That's the book I'm describing in my review title above, though it could apply to Sarah Vowell herself. This collection of essays is the best kind of historical musing; Sarah ties in the past with the present, and weaves her own biographical comedy around it all.

Not only is this book relatively brief, but the essays are as well, so if you're looking for a quick chuckle and an "I didn't know that!" before bedtime, keep The Partly Cloudy Patriot on your nightstand.

Also recommended: Assassination Vacation.

Just because Vowell is unapologetically partisan in her essays throughout The Partly Cloudy Patriot doesn't make her book any less interesting. In fact, it really enhances it. Even though I found myself agreeing with basically all of what she said, I suppose I could understand why some conservatives could get upset at some of the content here. That would be a waste though; Vowell didn't write a political manifesto, she wrote rather eloquent and heartfelt pieces about what it means for her to be an American, full of contradiction and inner-conflict. That for her, being an American necessarily would include some mention of her political views shouldn't be a surprise. And anyway, I doubt the ability of most conservatives to write about what it means to be patriotic and maintain the same level of nuance and, well, thought that Sarah does. I really liked it, and I'll gladly read whatever else she writes.

THE PARTLY CLOUDY PATRIOT is a collection of essays and personal stories by Sarah Vowell, who has an interesting resume--she has been a contributor to NPR's "This American Life," has a pretty impressive list of writer pals (Dave Eggers, Nick Hornby and David Sedaris, to begin with), has written some guest editorials for the NY Times and has provided the voice of a character in the animated film "The Incredibles." This is the second of her four books.

Vowell has a "nerd" obsession with American history and civics. Confirming her nerd credentials is a high school experience lacking the usual teenage graces with the concomitant bad gym memories. These themes, especially the civics lessons, absorb most of the essays in this book. Such is her voice, her ability to get to the heart of a matter and finding the heart not exactly where we generally think of it being located in the given matter, and her sheer passion that book is informative, insightful and immensely appealing. My favorites include her exploration of what it is to be a "nerd," a look at how Al Gore's nerdiness not only recommends him as a national leader but also intruded on his success in the media and public image, her tour of Presidential libraries (posed as a letter to Bill Clinton as he was leaving office and building his own), Teddy Roosevelt and the Gettysburg address. Her essays on the 2000 election and 9-11-2001 are also strong and bring fresh perspectives to both topics. She treats the office of President with abiding respect but makes no bones about not appreciating George Bush. Her criticisms and conclusions about him flow from analysis of his leadership and choices. She loves the American way but understands that it is flawed, hence our "partly cloudy" patriot.

The only reason I nick a star off my rating for this book is that having first read the author's most recent book, ASSASSINATION VACATION, this looks by comparison more like the training wheels or practice for that mature achievement. Also, many of the essays are topical and you are left wondering, given more recent events like the 2004 election and the Iraq war, what the author would say today. However, I do recommend this. I think Vowell would be surprised to hear herself called "cool" but that's exactly what she is.

What I love about this book is that it puts a younger voice on patriotism, tapping into our generation's love of the quirky and random by showing America for many of its quirky, random components--like the underground snack bar in Carlsbad Caverns or how preparing cornbread dressing can make you contemplate death. My favorite essay, "The Nerd Voice", I think perfectly translates that youthful randomness-bordering-on-apathy into an expression of what would be and is appealing in terms of elections and government, and it made me care about voting like I never have before.

What I love about this book is that it puts a younger voice on patriotism, tapping into our generation's love of the quirky and random by showing America for many of its quirky, random components--like the underground snack bar in Carlsbad Caverns or how preparing cornbread dressing can make you contemplate death. My favorite essay, "The Nerd Voice", I think perfectly translates that youthful randomness-bordering-on-apathy into an expression of what would be and is appealing in terms of elections and government, and it made me care about voting like I never have before.

Sarah Vowell is my favorite essayist writing today. Her style is her own - quirky and by turns heartbreaking and laugh-out-loud. The topics in 'Patriot' range all over, unlike my favorite of her books (Assassination Vacation), but this makes it a good introduction to her: you'll probably find at least one piece you agree with.

Sarah Vowell is my favorite essayist writing today. Her style is her own - quirky and by turns heartbreaking and laugh-out-loud. The topics in 'Patriot' range all over, unlike my favorite of her books (Assassination Vacation), but this makes it a good introduction to her: you'll probably find at least one piece you agree with.

Sarah Vowell is a patriot. She might be left-leaning in her political views and voting trends, but first and foremost, she's a history buff and a lover of America. Her essay collection focuses on the political and cultural issues surround the end of the Clinton presidency and the first years of George W. Bush's tenure in office. She explores a wide range of topics, but without any anger or vituperation against people on the opposite end of the political spectrum.

