Her most recent book is Unfamiliar Fishes (2011), which reviews the takeover of Hawaii's property and politics first by white missionaries from the United States and later joined by American plantation growers, ultimately resulting in a Coup d'état, restricted voting rights for nonwhites, and forced statehood for the small chain of islands. Vowell is a New York Times’ bestselling author of five nonfiction books on American history and culture. Vowell received the Music Journalism Award in 1996. in Art History at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1996.

from Montana State University in 1993 in Modern Languages and Literatures and an M.A.

She was also the voice of Violet in the animated film The Incredibles and a short documentary, VOWELLET - An Essay by SARAH VOWELL in the 'Behind the Scenes' extras of The Incredibles DVD Release. Often referred to as a 'social observer,' Vowell has authored several books and is a regular contributor to the radio program This American Life on Public Radio International. Sarah Jane Vowell is an American author, journalist, humorist, and commentator. Though the themes of loss and violence are explored and we make detours to see how the Republican Party became the Republican Party, there are all kinds of lighter diversions along the way into the lives of the three presidents and their assassins, including mummies, show tunes, mean-spirited totem poles, and a nineteenth-century biblical sex cult. The resulting narrative is much more than an entertaining and informative travelogue-it is the disturbing and fascinating story of how American death has been manipulated by popular culture, including literature, architecture, sculpture, and-the author's favorite- historical tourism. We learn about the jinx that was Robert Todd Lincoln (present at the assassinations of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley) and witness the politicking that went into the making of the Lincoln Memorial. 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.įrom Buffalo to Alaska, Washington to the Dry Tortugas, Vowell visits locations immortalized and influenced by the spilling of politically important blood, reporting as she goes with her trademark blend of wisecracking humor, remarkable honesty, and thought-provoking criticism. Sarah Vowell exposes the glorious conundrums of American history and culture with wit, probity, and an irreverent sense of humor.

Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell