The Partly Cloudy Patriot [Paperback]

Sarah Vowell (Author), Katherine Streeter (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: September 23, 2003

Sarah Vowell travels through the American past and, in doing so, investigates the dusty, bumpy roads of her own life. In this insightful and funny collection of personal stories Vowell -- widely hailed for her inimitable stories on public radio's This American Life -- 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.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Looking for insight into why she prefers Little Bighorn and Gettysburg to Martha's Vineyard, Vowell (author of the witty Take the Cannoli) calls her friend Kate, who works as a counselor for survivors of torture, who says, "That's how we try to make sense of the worst horrors. We use humor to manage anxiety." If Kate's right, then Vowell is managing her anxiety very well. Her best short, personal essays (anywhere from about two to 12 pages) focus on her ambivalent relationship to American history and citizenship: no one in recent memory has been as insightful on the direct pleasures and perils of voting, the misuse of Rosa Parks as a metaphor, the appeal of Canadians (who "ha[ve] this weird knack for loving their country in public without resorting to swagger or hate") and the relative merits of presidential libraries. Further undone, perhaps, by her devotion to such topics, Vowell also offers an eloquent defense of being a nerd: "Going too far and caring too much about a subject is the best way to make friends that I know." To wit, her hilarious essay "The Nerd Voice," which chronicles her political e-mail group as "the all-time nerdiest thing I've ever been involved in, and I say that as a person who has been involved with public radio and marching band." Even in the essays on pop culture, like "The New German Cinema" and "Tom Cruise Makes Me Nervous," Vowell, like David Sedaris, goes too far, cares too much and remains a very anxious and extremely funny citizen and shady patriot.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-These essays and commentaries from Vowell's NPR radio appearances and other sources are curmudgeonly, critical, liberal, and, often, laugh-out-loud funny. The commentator, a self-described history nerd, wanders across the spectrum of American life from the theme-park feeling of Salem, MA, where she purchased a Witch's Crossing shot glass, to the glories of Carlsbad Caverns and the Underground Luncheonette. She belongs to a political listserv that was aghast at the results of the 2000 election, yet, joining several of the members on a road trip to protest the Inauguration, she ended up weeping as she sang the "Star-Spangled Banner." Her commitment to America and her dismay about the current direction of the government, both before and after September 11, are strongly stated, but her wit and slightly quirky outlook make reading her book a pleasure. Teens, regardless of their political leanings, will enjoy the pop-culture connections and even learn some history while smiling at her delivery. This title will work well for assignments on essay writing and even provide material for monologues.
Susan H. Woodcock, Fairfax County Public Library, Chantilly, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 197 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; a edition (September 23, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743243803
• ISBN-13: 978-0743243803
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (81 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #291,592 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sarah Vowell is the author of the bestselling Assassination Vacation, The Partly Cloudy Patriot, Take the Cannoli, and Radio On. She is a contributing editor for public radio's "This American Life." She is also a McSweeney's person and the voice of teenage superhero Violet Parr in Pixar Animation Studios' "The Incredibles."

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

95 of 101 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny, Intelligent And Damn Reassuring November 10, 2002

By Ricky Hunter VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

I came to Sarah Vowell a virgin. Before I purchased her book I had never heard her on radio or read her anywhere but after thumbing through a portion of her explaining why she visits gruesome places in history, as someone who has himself thought seriously of staying overnight in the home Lizzie Borden killed her parents, I knew I had a deep kinship with this delightful person. The Partly Cloudy Patriot did not disappoint in any way. These short essays are very funny, often thoughtful, personal and impassioned. Whether describing Thanksgiving with her parents or her reaction to the presidential victory of Mr. Bush (a highlight of the volume is this essay and its skillful presentation of Gore as a nerd, in a very positive way). After this past election, this volume is a wonderful way to overcome a little and laugh a lot. A much needed writer in these terrible times.