The shining star in this collection is her ruminations on presidential libraries. Vowell writes an open letter to President Clinton about the her ideas for his presidential library. She sets out to visit the Kennedy, Eisenhower, Nixon, and Johnson libraries to examine their treatment each man. Johnson directed his curator that no one had managed to save his reputation in the last twenty years, so there was no need to sweep any of his presidential controversies under the rug. Nixon, on the other hand, used his library to present his side of political scandals and the dark side of political witch hunts. Eisenhower's library focuses almost entirely on his military career, while the JFK library shows videos, home videos, and pictures of the cultural icon. Vowell recommends that Clinton celebrate his charisma like JFK, openly address issues like Johnson, and remember that presidential adversaries will seek out scandal wherever they can find it.

Vowell also gives the reader (or listener, if you pick this up in its outstanding, musically accompanied audiobook form) an inside look at a serious media misquote of presidential candidate Al Gore. While speaking at Concord High School, Al Gore told students that about environmental hearings he held on sites like Love Canal. A Washington Post reporter left out a key word and the context of his statement, and soon Gore was lambasted in the media for claiming to discover Love Canal. The students were outraged at this mistrial in the press. Their teacher was dismayed that a formative day for many students was tainted by controversy and late-night television jokes. Vowell, a liberal, explores the issue fully, and is willing to grant the harried report a pass for a small mis-quote during her 20-hour day. Vowell also ponders our propensity to report only on negatives and controversy; no one writes about the powerful and moving statements that get made in speeches and debates.

Other essays include a visit to the underground lunchroom in Carlsbad Caverns, ruminations on Canada's "modestly spectacular" rise to sovereignty from the British, a visit to the theme park that is Salem, MA, explorations of great moments in American history, and personal pieces about family, tourism, outdoorsiness, and Montana. This is a funny, uplifting, and educational collection of essays from a proud American citizen.

If I could choose a mind to replace the one I've lost, I'd pick Sarah Vowell's. Vowell is at once witty, silly, and insightful. And as if these fine qualities weren't enough, Vowell is also a really big nerd--well, not a Star Trek nerd or a Dungeons and Dragons nerd or anything super cool, but she's a History/Civics nerd, and that's certainly nothing to stick your nose up at . . . unless, you know, . . . you're trying to keep your taped-together glasses from falling off.

Vowell's nerdiness manifests itself in her desire to spend her vacations going to historical sites where she can gain insights to life in America. I share this passion with her. For instance, I recently had an epiphany at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library. Looking at my own reflection in the actual mirror in which Lincoln looked at his reflection everyday when shaving, I suddenly realized that no matter what trials and tribulations we may have suffered thus far in the twenty-first century, I am much better looking than Old Abe. Life is good.

Vowell's insights may not be as blindingly brilliant as mine, but whether she's extolling Lincoln's humanity, bemoaning the nerdiness that lost Gore the election, or weighing the relative merits of lunchrooms in caves, her essays are interesting and worthwhile and often rolling-in-the-bookstore-aisles hilarious. I give this book a 5 Pocket Protector rating.

This is the first work of Vowell's I've read, but I think I'm addicted.

Perhaps it is only because I aspire to be like her that I enjoyed this book so much - she's intelligent, witty, and a self-named "history buff" and "nerd." This series of essays is amazingly thought-provoking, and I loved it thoroughly. Vowell critically and wryly evaluates society with astonishing insight.

Overall, brilliant, brilliant book. I now must go read everything else she's ever written.

This is the first work of Vowell's I've read, but I think I'm addicted.

Perhaps it is only because I aspire to be like her that I enjoyed this book so much - she's intelligent, witty, and a self-named "history buff" and "nerd." This series of essays is amazingly thought-provoking, and I loved it thoroughly. Vowell critically and wryly evaluates society with astonishing insight.

Overall, brilliant, brilliant book. I now must go read everything else she's ever written.

I enjoyed Sarah Vowell's writing style, she portrays her odd interest in our history as normal and amusing, making you think twice about how you originally percieved history.

I picked up Sarah Vowell's Assassination Vacation after seeing her on The Daily Show, not realizing at the time that she voiced Violet in The Incredibles. I then took the time to watch her featurette on the Incredibles DVD and was totally charmed. I very much enjoyed Assassination Vacation. I asked for Patriot for Christmas this year, and I LOVE it. Her wit, aimed both at society, history, and herself, is funny without being degrading. We seem to be about the same age, so I really relate to a lot of her "memory" essays, and we also have the same political views, which helps. I have been laughing out loud at some of her observations - and, the highest compliment - reading the passages aloud to my husband, who also enjoys them. If you read and enjoyed Assassination Vacation, and don't mind political comment, get this book. If you've heard her on the radio and like her, get this book. Ah, heck. Just get this book!

I've been listening to a lot of audiobooks lately to make the most of my long commute, and was pleased to find one that finally really embraced the format, rather than simply reading the book to me. Though there was no need to get such big names for the various voices, they and the made-to-order music were great touches. I especially enjoyed the "Gallows Hill and Andersonville" tune, heh. Great listen - I was sad when it ended. Poor Al Gore...

I got this book on CD from the library and have since purchased it for several friends. As funny as the book is, hearing her say the words aloud is even better. Her voice has this unaffected, almost uninterested quality that drives home her point all the more.

Her writing runs from hysterically funny (the tourist in Salem looking for a witch trivet) to touching (description of teenagers practicing what to do if a classmate begins shooting).

Make no mistake--this is not an unbiased retelling of history, but rather a (reluctantly) self-proclaimed history buff who shares her experiences and point of view on history. Her voice is unique and hysterically funny. I highly recommend it.

Sarah Vowell is a particularly cynical and yet sometimes hilariously funny author who can fill the mind with imagery with a single two word phrase like "Nerd Isreal". In this book she explores her own particular brand of patriotism and her point of view on history and the world now. The book is an interesting, albeit short read that captivated me and made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion. However, to truly get the voice of this book, one should definitely listen to any of Vowell's past readings on NPR. Her voice, her particular way of flatly stating the absurd in her (sorry, Sarah) nasal overtones brings the reader fully into the book. If you can imagine her reading the book to you, it brings it into a whole new dimension.

I whipped through this collection of essays in about three days with little effort. Sarah Vowell is a completely unapologetic nerd and left wing patriot, and writes on subjects as diverse as Al Gore, Tom Landry, a lunchroom 700 feet below sea level at Carlsbad Caverns, Pop-A-Shot Basketball, Tom Cruise, and Gettysberg.

While some of the essays are more personal diversions, such as the one describing her life as a twin, a common theme through the book is her love of the USA and her desire to learn as much as this country as possible. I had to admire the fact that even though George W. Bush is the brunt of jokes throughout this book, she describes how proud she was to sing The National Anthem at George W. Bush's first inauguration, while other dissenters remained silent.

Vowell always seems to have a unique insight on something, and provides commentary on details few ever really notice. It isn't really deep analysis, but entertaining and insightful. However, if Al Gore had taken Ms. Vowell's advice, it's a good chance he would have become The President, in my opinion.

For nerdy, left-wing patriots such as myself, give it an extra 1/2 star.

I read a book review via the Onion about Sarah Vowel and I was interested. I had heard her before on NPR, but I didn't know she was an author also. I checked this out at the library and was absolutely surprised that this book was as clever and charming as all the reviews said.

Just by the title I had thought that this was going to be another one of those boring political supposed-to-be-satire type books (a-la Al Franken), but it was hilarious with very intelligent themes. I couldn't wait to finish reading this book after the first couple of pages!

Sarah Vowell is a pleasure to read, even when you don't completely agree with her. Her views are deeply heartfelt and intelligent, and touch the ground of truth behind the poses that many of us find (and often display) in public life. When Vowell cringes at the thought of her Montana family visiting her in NYC, you cringe with her; when she weeps at the Inauguration of George W. Bush, you want to comfort her; when she is appalled by media distortions of the truth, you want to rail with her.

The essays in "The Partly Cloudy Patriot" capture the complexity of loving America when you know too much history to be completely at home with the country's squeaky-clean mythos. Vowell interviews students who were there when Al Gore never claimed to have discovered Love Canal; actually, he was preaching convincingly about the power of a single student to raise issues of national importance. Vowell talks about the tacky elegance of a cafeteria deep in Carlsbad Caverns and the silliness of tour guides who attempt, post hoc, to elevate the status of slaves by calling them "Africans in bondage." Her tender, piercing worldview salves as much as skewers, letting her express ideas that cut across the grain of commonly-accepted attitudes.

The book's title refers to a Thomas Paine essay from the American revolution that complains about the "sunshine patriots" who disappear when the days grow short and the fight turns against them. She portrays herself in halfway measures as only slightly better than these -- as a "partly cloudy" patriot. But I am not fooled. Anyone who can speaks so lovingly and without irony about Teddy Roosevelt's North Dakota cabin and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is far more a patriot than that. Sarah Vowell would hate to hear it, but when it comes loving what is most fundamental about America, she is true blue.

Sarah Vowell, with her pixie-like apperance and Goth-girl tendencies, is something of a favorite of mine when it comes to the budding world of self-important essayists (not meaning a slight on other self-important essayisrs). In this, her third work, Vowell lays out her obsession with American history and culture against the backdrop of her own quirky imagination.

It's been a while since I first read the book, so I'm afraid I can't offer a detailed, omniscent review (but then again, none of my reviews have ever really fallen into that category). But what I can tell you is that no one has ever been able to write a book that combined reflections on the role of Abraham Lincoln or Rosa Parks on our modern psyche with how-to guides for future presidential libraries and a trip to the underground cafeteria at a national park. Throughout her essays, Vowell displays a grasp not only of the subjects, but of their deeper meanings in reference to American culture.

The book is over before you want it to be, something I felt also could be said about the previous Vowell work I've reviewed (Take the Cannoli), but you're left with a desire to reevaluate your own approach to the many facets of American history. Overall, the book is a love letter to those things in America that Sarah, and the reader in turn, finds fascinating. You couldn't ask for a better read.

I read this book after finishing Take the Cannoli. I can't get enough Vowell lately! Combining humor, pop culture, and an astonishing knowledge of American history, this book is entertaining and educational. Vowell has a sense of hope about America. She knows that we have a great (although contradictory) past to live up to, and, despite some of the depressing news about our government lately, she thinks it's possible that we can still do our ancestry proud. Geez, if we were all citizens like her, I'll bet America would be in much better shape.

Sarah Vowell's collection of essays entitled Partly Cloudy Patriot is a refreshing commentary from a liberal who actually thinks and can express herself rationally without sounding argumentative. Her opinions are well laid-out and she refrains from any of the typical mud-slinging that one would come to expect from a book with a political bent, which actually makes it easier to think about the things she is saying rather than trying to defend or justify one's own opinions. Wonderfully written and thought provoking, I would recommend this to anyone who has an interest in recent political history but wants to avoid all of the childish bickering.

Sarah Vowell is a nerd with passion, an intellectual who has every right to be cynical but can't help being a romantic. "The Partly Cloudy Patriot" is a nifty collection of opinionated essays that cover a startling range of subjects - politics, cinema, music, Salem, her own family.

It helps to imagine Sarah Vowell reading these essays to you - in fact, I'd recommend the audio book, because she brings the perfect dry timing to her prose. But even in print, this is fun stuff. I'm a big fan of her Al Gore essays (in which she likens the 2000 election to a classic "Nerds vs. Jocks" battle) and her travelogues. In fact, I like it all, even if her odd attempt at Larry Kingisms falls a little flat.

Best of all, Sarah manages to keep an open mind on all subjects. She doesn't apologize for her liberal views, but like a true liberal, she's able to see all sides of an issue and isn't above finding flaws in her own logic. She's also comfortable with herself and her own intelligence, which makes her essays all the more compelling. It's impossible to dislike Sarah, and "The Partly Cloudy Patriot" is a great installment from a talented and intriguing woman.

Sarah Vowell is a veteran of NPR and appears with regularity on "This American Life" hosted by Ira Glass. My wife and I spotted her on Book TV being enchanted by this iconoclastic liberal commentator on all things American.
In the tradition of Will Rogers, Mark Twain and all other true patriorts she humorously and wittily comments on such diverse subjects as National Parks, Canadian Life, a trip to
Gettysburg and relationships within her family.
Vowell is a gifted author whose pungent commentaires make this short book of essays a joy to read, savor and think about in the days ahead.
We live in a media age of talking heads but Vowell's "nerdy
noggin" as she may phrase it stands head and shoulders over many so called pundits of the politcal and cultural scene.
One would like to see Vowell become more visible on the cable talk show circuit.
This young lady thinks and causes us all to rethink our love of this land called America.
I recommend this book especially to young people who are bored with textbook histroy but still love America and want to know more about it. Vowell's book is an easy read which is not to be missed. Enjoy it!

Ms. Vowell is funny, cynical, and patriotic all at the same time. She uses her voice and her vote very effectively. A master of one-liners, she will make laugh but also think.

I had to get this book after hearing Vowell's interview on NPR. The Tom Landry story sold it to me ;) This is a perfect quick-read that like-minded Democrates will especially enjoy. She isn't malicious when criticizing and her sincerity will make you smile all the way through.

Politics and government are not my usual thing, but I really enjoyed Sarah Vowell's book. Her sometimes Parkeresque wit (that's a compliment) keeps this collection of essays jogging briskly along; I was never bored, even as she talked about Gettysburg and voting booths and the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library.

She's more than just funny. She's smart. Sharp. She's the best kind of nerd -- one who can see a broader view of her interests, and not just the minutiae that make nerds nerds. She knows her stuff, and knows it so well that she can wrap an unexpected metaphor around it and you still "get" it. (Elvis, anyone?)

The forms of the essays are varied -- in addition to many traditional essays, there are at least two in letter-format, and one Larry King-like list -- which helps to pull the reader through the book. Her studied tangents and "soft" endings that never preach make this a very palatable book for "sunshine patriots" like myself.

You'll laugh, you'll think, you'll go back for more. Give this book a try, even if essays aren't your thing. Even if government isn't your thing. You'll learn a thing or two and you'll enjoy it.

I've taken a fancy to memoirs and essays lately, and Vowell's stands out among them - primarily because most of her essays have a political/patriotic/historical flavor to them. It's a refreshing change from the typical tales of love, work, and foibles that are in many memoirs.

I first came to Sarah Vowell not through NPR, but rather through an essay she wrote about Mel Gibson's "The Patriot", for a now-defunct webzine called Open Letters. Some months later she wrote a fascinating Election Day rumination on David Letterman and American voting habits for the same site. Both these essays -- one intact, one substantially altered for the post-9/11 world -- appear in "The Partly-Cloudy Patriot", which was an easy purchase once I saw Vowell's name on the cover.

I confess, even though I hear a lot os in the former Confederacy, and walked hurriedly through the Book Depository museum at Dealey Plaza so I could get back to a hotel room in Arlington and watch the "American Idol" finale. I think Vowell would approve of my choice (Ruben over Clay, that is).

The most timely topic in the collection is also one of the shortest articles: "Rosa Parks, C'est Moi". There's a universal truth here. In American politics, once someone compares themselves to Thomas Jefferson, they've already lost the debate. When a triumphant athlete quotes Lou Gehrig's "luckiest man on the face of the Earth", you know he has well and truly lost the plot. And when some cf NPR while driving cross-country for work, I've still never heard Vowell on the air. I did see her on one of the first post-9/11 editions of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien", but mostly I'm here as a fan of her written work, especialy her last collection, "Take the Cannoli". Like "Cannoli", "Patriot" is a grab-bag of short features that mix Vowell's family life with her thoughts on American cultural heritage.

There's really not a bad article in the bunch, though I feel (as I did with the last book) that many of them end too abruptly, as if she were warming up to her theme and then suddenly moved on to the next topic. She talks about the history of mapmaking, and then switches gears to eulogize that great evangelist, Tom Landry. She never lingers on the subject long enough to beat it into the ground, and intentionally leaves a lot unsaid.

The book's centerpiece is "The Nerd Voice", a proud article about the place of the nerd in American society, told in two parts -- first from the inauguration of George W. Bush, and then in an interview with "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" writer Doug Petrie. A later chapter in the same vein cover's Vowell's fascination with America's most famous bookworm warrior, Teddy Roosevelt, who famously read "Anna Karenina" while on a cattle drive. That fascinates me too. I carried a "Doctor Who" novel through the battlefield at Shiloh. No Teddy Roosevelt, I.

Along the way, Vowell schleps to Gettysburg, the Salem witch museums, an underground cafeteria at Carlsbad Caverns, and a local arcade where she plays penny basketball. I really admire this lifestyle. In the past year I have traipsed through two Civil War battlefieldheap dime-store iconoclast professes to be the next Rosa Parks, it's time to ask for the check. Sarah Vowell probably could have gotten a whole book just out of this alone.. but settled for less than five pages.

Ideally, the next Sarah Vowell collection will feature a return to the Richard Nixon presidential libraries... in the midst of a mini-review of "The Big Lebowski".

I've been a big fan of Vowell's since her extraordinary obit for Frank Sinatra in 1999 on Salon.com. Her last book of essays was wonderfully eclectic. This one is a bit less personal and more about history and America itself. Vowell shone in her autobiographical essays in Take the Cannoli. Here, she has very few missteps (the Tom Cruise essay was not something I fully got), but her Gettysburg address essay is outstanding. She is full of liberal politics, but also is NEVER predictable. She loves her country and writes movingly of her place in it. She is one of Generation X's finest spokespeople. Bless her and America.

I was hooked from the opening essay about the Gettysburg Address. It's hard for Vowell to sustain the high quality of that opener throughout the book, but she comes close far more often than not. And not every essay is directly about one form or another of patriotism -- for example, her piece on Thanksgiving has more to do with her and her family than with pilgrims and native Americans, but it's still a tremendous piece of writing. Perhaps best of all, this book has prompted me to embrace my inner civics nerd self. Thanks, Sara!

Sarah Vowell is a self-proclaimed nerd with a voice. Whether writing on her adolescent love of the New German film, or her unabashed doubt in President Bush, she writes with style and with a voice that is as consistent as it is endearing.

In this collection of essays, all of which have a decidedly unacademic, salon.com feel to them, she eschews republican politics and extolls some of our most important historical figures (Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt, to name two).

Vowell also gives one of the most interesting--and sympathetic--portrayals of Al Gore during the 2000 election campaign.

Essentially, this book is interesting to those who are familiar with her work for National Public Radio. But anyone who is interested in top-notch intellectual humor will appreciate Vowell's dry wit and insights on the mundanities of pop culture. Her look on Tom Cruise, for example, puts her among the ranks of our most important informal cultural critics.

In the end, she's not for academics, and this collection is not as serious as Vowell sometimes takes herself. But hey, her writing is a lot of fun. Take some time to read about connections between history and life that you probably haven't thought of.

Sarah Vowell is that rare writer who manages to be sarcastic and cynical, but still respectful and downright witty as can be. Her follow-up to "Take the Cannoli" is just as good, but in a different way. Whereas "Take the Cannoli" was more about her coming-of-age and life experiences, "The Partly Cloudy Patriot" is mainly her take on recent political and news events. She manages to put her own personal spin on what has transpired, never sugar-coating her views, but she keeps the humor alive throughout. Her take on the fiasco that was the 2000 election is both hysterically funny and profoundly sad.

