Sarah Vowell is a history nerd, and proud of it. Her fascination with the premature deaths of three American presidents who have been assassinated is the topic of this 2006 book and, despite what you might be thinking about such a topic, is incredibly both informative and entertaining!
Vowell has the unique gift of being able to bring the reader into the scene as she hunts down the well-known and not-so-well-known sites where grisly presidential history has taken place. Her road trip (ironic because she herself does not drive and she must entice her friends to take her,) takes her all over the U.S. in search of a piece of presidential assassination pie.
Her ability to put a human face on not only Lincoln, but the lesser-known James Garfield and William McKinley (I've learned much about both,) is a testament to her ability as a writer. Her irreverent sense of humor, wry observations and talent in interacting with and interpreting the events of our past ensure that the reader will enjoy every minute of this educational and interesting book.
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