Lafayette in the Somewhat United States (Thorndike Press Large Print Popular and Narrative Nonfiction) - Tapa dura

"Sarah Vowell is a Madonna of Americana." --"Los Angeles Times Book Review"
"I love Sarah Vowell's writing--it's smart, funny, soulful, even educational." --Nick Hornby
"These commentaries are the thoughtful and thought-provoking musings of a genuine patriot--one who loves her country even if its politics disappoint her." --"The Seattle Times"
"[Vowell's] a complex blend: part brilliant essayist, part pop-culture-loving comedian and a full-time unabashed history geek. The mixture makes her both proudly pointy-headed and forever entertaining.... Vowell's breezy style often disguises her solid craft and the richer messages below her work's shiny surface, so don't be fooled. She's a genuine treasure." --"The Seattle Times"
"Vowell makes an excellent traveling companion, what with her rare combination of erudition and cheek." --Bruce Handy, "The New York Times Book Review"
"For those of us who'd rather harvest our history lessons from The Simpsons than the History Channel, Vowell is a latter-day hero.... Fascinating." --"Elle"
"Vowell likes to explode myths and reveal hypocrisy wherever she finds it... Vowell is an American original... She is somehow simultaneously patriotic and rebel, cynic and dreamer, and an aching secularist in search of a higher ground. --"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution"
"Refreshingly, Vowell doesn't have just opinions; she has beliefs... [A] singular mixture of whimsy, honest, and seriousness." --"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution"

"Vowell takes as her province the innumerable eccentric ways that people manage to squeeze personal and civic meaning out of a world framed by pop culture... Her wit makes these stories funny, of course, but so do her curiosity and ear for vernacular, which yield further revelation and insight." --"The Washington Post"

"Vowell could make a trip to the DMV interesting. Delighting in the ironies and oddities of America's past, she succeeds by telling history through her own skewed filter." --"The Baltimore Sun"
"Droll, intelligent, and persuasive." --"Entertainment Weekly"
"Sarah Vowell's canny brand of humor, complaint, and cultural acuity will no doubt be heard for some time to come." --"Harper's Bazaar"

A portrait of the French Revolutionary War hero, the Marquis de Lafayette, discusses his nonpartisan influence on a fledgling United States, his relationships with the Founding Fathers, and his contributions during the contentious 1824 presidential election.