The New York Times Book Review - Charles P. Pierce
There is an obvious risk in [Vowell's] approach. First of all, it is a very narrow footbridge across the Gorge of Eternal Cuteness that the author has to walk. Second, it is very easy to imbue every stray thought of the strangers who sit next to you on the bus with an unearned profundity simply because you don't know who they are…It is greatly to Vowell's credit that she fairly skips across the gorge, and that she shows rare good judgment in the strangers whom she shares with her readers. Her prose sparkles. It is not glib, even when she is referring to George Washington's cashiering of Gen. Charles Lee on the field at the Battle of Monmouth…and wondering why Fort Lee got named after an obvious poltroon, and then connecting that to the fact that Fort Lee was the target of the Bridgegate affair, which has sent Chris Christie to the rear of the Republican presidential order of battle. This reads not as a stretch but, rather, as somebody fashioning a braid of past and present, and doing it with a wink.
Publishers Weekly - Audio
01/25/2016
Vowell’s jocular and cheerfully irreverent account of Marquis de Lafayette, the teenage French general who became an unlikely hero in the United States during the Revolutionary War, proves both insightful and amusing. Her combination of well-researched, obscure details; personal anecdotes; and references to recent events adds plenty of sparkle to an old tale. Vowell enlists the aid of an impressive array of comedians and television stars to add color and variety to the audio edition. Mad Men actor John Slattery, for example, gives voice to Lafayette, while comedians Nick Offerman and Patton Oswalt play the roles of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, respectively. Unfortunately, because these historical characters speak only through quotes in the text and not full dialogue, the listening experience can be a bit disjointed. A Riverhead hardcover. (Nov.)
Publishers Weekly
07/27/2015
In this crash course on the fledgling nation’s teenaged French general, undoubtedly the only American Revolution narrative to offhandedly drop a Ferris Bueller reference, Vowell (Unfamiliar Fishes) retains her familiar casual tone and displays her crow-like ability to find the shiny, nearly forgotten historical details. Unimpressed by Lafayette’s nobility, she instead admires his cheekiness and rebellious nature—traits well-suited to involvement in both American and French revolutions. Lafayette’s loyalty to George Washington and the U.S. came back to him during his triumphant 1824 visit, when cheering American crowds celebrated his return in numbers that easily dwarfed the Beatles’ invasion 140 years later. Jocularity and cheerful irreverence permeate the story, though it feels as if Vowell tries a bit too hard to retain a light atmosphere during detail-heavy passages (her labeling of the Moravians of Bethlehem, Pa., as “a community of German-American Jesus freaks” is a prime example). Nevertheless, her combination of well-researched, obscure details with personal, family-filled anecdotes and references to recent events, such as the 2013 federal government shutdown, add plenty of sparkle to an old tale. The Vowell formula once again guarantees an entertaining, nontraditional look at American history and a fast, enjoyable read. (Nov.)
From the Publisher
"[A] freewheeling history of the Revolutionary War... Vowell points out that Lafayette was for a time 'a national obsession.'" —The New Yorker
“Vowell wanders through the history of the American Revolution and its immediate aftermath, using Lafayette’s involvement in the war as a map, and bringing us all along in her perambulations…Her prose sparkles.”—The New York Times Book Review
“[Vowell] takes an open and observant 'Hey, that’s nuts' stance toward past and present, which results in a book that’s informative, funny and insightful.” —TIME
“Gilded with snark, buoyant on charm, Vowell's brand of history categorically refuses to take itself — or any of its subjects — too seriously….At once light-footed and light-hearted, her histories are — dare I say it — fun. And Lafayette is no different. Even amid defeats... Vowell emerges from the Revolutionary War with an unabashed smile on her face. I'd be surprised if her reader doesn't, too.” —NPR
"[Vowell] turns the dusty chronicle of American history into a lively mash up and then, playing the history nerd, delivers her stories in her flat funny voice.” —The National Book Review
“Sarah Vowell turns her keen eye and droll wit to the American Revolution in her latest historical venture, Lafayette in the Somewhat United States… Vowell, of course, doesn't just give us the highlights; she offers a portrait of [Lafayette] and his older contemporaries, with whom he found friendship, glory, and endless bickering.” —Cosmopolitan
“You can’t beat Sarah Vowell for quirky chronicles of American history's dark side.”—Chicago Reader