43 of 45 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I appreciate her dry wit December 31, 2002

By Jeff

Format:Hardcover

I was first introduced to Sarah Vowell when flipping through the channels on television. I stopped on a program on the Discovery Channel, where several authors were invited to speak at some sort of event. Sarah has this somewhat annoying, nasaly sound to her voice that is at once both annoying and completely endearing. After listening to her speak, I bought The Partly Cloudy Patriot on a whim, and was completely taken in.

Sarah Vowell is, at heart, a hip, nerdish, Gen-Xer like me. She has a special knack for story-telling. When I read this book, I was reminded of David Sedaris in some ways. I enjoyed it as much as Sedaris, but for different reasons. While Sedaris' anecdotes are "laugh out loud" funny, Sarah's stories are told with a dry, subtle wit. I look forward to reading more of her work.

43 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars You'll Be Glad You Bought A Vowell January 6, 2003

By edzaf

Format:Hardcover

Webster's Dictionary defines "droll" as "amusing in an odd or wry way." There are many adjectives for Sarah Vowell, but "droll" may be the best one-word description out there. In her second major collections of essays, the self-proclaimed nerd focuses on her strength � a seemingly encyclopedic knowledge of American history and politics. Never has literary criticism (the genre this book is lumped into) been less stodgy as Vowell tries to come to terms with the end of the Clinton era, the 2000 presidential election fiasco, and the aftermath of 9/11. Also discussed are such wide-ranging topics as the Salem witch trials to arcade (pop-a-shot) basketball to a couple of famous Toms (movie star Cruise and former Dallas Cowboys� coach Landry). I happily admit to laughing out loud several times (and learning a thing or two) while reading this intelligent and entertaining volume.

For those unfamiliar with Vowell, I urge you to try and get a listen to her either in her regular gig on NPR or a book tour appearance/reading that is currently being aired on C-SPAN. Having Vowell's distinctive speaking voice in your head (she notes that she and Abraham Lincoln may share a similar oratory style -- "as squeaky as a six-year-old girl"), will only add to your reading enjoyment.

A slight warning � Vowell is a bleeding heart Democrat and she wears that heart proudly on her sleeve, so those with who do not have a similar political bent may have a tougher time stomaching some of the essays. Despite having a perpetual "partly cloudy" outlook of the world, there is also a palpable optimism that runs through Vowell's work. As she hilariously notes in one essay, her motto in any situation is "it could be worse." And, at times, that is not a bad way at all to get through some tough times.

32 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Vowell's Consonants September 19, 2002

By Craig Clarke VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

You may know Sarah Vowell from NPR's This American Life. Her quirky commentaries are the highlight of the show for me. This book is a wonderful distillation of those qualities into text. She writes in a conversational style that draws the reader into her world. Her essays cover various topics from Gettysburg to Tom Cruise to Tom Landry. Through all this, her particular brand of self-deprecating humor shines in all of them.

A self-proclaimed "civics nerd," this knowledge of politics feeds her world view. The centerpiece of this collection, "The Nerd Voice," is a twenty-plus-page look at the 2000 election, why Gore didn't win, and how she and her friends--all members of a web forum--felt about it. Upon noticing that Bob Dole is attending, seeing him comforts her in a way, and she feels he "symbolizes a simpler, more innocent time in America when you could lose the presidential election and, like, not actually become president."

She likens the presidential race to the proverbial Jock vs. Nerd battle from school. Gore was seen as too smart, so he must be taken down. She then notes that the reason Bush was not shot during the attack on the Oval Office was because he was not working, but was in the White House gym instead, exercising.

The title piece, "The Partly Cloudy Patriot," starts out as a review of the Mel Gibson film but metamorphoses into a commentary on the use of the word "patriot" following the events of September 11th and concludes with her views on the prevalence of flags, their symbolism, and why she doesn't want one stuck uninvited into her yard.

The collection is slightly uneven but that has to be expected from a collection whose only discernible theme is "America...." What is here is a wonderful new view of the world around us; one that is insightful, pointedly funny, and should open your mind to see things in a different way--the Sarah Vowell way. After all, who else would list the numerous people who almost daily compare themselves to civil rights icon Rosa Parks and point out the insanity of it all? Read more ›