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  by Sarah Vowell

category Travel
EAN: 9780743260046
Books Registered: 15
BookCrossing Rating: Average 7 star rating by BookCrossing Members
Books in the Wild: 4
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Amazon Editorial Review

Sarah Vowell exposes the glorious conundrums of American history and culture with wit, probity, and an irreverent sense of humor. 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.

From 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. 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. 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. 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.


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15 Copies Registered


Registered by wingekrandawing of Northampton, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Monday, January 28, 2008

Current status: travelling This book has not been rated.


Registered by foxed of Bedford, Bedfordshire United Kingdom on Friday, October 30, 2009

Current status: travelling Average 9 star rating by BookCrossing Members


Registered by kaifawn of Falls Church, Virginia USA on Friday, May 07, 2010

Current status: to be read Average 7 star rating by BookCrossing Members


Registered by eissme on Saturday, July 07, 2007

Current status: travelling Average 8 star rating by BookCrossing Members


Registered by jam38 of Chicago, Illinois USA on Monday, August 27, 2007

Current status: travelling Average 5 star rating by BookCrossing Members


Registered by animalRN of Raleigh, North Carolina USA on Friday, July 11, 2008

Current status: available Average 8 star rating by BookCrossing Members


Registered by Karenlea of Glendale, California USA on Thursday, April 24, 2008

Current status: travelling Average 9 star rating by BookCrossing Members


Registered by jujuwiz of San Francisco, California USA on Sunday, March 01, 2009

Current status: travelling Average 9 star rating by BookCrossing Members


Registered by ablueidol of Bristol, not specified not specified on Friday, April 27, 2007

Current status: travelling Average 7 star rating by BookCrossing Members


Registered by Liesel66 of Carmichael, California USA on Friday, June 29, 2007

Current status: permanent collection Average 6 star rating by BookCrossing Members


Registered by hermanmelville of Monterey, Virginia USA on Monday, December 10, 2007

Current status: travelling This book has not been rated.


Registered by winggrubsneergwing of Greensburg, Pennsylvania USA on Saturday, November 29, 2008

Current status: to be read This book has not been rated.


Registered by Eucalia of Snoqualmie, Washington USA on Thursday, May 28, 2009

Current status: to be read This book has not been rated.


Registered by angeeaustin of Pearland, Texas USA on Friday, August 14, 2009

Current status: to be read This book has not been rated.


Registered by hendertuckian of Henderson, Nevada USA on Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Current status: to be read This book has not been rated.




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