Sarah Vowell has an encyclopedic knowledge of the history of the USA and is an unapologetic nerd, while also being as hip as other writers in her particular genre. She also tosses in anecdotes from her life for good measure. She and her fraternal twin sister are as different as ever; her sister is now married, has a child, and is still living in Montana. Sarah now lives in New York City, and hosts her family for Thanksgiving, much to her eternal regret. The differences between Sarah Vowell and her family and upbringing are funny and witty, not filled with angst.

It is a rare writer who can produce two such very good books, without peaking on their first, and just putting out a second book as an afterthought. I look forward to so much more from the incredibly talented Sarah Vowell.

I first saw Sarah Vowell on C-Span, answering questions after a book reading. She looks like a baby Bette Davis with a stringy bob and she talks with her hands. Someone asked her who her favorite comedian was and she said, "Don Rickles. He'd kill you people in the front row in the sweaters. He'd just kill you."
When the session was over, I wanted more so I bought THE PARTLY-CLOUDY PATRIOT.
The book reads more like a journal than a collection of essays. Perhaps the best one is about Al Gore. Sarah Vowell sees herself as a nerd and although she's a staunch democrat she most readily identifies with other nerds. Al Gore wrote a book on the environment, among other nerdish things, so he qualifies. This essay resonated with me because I've often wondered why we don't have more stringent requirements for the job of president.
Another sample of her caustic wit was her essay on Teddy Roosevelt, who was part nerd and part adventurer. Her father used to tell her about Teddy's problems with asthma. He could do nothing except stay in bed and read. "Ew," said her sister. "Sigh," said Sarah. Staying in bed all day was a lifelong ambition for her.
I have to admit that I was expecting THE PARTLY-CLOUDY PATRIOT to be a real slam session, but that's not the case. Sarah attends George W. Bush's inauguration, bending over backwards to be fair. Although she cries when W. takes the oath, she chastises a friend who boos Staff Sergeant Alec T. Maly when he sings "My Country �Tis of Thee."
Sarah Vowell is a commentator on National Public Radio's THIS AMERICAN LIFE. I'd like to see her on national television crossing swords with the conservative blowhards.

The essays that comprise this work are fun, although a bit shallow in places. Ms. Vowell has a nice dry sense of humor, but that alone does not make her a fine writer. Perhaps it is unfair to compare her with Molly Ivins--yet. And maybe Sarah Vowell just needs a few more years of seasoning before her words catch and hold a subject for a real examination.

I don't know; maybe it's because I'm a Canadian, but I really don't get what people see in Vowell. Maybe it's the appeal of the "young-smart history-nerd combo," like somebody thinks that's a rare thing. Probably all of the above plus a dash of great writing and a sprinkling of apple pie spice for Old Glory.

Personally, though, I couldn't find in this book the howlingly funny curmudgeon that reviews here had led me to expect. Some insight, perhaps, though I felt myself wishing she was writing from a little more experience.

Maybe it's like that thing with airline pilots, imagining them with salt-and-pepper hair and, though their hands are steady, just a trace of crows' feet around the eyes.

Deep down, maybe I prefer my historians and history buffs to be way older than me. Vowell is probably a great way for younger audiences to get into political issues, but -- and maybe it loses something, not hearing it read aloud in her own voice! -- I personally found it hard to get excited about her causes, and harder to empathize with her odd American passions.

This book is great! Vowell's voice is easy-going and fun, and it's like she's sitting on the couch telling you all about the lunchroom in the caves and teddy roosevelt and shooting hoops. This book's entertaining, if not neccessarily earth-shattering. Her essay about post-Sept 11th flag-waving is worth the price of admission.

In "The Partly Cloudy Patriot", Vowell describes her sociopolitical perspective on the U.S. In a series of nineteen essays (many of which originally aired on her NPR program), she illustrates her observations with personal experiences and often uses pop-culture analogies for elucidation. She's a self-described "history geek", and she applies her impressive, encyclopedic knowledged effectively. Throughout much of the book, Vowell applies a dry humor mostly effectively; it's the type of humor that makes you chuckle consistently, but seldom generates robust laughter.

Vowell is a warm, sincere essayist. Her casual prose and unique pop-culture approach is witty without ever being pendantic or condescending (if you've ever heard an interview, she's very self-effacing). Despite her leftist slant, her strongest essays offer keen observation of the uniqueness (for better and worse) of the collective American psyche. In "Cowboys v. Mounties", she compares the histories of the U.S. and Canada. Even though she's generally a fan of Canadians, something about them seems "off". In her experiences with The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, she learns what it is: Individual Canadians truly considering themselves a minor part of collective social fabric; their unerring modesty and politeness are characteristic of this and seem creepy to the American sense of individuality. In "Wonder Twins" she compares her relationship with her fraternal twin sister with that of Myanmar twins who briefly commanded a guerilla army. Some of her ideas seem a bit flimsy to me, but her assertions are usually interesting and worthy of consideration. Vowell's best essays make social observations rather than being overtly political.

