Publisher Description
In The Partly Cloudy Patriot, Sarah Vowell travels through the American past and, in doing so, investigates the dusty, bumpy roads of her own life. In this insightful and funny collection of personal stories, Vowell—widely hailed for her inimitable narratives on public radio's This American Life—ponders a number of curious questions: Why is she happiest when visiting the sites of bloody struggles like Salem or Gettysburg? Why do people always inappropriately compare themselves to Rosa Parks? Why is a bad life in sunny California so much worse than a bad life anywhere else? What is it about the Zen of foul shots? And, in the title piece, why must doubt and internal arguments haunt the sleepless nights of the true patriot?
Her essays confront a wide range of subjects, themes, icons, and historical moments: Ike, Teddy Roosevelt, and Bill Clinton; Canadian Mounties and German Filmmakers; Tom Cruise and Buffy the Vampire Slayer; twins and nerds; the Gettysburg Address, the State of the Union, and George W. Bush's inauguration. The result is a teeming and engrossing audiobook, capturing Vowell's memorable wit and her keen social commentary.
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"It was strange reading this book -- written around the time of the "election" of George W. Bush in 2000 -- just before the inauguration of his successor. I certainly recall feeling the same things that Vowell did during this unfortunate era in our nation's history, but the emotions fell slightly flat as we prepared to wake up from our national nightmare. Also, ASSASSINATION VACATION was better, so this book suffered for being read after its successor."
—
Salem (4 out of 5 stars)
About Sarah Vowell
Sarah Vowell is a contributing editor for public radio’s This American Life and has written for Time, Esquire, GQ, Spin, Salon, and the Los Angeles Times, among others. She is the author of Radio On, Take the Cannoli, and The Partly Cloudy Patriot. She lives in New York City.
About the Narrators
Stephen Colbert is the host, writer, and executive producer of the Emmy and Peabody Award–winning series The Colbert Report; he was also The Daily Show’s longest-running and most diverse correspondent. His book, I Am America (And So Can You!), was a #1 New York Times bestseller. He also contributed to the #1 New York Times bestseller America (The Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction. He has appeared on shows such as Curb Your Enthusiasm, Law and Order: Criminal Intent and Saturday Night Live.
David Cross, a stand-up comedian, has appeared on several television programs, including Mr. Show and Arrested Development. His book I Drink for a Reason was a New York Times bestseller. Though born in Atlanta, he is an avid Red Sox fan.
Paul Begala was a chief strategist for the 1992 Clinton-Gore campaign. He served as counselor to the president in the Clinton White House, where he coordinated policy, politics, and communications. He was senior adviser to the pro-Obama Super PAC that played a critical role in reelecting Obama in 2012. He is the author of five books, including Is Our Children Learning?: The Case Against George W. Bush; It’s Still the Economy, Stupid; Buck Up, Suck Up…and Come Back When You Foul Up (with James Carville); Third Term: Why George W. Bush Loves John McCain; and Take it Back: Our Party, Our Country, Our Future (with James Carville).
Michael Chabon is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books, collections of short stories and essays, and a young-adult novel. Titles include Wonder Boys, which was made into a critically acclaimed film; The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, which won numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize; and The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, among others.
Norman Lear
is the television producer of such groundbreaking sitcoms as All
in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times, and Maude. He has received four Emmy awards, a Peabody, and
the National Medal of Arts. As an advocate, Lear founded People for the
American Way and supports First Amendment rights and other progressive causes.