“Vowell takes on American history as only she can, this time with the story of Frenchman theMarquis de Lafayette, a Revolutionary War hero.” —USA Today
“To impress the history buff at the table, read Vowell’s (ever the expert in, really, everything) in-depth and irreverent account of George Washington’s decorated general Lafayette, which also looks to our own political climate for context.”—Marie Claire
“Nobody recounts American history the way Sarah Vowell does, with irreverence and humor and quirky details — history and facts, but also entertainment. [Lafayette in the Somewhat United States] is about the friendship between George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, but in Vowell’s inimitable style it is also firmly grounded in the present.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune
“Here's one historian who is a born storyteller.”—Philadelphia Inquirer
“Vowell’s rollicking, sly humor is the perfect spoonful of sugar to down with her intensive research and historical insight.” —Huffington Post
“If you ever wanted an insightful and entertaining look at the friendship between George Washington and his French aristocrat general Marquis de Lafayette, this book by Sarah Vowell…should be on your list." —Kansas City Star
“Vowell's sort of the Quentin Tarantino of popular history: She weaves pop culture and real life into her narrative, breaking down the barriers that keep history buried in the past." —The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“Vowell is especially skilled at making detours seem natural and relevant, including in this case a swing by the boyhood home of Bruce Springsteen, which was in the neighborhood of a battle site and, hey, a historical landmark in its own right (plus, she adds, one of the Boss’s relatives was a Revolutionary soldier)… An intoxicating blend of humor and emotional weight.” —The AV Club
“What so funny about American History? A lot, when it's Sarah Vowell telling the story.” —Omnivoriacious
“Lafayette is lucky he has Sarah Vowell in his court.” —New Republic
"With laugh-out-loud humor and her characteristic snark, Vowell makes this walk through history a walk in the park." —The Washington Post
"A whopping canvas as choreographed as a graphic novel…. Vowell brings a learned, wiseacre hand to this work, full of its own brio and dash, and with that legerdemain that finds you embracing history." —B&N Review
“Sarah Vowell books are equal parts incisive and laugh-out-loud funny.”—Inside Higher Ed
“[Vowell] is wonderful at showing the way history can be a conversation between the past and present.”—Sophisticated Dorkiness
"An engaging reminder that America has never been anything but a (somewhat) dysfunctional country." —Washington Monthly
“Sarah Vowell is that hip high-school history teacher everyone wanted to have… She has a gift for the kind of description that seals an image in the reader’s imagination.”—Columbus Dispatch
“When it comes to weird basic facts, all you have to do is turn on a presidential debate to remind yourself of the irreconcilable paradoxes and contemptuous rifts at the highest levels of American public life. [This] is one of those books that reminds us things have been this way since the beginning.”—The Stranger
“Author Sarah Vowell has a unique voice both in reality and in her reality… Vowell takes a rather wry look at history under any circumstance, applying her modern and political perspectives to her topics.”—Gabbing Geek
“Vowell has mined American history for surprising and amusing insights into the heart of the nation.”—Slate
“Like her previous books, Lafayette strikes witty blows against the stodgy sorts of U.S. history taught in classrooms.”—The Smithsonian
"The enjoyment Vowell seems to derive from poking around in America’s obscure corners is part of what makes her historical narratives vital. In tracing history’s circuitous path, she demonstrates how we got where we are today—and sheds light on where we might be heading next.”—BookPage
"[Vowell is] as good at giving facts as she is at making sure you’ll retain them by telling the story in the most fascinating way possible.”—Paste
Library Journal - Audio
12/01/2015
Here Vowell (Assassination Vacation) tells the story of the general of the Revolutionary War, but she also seeks to delve into the importance of the overall French contribution to the American war. Vowell mixes strong and sometimes quirky historical detail with research travelog and snark. Not one for hagiography, Vowell reminds listeners for instance that even as he was setting out to fight for American freedom on his own livre, Lafayette left behind a pregnant teenaged wife. The author reads her work with the same sarcastic deadpan she has used as a contributor to the radio show This American Life. She is joined in her narration by such modern comedy greats as Nick Offerman, John Hodgman, and Patton Oswalt. VERDICT This brief but detailed work on Lafayette and the Revolutionary War is both accessible and fun. Highly recommended for those looking for a little history, or just an entertaining listening experience. ["Vowell's lively, droll style will attract readers to this cleverly crafted, well-researched book": LJ 9/1/15 review of the Riverhead hc.]—Tristan M. Boyd, Austin, TX