Vowell is less successful with her openly political essays. Even if you agree with her politics (which I often do), her unyielding ideological slant is usually an annoyance. The most egregious example is the seemingly interminable essay, "The Nerd Voice" (parts one and two). She expresses her frustration over the results of the 2000 presidential election and explains how Gore could have been a more effective candidate. Using several pop-culture analogies ["Revenge of the Nerds" (movie), "Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)] she tries to show how Gore could have presented himself as a likeable, self-effacing nerd (rather than the phony, unlikeable smarty-pants he campaigned as). The ideas in this essay are particularly shaky, and after thirty pages it amounts to little more than sour musings of a resentful Democrat. Most of her other politically oriented essays are shorter, but aren't much better.

Reading "The Partly Cloudy Patriot" is like having a casual conversation with an amusing history buff you might meet in a bar; instead talking about sports, you have a conversation about America. At her most insightful, Vowell reveals that all Americans share unique characteristics despite our individual differences. It isn't a literary masterpiece, but if you're in the mood for a couple hours of affable sociopolitical discourse it's an ideal book.

The Partly Cloudy Patriot comes with the standard Democrat slant. Liberals are portrayed as highly intelligent, and conservatives are portrayed as less than intelligent. Al Gore is a super nerd, and we may infer that he failed to capture more votes than he did because the common low brow middle-American just didn't grasp his lofty ideals. Bush is a jock, and he didn't really win the presidency despite the fact that every recount of the Florida ballots showed him to be the winner. Now, what is wrong with this typical Democrat presentation of politicians is that, well, it's just wrong. Fact is, many conservatives are smart, and many liberals are stupid. There's probably a pretty even mixture on both sides. Bush did his undergrad work at Yale and earned a Harvard MBA. Gore dropped out of Divinity School. Gore should have won the 2000 election by a landslide since the economy was booming. That Bush received the majority of the electoral votes is a testament to his political intelligence and perhaps to Gore's lack thereof.

Now, that being said, this is a very funny book, written by a very likable, very funny writer. Ms. Vowell's take on Gettysburg had me laughing out loud. I ejoyed all the essays, even the one's with which I disagreed. If you've ever heard Ms.Vowell on radio or watched her on TV, you know she has a brilliant dry wit. It comes across in her writing. Of all the writers I've heard speak on Book TV, she's one of the few I've actually enjoyed hearing and one of the few who seems like the sort of person you would want to hang around with for an afternoon.

Webster's Dictionary defines "droll" as "amusing in an odd or wry way." There are many adjectives for Sarah Vowell, but "droll" may be the best one-word description out there. In her second major collections of essays, the self-proclaimed nerd focuses on her strength � a seemingly encyclopedic knowledge of American history and politics. Never has literary criticism (the genre this book is lumped into) been less stodgy as Vowell tries to come to terms with the end of the Clinton era, the 2000 presidential election fiasco, and the aftermath of 9/11. Also discussed are such wide-ranging topics as the Salem witch trials to arcade (pop-a-shot) basketball to a couple of famous Toms (movie star Cruise and former Dallas Cowboys� coach Landry). I happily admit to laughing out loud several times (and learning a thing or two) while reading this intelligent and entertaining volume.

For those unfamiliar with Vowell, I urge you to try and get a listen to her either in her regular gig on NPR or a book tour appearance/reading that is currently being aired on C-SPAN. Having Vowell's distinctive speaking voice in your head (she notes that she and Abraham Lincoln may share a similar oratory style -- "as squeaky as a six-year-old girl"), will only add to your reading enjoyment.

A slight warning � Vowell is a bleeding heart Democrat and she wears that heart proudly on her sleeve, so those with who do not have a similar political bent may have a tougher time stomaching some of the essays. Despite having a perpetual "partly cloudy" outlook of the world, there is also a palpable optimism that runs through Vowell's work. As she hilariously notes in one essay, her motto in any situation is "it could be worse." And, at times, that is not a bad way at all to get through some tough times.

If you have never read Sarah Vowell and you would like to get the flavour of this book, give her a listen on National Public Radio. Her voice is consistent between the written and spoken word. She is very political and very Democratic, so that informs her writing. If open bias bothers you, or that particular bias bothers you, give this book a miss.

The Buffy bit was very amusing, as were some of the historical passages. Some of the rest I found less. However, humour is notoriously subjective, so your mileage may vary.

I found this book good reading on a gray, rainy day. It's not Pulitzer material, but it is a bit of sunshine for a dreary afternoon.

