So I took 2 months off of reviewing. The BE clan decided to travel all over the country and world so there was hardly any time to update my reading spreadsheet, let alone write a review. But we’re back and finally all healthy so moments of free time are now available! Welcome to catch-up. And let’s start with an adorable history book about presidential assassinations!
In Sarah Vowell’s vein of quirky, off kilter history books this one talks about the assassinations of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley. She spends the most time with Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth where I learned little random nuggets of history I did not know (actually for all three of them), overall like with all of her books, I wanted MORE. I love history that delves in deep, and while Ms. Vowell clearly does the delving, she leaves a lot on the cutting room floor. I understand why, she’s writing for a fairly broad demographic, but I want her to write a 20 hour tome. And then narrate with her friends!
The book was written around 2005/2006 so it is very topical in relating the current economic climate of the time with the ones in the past. What throws it off today is comparing that climate of 2006 to what is going on now in 2017. To say that things have swung to an even more extreme is an understatement. I keep checking for when Ms. Vowell’s next book is coming as I look forward to her views on Cheeto nation, etc. But in the meantime this one is starting to feel very dated, very quickly. It’s been all of a decade.
Anywho, I continue to enjoy Ms. Vowell, and will keep checking out her books. They’re delightful little snippets of history. And if I’m stuck indefinitely sitting in the corner waiting for her epic poem of American history… then I’ll just learn little bits here and there in the meantime.
This is still one of my favorite of her books. I loved the bits about dragging her friends to plaques showing where people died when they were used to her taking them to music shows.
I think this is still my favorite Vowell as well. I have it on audio, and am saving it. Maybe when I go on vacation later this month. Welcome back :)