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The Partly Cloudy Patriot

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About this listen

 From This American Life contributor and self-described “history nerd” Sarah Vowell comes a collection of humorous and personal essays investigating American history, pop culture, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

In this insightful and funny collection of personal stories Vowell travels through the American past and in doing so ponders a number of curious questions: Why is she happiest when visiting the sites of bloody struggles like Salem or Gettysburg? Why do people always inappropriately compare themselves to Rosa Parks? Why is a bad life in sunny California so much worse than a bad life anywhere else? What is it about the Zen of foul shots? And, in the title piece, why must doubt and internal arguments haunt the sleepless nights of the true patriot?

Her essays confront a wide range of subjects, themes, 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 a teeming and engrossing book, capturing Vowell's memorable wit and her keen social commentary.©2002 Sarah Vowell; (P)2002 Simon & Schuster Inc. All Rights Reserved. AUDIOWORKS is an imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division, Simon & Schuster, Inc. Americas Literary History & Criticism Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary United States
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I greatly enjoyed the print editions of two of Sarah Vowell's other books (Take the Cannoli and The Wordy Shipmates) and I thought I would enjoy this audiobook at least as much. I was wrong. It might be a very good book, but it's hard to tell with the awkward, stilted narration. Vowell reads her book in the style of a child reading aloud in class without fully understanding the text. I think it's done for comedic effect, but I just find it irritating. Very disappointing.

A potentially good book spoiled by bad narration

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