UNFAMILIAR FISHES by Sarah Vowell

From the bestselling author of The Wordy Shipmates, an examination of Hawaii, the place where Manifest Destiny got a sunburn.

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.

With her trademark smart-alecky insights and reporting, Vowell lights out to discover the off, emblematic, and exceptional history of the fiftieth state, and in so doing finds America, warts and all.

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• Sarah Vowell Unfamiliar Fishes

[shigepoi]

Aloha Sarah,

Mahalo Nui Loa. It is extremely humbling to see a non-hawaiian show an accurate depiction of our Kanaka Maoli. I wish you and your ohana many blessings.

Mahalo,

shigs

[lawyerly]

@partsmanba Yes. And? Is she supposed to be an expert on the pronunciation of a language that about 2000 people speak?

[PierreaSweedieCat]

Your video was posted here, by a fellow Hawaiian: w w w . face book . com / history teacherz

I liked it. It made me hungry! I love the rice, hamburger, and egg dish! I'm going to make one, in Northern Ontario, Canada! Aloha!

[moatwog]

Kalakaua was a Freemason.

[fatimah503]

wow .. this ideas help us to eating the healthy food

thanx allot sarah

[Meeepers23]

Saw her on Conan!!! I can't wait to read this book! :3

[judyfisklucas]

I am a (Swedish) Congregational missionary's daughter, raised in Waimea, Kauai, and Kona, Hawaii. Nevertheless, I love your book. Sharing food is not the only cultural interchange in Hawaii, although an important one. I love that you emphasized our President is the first Hawaiian-born. In spite of the shameful things in the Hawaiian-foreigner relations, the aloha spirit is not a myth. Love conquers all. Barach Obama grew up in an ohana of aloha. That will make a difference in our country. Peace

[HolyPineapple]

Wow she sounds like Violet from The Incredibles o_O

[MilkProductsMedia]

@Frogmabonnie thanks glad u liked it.

[MilkProductsMedia]

@Frogmabonnie Well thanks glad u enjoyed it.

[Frogmabonnie]

@MilkProductsMedia - Thank you!

I grew up in Hawaii, I thought this was a wonderful presentation of the darker side of the political history of the islands, and I was just AMAZED at what the artist did with all the standard plate-lunch foods.

[MilkProductsMedia]

@Frogmabonnie Hi. We produced the video and the food artist, who is absolutely amazing, is Amorette Dye (google sakurako kitsa) Thanks for checking out the video.