Library Journal
09/01/2015
At the beginning of the American Revolutionary War, unemployed French soldiers seeking fame, incomes, and revenge against the British were anxious to join American forces. The Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), inspired by revolutionary ideals and motivated by glory, was 19 when he left his wife and defied the king to volunteer in the colonials' noble rebellion. George Washington gambled on him and other imported soldiers, taking advantage of their eagerness and sometimes questionable skills and experience. Vowell (Unfamiliar Fishes), author, journalist, essayist, and commentator, wittily explores the enduring American affection for Lafayette, which was demonstrated by Americans' enthusiastic reception during his U.S. visit in 1824. She describes Lafayette's "military ardor"; his lust for glory and melodramatic, fawning manner; and his heroism, which benefitted the American cause while also reminding readers of bureaucratic incompetence, incongruities between principles and conduct (then and now), and even crucial French military and naval contributions to American independence (particularly at Yorktown). The author emphasizes that, despite current and past disunity, Americans possess the invaluable freedom to express opposing opinions. VERDICT Vowell's lively, droll style will attract readers to this cleverly crafted, well-researched book. It is especially recommended to those who are convinced that history is dry. [See Prepub Alert, 4/20/15.]—Margaret Kappanadze, Elmira Coll. Lib., NY
NOVEMBER 2015 - AudioFile
With her trademark droll and distinctive delivery and a wonderfully sharp ear for quotable facts and intelligent mischief, radio personality Sarah Vowell introduces listeners to the 19-year-old French aristocrat Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette, Marquis de Lafayette, who arrived in Philadelphia in the early days of the American Revolution; became a confidant of Washington, Jefferson, and Hamilton; and went on to become one of the most ardent and important supporters that the embryonic United States ever had. An A-list of recognizable voices, including those of John Hodgman reading John Adams and Nick Offerman portraying George Washington, delivers dozens of quotes from our forefathers. Vowell deftly stirs together tones of satire, superlative research, and, yes, patriotism to make American history irresistible. If she isn’t a national treasure, she should be. B.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2015-05-06
Another Vowell-ian romp through history, politics, and pop culture, this time revisiting the story of Lafayette, the French contributions to victory in the American Revolution, and his farewell tour through the United States in 1824. Readers of Vowell's previous books (Unfamiliar Fishes, 2011, etc.) will recognize yet another pleasantly snarky work that belongs on any shelf of first-rate satire. Her peripatetic research techniques remain: visit the sites, walk the ground, read the books, talk with relevant folks (here, she recounts her chat with a Lafayette impersonator at Williamsburg). Vowell also continually yanks us back to the present, commenting sharply on such things as our current political polarization. The "sweet-natured republic Lafayette foretold," she writes, hasn't exactly occurred. Vowell also uses slang and cliché as light artillery, deploying them so that shells explode expectedly. When she writes that Lafayette was trying to put the toothpaste back into the tube, we laugh as well as learn. Vowell takes some bayonet thrusts at religious fanatics, at the current American right, and at the brainless hatred of all things French during the Gulf War (despite the fact that the French saved us at Yorktown). Although she focuses principally on the war years, she does cover, lightly, Lafayette's 1824 return—and (rare for her) misses an opportunity to mention that young Edgar Allan Poe, at 15 a member of the Morgan Riflemen, participated in the celebrations in Richmond. Several times, the author mentions the British spy Maj. John André but neglects to note his spectral appearances in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." But she doesn't miss much else. Vowell reminds us of George Washington's early failures in the war (and of those in the government who wanted to replace him) and that there used to be an "Evacuation Day" in New York City to celebrate the departure of the British. An enlightening and entertaining blend of history and edged attitude.
