Hatrack River Forum: Interesting Sarah Vowell Interview on Salon.com

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Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

You have to click through an add before you'll be able to read the interview, but it's interesting enough that it's probably worth it.

I've always enjoyed Vowell's spoken word stuff on This American Life, but I've never read any of her essays. I'll probably see if my library has Partly Cloudy Patriot when I swing by there after work tonight, and I'll be putting my name on the reserve list for Assasination Vacation so that I can read it once the library gets a copy of it.

I really like her description of essays and essay writin in the interview:

quote:
An essay is like a Manhattan apartment. Every piece of furniture needs to have at least two functions and everything has to fit in a certain amount of space and there's no messing around, there's no room for the snow-globe collection. It's just so compact and efficient.

The same could be said for short stories, I think.

[ April 26, 2005, 11:37 AM: Message edited by: Noemon ]

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

[Edit - Never mind; wrong thread. Sorry about the thread necromancy]

Posted by dean (Member # 167) on :

Did you ever read Assassination Vacation and Partly Cloudy Patriot? What did you think of them?

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

Assassination Vacation, yes. I loved it. I don't know when I've laughed with delight so many times when reading a piece of non-fiction. I have a take-out menu from my favorite breakfast place that is completely covered with quotes that I jotted down while reading the thing over an extended breakfast of good coffee and great pancakes.

Given that, you'd think that I'd have snapped up Partly Cloudy Patriot, Hold the Cannolli, and The Wordy Shipmates, but I haven't. I have plans to borrow the first and third from kristyrennt, though.

Posted by Liz B (Member # 8238) on :

Noemon! LISTEN to The Partly Cloudy Patriot. See if you can get it through ILL, or (*checks*) you can get it for about $10 plus shipping from half.com.

My husband got it for me on CD five years ago when it first came out, and we STILL listen to parts of it. (Not like every day or anything, but not that infrequently, either.) Hearing Sarah Vowell read her essays makes them triply hilarious and moving.

I have it on my iPod now, which makes shuffle pretty interesting. [Smile]

ETA: Take the Cannoli is good, too--but Patriot is my favorite.

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

Oh, that's a great suggestion, Liz. I'll see if my library's got it!