Title: Unfamiliar Fishes
Author: Sarah Vowell
Narrators: Sarah Vowell, Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, John Hodgman, Catherine Keener, Edward Norton, Keanu Reeves, Paul Rudd, Maya Rudolph, John Slattery
Length of Audiobook: 7 hours, 28 minutes
Synopsis (Courtesy of IndieBound):
“Many think of 1776 as the defining year of American history, when we became a nation devoted to the pursuit of happiness through self- government. In Unfamiliar Fishes, Sarah Vowell argues that 1898 might be a year just as defining, when, in an orgy of imperialism, the United States annexed Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam, and invaded first Cuba, then the Philippines, becoming an international superpower practically overnight.
Among the developments in these outposts of 1898, Vowell considers the Americanization of Hawaii the most intriguing. From the arrival of New England missionaries in 1820, their goal to Christianize the local heathen, to the coup d’état of the missionaries’ sons in 1893, which overthrew the Hawaiian queen, the events leading up to American annexation feature a cast of beguiling, and often appealing or tragic, characters: whalers who fired cannons at the Bible-thumpers denying them their God-given right to whores, an incestuous princess pulled between her new god and her brother-husband, sugar barons, lepers, con men, Theodore Roosevelt, and the last Hawaiian queen, a songwriter whose sentimental ode “Aloha ‘Oe” serenaded the first Hawaiian president of the United States during his 2009 inaugural parade.”
Thoughts: I have been fascinated by Hawaii’s history since I read James Michener’s Hawaii in my pre-blogging days. From the moment the Polynesians set sail to establish a new life on the islands to be called Hawaii, its history has been bound up with various invaders of all types, from other Polynesian neighbors to whalers to missionaries and other explorers. The cultural mish-mash that exists today is a result of this legacy and worthwhile for any historian to explore on one’s own. Sarah Vowell does just that with her focus on the Americanization of Hawaii in Unfamiliar Fishes.
She presents her research in the form of a narrative, intertwining quotes from direct sources with her own observations made during her journeys to the various local sites on the islands. She does so with a fresh, tongue-in-cheek appreciation for the damage Americans have done to the native culture without pontificating too much. The reader gets a clear picture of what life was like before the missionaries ever set foot on the islands, and a sense of sadness at all that has been lost.
The problem, however, is the fact that those readers who do not have a detailed understanding of Hawaii’s history may struggle with some of what the author is discussing. Unfamiliar Fishes works best as a companion piece to a greater, more in-depth history. Without this prior familiarity and depth of understanding, some of the cultural differences mentioned by Ms. Vowell may unfavorably bias the reader against the message she is actually trying to share. For example, the brief discussion of sister/brother marriages may so appall the reader that the message about its cultural significance is completely lost.
The other problem is the narration itself. While having the actors become a unique voice for the various real-life figures quoted in the book lends credence to the narration and gives it a true documentary-type feel, the author as the primary narrator is not a voice that lends itself well to easy listening. Her self-deprecating manner never lets up, making almost every sentence read sound unintentionally sarcastic, which again diminishes the message she is trying to make. Her voice is rather high-pitched, whiny and not necessarily soothing to the ear. The story she is telling is fascinating enough to hold any listener’s attention, but there are times where Ms. Vowell’s voice is a bit unnerving and detrimental to the material.
Beautifully told, Unfamiliar Fishes is well worth reading to get a better insight into Hawaii’s struggle for autonomy against a country that was flexing its expansionary claws. Like most of history and one culture overpowering another, it is a tragic story that leaves the reader with a better understanding of and appreciation for the Hawaiian culture. Unfortunately, it is a story that is best read and not listened to via audio.

Michener's HAWAII is amazing, isn't it? I read it as part of my book club; I still think it is one of my favorite book club reads after five-plus years. I would definitely love to push it on everyone. In combination with UNFAMILIAR FISHES, this would be a phenom way to experience Hawaii without ever going there.
I can understand that. 200 years is nothing compared to what you guys have in the UK and in Europe. I rather like that though because it gives me something we always have to learn!
It was a very interesting book, one I think you would like very much. I know others who have listened to it or read it without previous knowledge on Hawaii's founding and enjoyed it very much, so maybe it doesn't matter as much as I think it does. Because her voice is unusual, I would definitely recommend reading it versus listening to it. If you do try it, let me know what you think!
This sounds like an interesting book, though I know almost nothing about Hawaii so maybe not the best for me to start with. And too bad about her reading not being the best!
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I finished it, so her voice wasn't horrible. It was just a bit much at times. I would definitely be interested in reading more of her works because I do like what she had to say and think her research is was top-notch.
Julie,
Hawaii has an amazing history, and Unfamiliar Fishes only touches on a brief portion of it. The original Hawaiian culture is a thing of beauty but has been corrupted/influenced by so many other cultures over the year. I once read somewhere that there are no 100 percent pure Hawaiians anymore. They have all blended with the Chinese, Japanese or other cultures that were brought to the islands. It is definitely an underdog story. Definitely worth reading more about if you like history!
OMG. Now I know why her voice was so familiar!! I think the sarcasm and unconventional tonality is perfect for Violet but as the voice of a non-fiction novel? It wasn't for me, although I can appreciate her efforts. Her inflections certainly help shed light on whether she was serious or not.
I just started listening to Sarah Vowell read her books (starting with Assassination Vacation and I'm now on Wordy Shipmates….I guess this will be next.) you are so right….she has a unique voice that takes some getting used to. When I first listened to the audio, I was like "is this a joke!?" but she grew on me…though I know what you mean about everything starting to sound like sarcasm.
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