Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell
238 pages
Published 2011
Read from May 6 to May 7
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5
I think I found an apt comparison: Sarah Vowell is to social and political history what Mary Roach is to the history of science. Granted, I've only read two books by each of them, but they both seem to have perfected a pop history style, efficient and snarky and just a bit superficial in its coverage, skimming the broad outlines and illustrating with the occasional choice anecdote, mixing interviews and personal encounters with primary sources and a touch of modern social commentary into a breezy product predestined for bestseller lists and NPR segments. Which is not necessarily meant in a disparaging way. I certainly enjoyed myself reading this; Vowell (like Roach) presents fascinating information in an engaging manner. But the effect is appetizer rather than entrée.
After reading Unfamiliar Fishes, I'm a little astounded (though not at all surprised) by how little I knew of the despicable profiteering and power-grabbing, the shady dealing and empire-building behind the American takeover of Hawaii. Even Grover Cleveland called the maneuvering of haole oligarchs, in cahoots with manifest destiny schemers in the McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt administrations, an "outrage" and a "miserable business." American empire-building, of course, has never been pretty, but the naked power-grab in Hawaii is all the more remarkable because I'd never even heard of it before -- and I had considered myself at least a little bit more aware of American imperialism than average.
The importance and interest factor of all this information is what makes me wish Vowell's analysis had gone into more depth.
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