seem to be ships passing in the night in her reading.
Tl;Dr : get the paperback instead and read your own humorous delivery.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Leipold
- 09-06-16
Actors are Distracting.
I like the history and the commentary, but the actors do not help. The transitions are awkward and distracting. The producer should reflect on this as a learning opportunity.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Robert
- 07-20-16
Unique take on the founding....
I'm a huge fan of Sarah's work! Her take on early American history is an informative and at times amusing one.
Her voice can be a bit jarring at times but it's mostly endearing.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!