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Sarah Vowell

Lafayette in the Somewhat United States Audio CD – Audiobook, Oct. 20 2015

by Sarah Vowell (Author, Reader), Alexis Denisof (Reader), John Slattery (Reader),

1,811 ratings

3.8 on Goodreads

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From the bestselling 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 thirty years since the Revolutionary War hero the Marquis de Lafayette 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 some of the instrumental Americans of the time, including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and many more.

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Language

English
Publisher

Simon & Schuster Audio
Publication date

Oct. 20 2015
Dimensions

13.02 x 2.03 x 14.92 cm
ISBN-10

1442391081
ISBN-13

978-1442391086

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Product description

About the Author

Sarah Vowell is a contributing editor for public radio's This American Life and has written for Time, Esquire, GQ, Spin, Salon, McSweeneys, The Village Voice, and the Los Angeles Times. She is the author of Radio On, Take the Cannoli, and The Partly Cloudy Patriot. She lives in New York City.

John Slattery has starred on Broadway in Rabbit Hole, Betrayal, and Laughter on the 23rd Floor. Off-Broadway credits include Three Days of Rain (L.A. Critics Award, Drama Desk nom.), and The Lisbon Traviata. On television he has been seen in Ed, K Street, Sex & the City, and Will & Grace. Films include Flags of Our Fathers, Mona Lisa Smile, The Station Agent,Traffic, and Sleepers.

Patton Oswalt is the author of the New York Times bestseller Zombie Spaceship Wasteland. He has released four TV specials and four critically acclaimed comedy albums, including the Grammy-nominated My Weakness Is Strong. He put together the Comedians of Comedy tour and television series. Oswalt has also appeared on many television shows and in more than twenty films, including Young Adult, Big Fan, and Ratatouille. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster Audio
Publication date ‏ : ‎ Oct. 20 2015
Edition ‏ : ‎ Unabridged
Language ‏ : ‎ English
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1442391081
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1442391086
Item weight ‏ : ‎ 159 g
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13.02 x 2.03 x 14.92 cm
�鶹�� Rank: #357 in United States Revolution & Founding
- #361 in United States Revlotion & Founding (Books)
- #1,841 in Military & Spies Biographies & Memoirs
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1,811 ratings

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Sarah Vowell

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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."

Photo by Tammy Lo (tammylo) (Flickr) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

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zanderary
A winner!
Reviewed in Canada on November 22, 2015
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Of the four Sarah Vowell books I've read, I think this is my fave. There are so many delightful details to the story. She balances the modern context, her delightful wit, the tale-spinning, in a way that teaches and keeps you entertained throughout.

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Jean Shinkle
Recommended for anyone raised on the official versions of history
Reviewed in Canada on September 11, 2016
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A refreshingly ubiassed look at the early history of the United States. At times, one might almost be reading about the shenanigans in Congress today. Recommended for anyone raised on the official versions of history.

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Jen
The best
Reviewed in Canada on November 16, 2015
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Vowell does it again as she brings history to life with a touch of sarcasm and a big dose of wit.

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Fernand Robichaud
Nice Touch!!
Reviewed in Canada on March 15, 2018
This is a nice read. Very entertaining as it relates
what happened then and now with a touch of humor. It's a great way to teach history too, as its light but at the same time you get an appreciation for what the American Revolution was all about and who was Lafayette too. Sarah is very knowledgeable and I thank her for sharing with us a nice little journey in the past.

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Buster
Two Stars
Reviewed in Canada on April 17, 2017
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You get more Lafayette in Robert Daley's "Portraits of France"

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Gerry McCaffrey
Entertaining historical perspective
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 25, 2018
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Light hearted it may be but the historical content is very solid and a very entertaining read indeed.

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Snow Queen
Fascinating retelling of American history
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2025
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Who was Lafayette and what was his relationship with George Washington? How did the French help the colonies gain their independence from Britain? Sarah Vowell tells the story with humor and relates it to present time. She pulls no punches. I found myself laughing out loud at some of her wisecrack commentary.
If only American history was taught like this in the school system! We might even enjoy it.

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Cathy Lloyd
Good supplier, prompt delivery. Would recommend to other buyers.
Reviewed in Australia on November 14, 2021
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I have not looked at this book yet as it is a gift for my daughter for Christmas. However, I am sure she will love it as she was looking at it online earlier, and she is into all things relating to "Hamilton - The Musical" and American political history. Thank you for such prompt delivery.

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Robert B. Lamm
Weird But Good History
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2016
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I'd heard about Sarah Vowell, but I was never interested in reading any of her books until I heard her being interviewed about this one. Something about what she said intrigued me, so I got it. It won't be the last book of hers that I read -- in fact, I've got another one on order already. She reminds me of Bill Bryson, though I've only read one of his books, in that she provides lots of history combined with contemporary wit and humor and a sense of the uncanny connections between historical events separated by generations. For example, she discusses a connection between the story of Lafayette and Herman Melville that I found intriguing, but there are quite a few other examples. She also makes some American icons (and their British counterparts) come alive in ways that traditional (i.e., often bland) history does not.

I have only one criticism of the book, really: the story of Lafayette recedes in the background (sometimes out of the picture entirely) in favor of her retelling of key episodes in the Revolutionary War; I didn't really expect a history of the War and was disappointed that Lafayette vanishes at times. However, she does a very good job in describing the weird coincidences and serendipity that resulted in the defeat of the British.

I also have a second complaint, but not against Ms. Vowell (well, not really). There was one instance where she talks about a solider named Stephen in one place and a few pages later he becomes Stephens (or maybe it was Steven and Stevens; I can't recall). As I often ask, where were the editors? If I caught this on a casual read, why didn't someone else catch it? Maybe having to do an index would have helped.

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kahemingway
A Short, Entertaining Read About the French Hero of the American Revolution
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2016
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Having last year become more acquainted and interested in the Marquis de Lafayette, I started looking for books on the subject. After seeing this book by chance at a local book store, I decided to download it for Kindle. While the author's political inserts sometimes irked me, I enjoyed the book as it was entertaining and the subject matter itself is great.

The book starts off by going over some of America's recent fractious government episodes before pointing out that things have largely always been this way. Yet, there was one thing that America's of all stripes and thoughts agreed on back during the American Revolution and its aftermath. That thing was their collective love for the Marquis de Lafayette, the Frenchman who sailed across the Atlantic to fight for the American cause. During a particularly contentious election cycle, Lafayette united the Americans in the way that only a hero could. The book recounts the details of Lafayette's contributions, sadly largely forgotten by today's history books, and explains exactly why he was so revered.

Like I said before, this book is written in a light, entertaining matter that makes it easy to read. The author has a good sense of humor and it shows in the way she depicts events. The illustrations of the various actors in the grand play of the American Revolution was a nice touch. I also enjoyed the connections and interactions the author jots down as she retraces many of the footsteps of Lafayette, especially the part where she goes to Colonial Williamsburg.

However, I could also see some other readers become annoyed by the interruptions to the main story as there are many of them. The broader points are interesting to think about, but they also do distract from the main focus of the book. In addition, it is very clear which direction that this author leans politically. If your political inclinations are the same as hers, this probably won't bother you. If you don't, then you might find yourself being irritated on occasion while you're reading.

Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It was short, entertaining and informative, if a little biased in one direction at some points. I would give it 4.5 stars.

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