Rating: 
Summary: A Partly Cloudy Patriot who writes like a clear day!
Review: 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!
Rating: 
Summary: More Smart, Witty Vowell!
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Vowell Can Get You Through the Winter Doldrums
Review: Sarah Vowell makes me laugh, not just a chuckle, but a belly laugh. Then she pulls me up short when she hits readers with some of her observations of people, politics, the world, never belaboring her point. A friend and fellow Oklahoman told me about Vowell, a displaced Oklahoman. Her "Letter to a Dead Senator" (Mike Synar) is touching; her advice to Pres. Clinton about how to arrange his library is witty and wise. Her piece about having her family for Thanksgiving is a treasure. She looks at herself and others and says what we'd all like to say, but we don't have her courage and wit. One of my favorite lines: (I paraphrase) Some days you just want to rent "Die Hard," close the shades and eat Cheerios for lunch.
Rating:
Summary: Humorous and insightful look into patriotism in modern times
Review: Sarah Vowell tells a good story, whether it involves her parents first and last visit to New York, or how and what American children are taught about past presidents. Insightful, touching, and always humorous, she follows up her enjoyable "Pass the Cannoli" with a look at the conflict in a Liberal Patriot's heart, and brings warmth and humor to each essay.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Writing
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Writing
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Vowell's America
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Great Essays
Review: She writes very funny reviews. You can see her reading some of her work on C-Span 2. She touches on Civil War, Sept 11 and what makes this the country it is. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Light reading
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Slanted but Hillarious.
Review: 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.
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