As someone who just finally got my hands on this book after weeks of looking forward to it, I couldn't let what seemed like an injustice to this book go--the customer reviewer who liked it the least said "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" doesn't appear in this book despite being advertised on the jacket. Um, did he/she even READ the book?! It's in there--not glaring in the title, but really, not that hard to find. Why write a hateful review if he/she hasn't even read the book?

There's nothing much going on here, so I'm surprised why so many people find this book so interesting. Vowell's no deep thinker and there's nothing particularly funny about what she says. This book comes off as the mildly entertaining musings of someone you might meet at a party -- but not particularly want to see again. (And, oddly, despite a claim to have an essay on Buffy the Vampire Slayer on the inside of the dust jacket, no such essay in in this volume.)

I came to Sarah Vowell a virgin. Before I purchased her book I had never heard her on radio or read her anywhere but after thumbing through a portion of her explaining why she visits gruesome places in history, as someone who has himself thought seriously of staying overnight in the home Lizzie Borden killed her parents, I knew I had a deep kinship with this delightful person. The Partly Cloudy Patriot did not disappoint in any way. These short essays are very funny, often thoughtful, personal and impassioned. Whether describing Thanksgiving with her parents or her reaction to the presidential victory of Mr. Bush (a highlight of the volume is this essay and its skillful presentation of Gore as a nerd, in a very positive way). After this past election, this volume is a wonderful way to overcome a little and laugh a lot. A much needed writer in these terrible times.

As I was driving by a 19th-century rural graveyard near the site of George and Libby Custer's honeymoon in upstate New York one Friday afternoon, Sarah Vowell's voice came sighing out of my Pontiac's speakers as she was interviewed over National Public Radio, where she works. At first that hint of nepotism rankled, until the lady explained how post-Sept. 11 American "patriotism" rankled her. In both spoken and written word, Vowell uses low-key humor to sketch out important Truths, quietly achieving a goal which eludes most modern writers: heightening the existences of his/her readers.
Anyhow, Vowell's succintly written accounts of life in the Big City, interfamilial conflicts, political disappointments and -- best yet -- her obsessive travels to sites of bloody battles and assassinations are simultaneously entertaining and edifying.
One thing disturbs me: In briefly recounting her visit to Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Vowell intimates that President Kennedy was in fact shot to death by one of her fellow nerds, the hapless (and notably late) Lee Harvey Oswald. She should read Peter Dale Scott's "Deep Politics and the Death of JFK" or Mark North's
"Act of Treason" or David Scheim's "Contract on America" or any number of other unofficial histories that could set her straight on that sad misunderstanding.
Those of us nearing our personal half-century marks became partly cloudy patriots on Nov. 22, 1963. In retrospect, Sept. 11 and the hollow nationalism it produced is like a carnival mirror image of the uneasy blend of pride and shame that all exploded that awful weekend 39 years ago in the Big D. ...

You may know Sarah Vowell from NPR's This American Life. Her quirky commentaries are the highlight of the show for me. This book is a wonderful distillation of those qualities into text. She writes in a conversational style that draws the reader into her world. Her essays cover various topics from Gettysburg to Tom Cruise to Tom Landry. Through all this, her particular brand of self-deprecating humor shines in all of them.

A self-proclaimed "civics nerd," this knowledge of politics feeds her world view. The centerpiece of this collection, "The Nerd Voice," is a twenty-plus-page look at the 2000 election, why Gore didn't win, and how she and her friends--all members of a web forum--felt about it. Upon noticing that Bob Dole is attending, seeing him comforts her in a way, and she feels he "symbolizes a simpler, more innocent time in America when you could lose the presidential election and, like, not actually become president."

She likens the presidential race to the proverbial Jock vs. Nerd battle from school. Gore was seen as too smart, so he must be taken down. She then notes that the reason Bush was not shot during the attack on the Oval Office was because he was not working, but was in the White House gym instead, exercising.

The title piece, "The Partly Cloudy Patriot," starts out as a review of the Mel Gibson film but metamorphoses into a commentary on the use of the word "patriot" following the events of September 11th and concludes with her views on the prevalence of flags, their symbolism, and why she doesn't want one stuck uninvited into her yard.

The collection is slightly uneven but that has to be expected from a collection whose only discernible theme is "America." What is here is a wonderful new view of the world around us; one that is insightful, pointedly funny, and should open your mind to see things in a different way--the Sarah Vowell way. After all, who else would list the numerous people who almost daily compare themselves to civil rights icon Rosa Parks and point out the insanity of it all?

This book couldn't have come at a better time! We may be feeling a bit more patriotic these days due to certain events in our country, but we still need to laugh, and that includes being able to laugh at ourselves. Sarah Vowell's dry wit and humorous NPR commentary-like stories are a big help. I had listened to her a few times while channel surfing in the car, but caught her promoting her new book on David Letterman. I had to have it right away. Her outlook on U.S. history is both educational and quite amuzing. If you enjoy David Sedaris, then don't miss out on this NPR newcomer.