Take the Cannoli: Stories from the New World (Paperback)

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Review
This is a lively collection of autobiographical stories from the New World that will appeal to all fans of American life. Although the anecdotal style of this collection is very personal, the quirky humour will find a universal appeal. Vowell originates from rural Oklahoma, growing up in an area where little had changed in hundreds of years. Her childhood was shadowed by the teachings of her local church, Braggs Pentecostal Holiness, for whose congregation the fear of the world coming to a dreadful end seemed very real. Vowell recalls the uproar when barcodes were introduced to the supermarkets in the '70s - her fellow fundamentalists believed they were the sign of the beast. She grew up in the '80s, against a backdrop of President Reagan's enthusiasm for the Star Wars programme, and the underlying fear and conviction that the apocalypse 'could happen to you'. The stories are relayed with a self-deprecating humour and often an underlying pathos. Tales of adolescent angst and her yearning for 'certainty' will strike a universal chord. Vowell's quest to explore and discover the wider world takes her on many idiosyncratic journeys. Her worship of Sinatra leads her on a pilgrimage to New York and she visits Disneyland for a day, admiring the ambition of the place, yet relieved to escape. Her observations are honest, informed and unsentimental. Tracing her Native American heritage, she shares her quest to discover the real Trail of Tears and the pain and sense of responsibility involved in facing the genocide of a nation. This is a sharp-eyed and entertaining view of America. (Kirkus UK)

Product Description
Daughter of a Montana gunsmith and closet Don Corleone disciple ("'The Godfather' is a film crammed with rules for living"), Sarah Vowell has written a delightful series of autobiographical stories which stretch across the immense landscape of the American scene. Tackling a diverse range of subjects, from politics and religion to the forgotten joys of mix-tapes, Vowell has the ability to spin a story on something as mundane as an Italian dessert. In search of the meaning of if not life, at least the ring-a-ding-ding of "That's Life", Vowell takes to the streets of Hoboken, New Jersey in seeking traces of the town's prodigal son, Frank Sinatra. She goes under cover of heavy make-up in an investigation of goth culture, hides from the world in the Chelsea Hotel and finally outgrows Armageddon in time for Y2K ("I don't need the end of the world to make friends anymore"). Brilliantly smart, sharp and engaging, "Take the Cannoli" presents a writer with a truly irresistible voice.

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3 Reviews 5 star:  (2) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.3 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   4 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 3.0 out of 5 stars Not Bad, but Not Great, 21 April 2003 By  A. Ross (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    This review is from: Take the Cannoli: Stories from the New World (Paperback) Like many other readers of this book, I found that Vowell's essays work much better on NPR than they do on the page. Part of that may be ascribed to the overall mood that's created when you hear her voice tell the story, along with the perfect background and bridging music. Her timing and pace is just so much better on radio than in writing—a lot of those caustic or telling one-liners just lie dead on the page. Finally, when I hear her radio pieces it's usually a totally welcome surprise and treat while I'm stuck in the car, whereas when actually sitting down to read her book, I couldn't help thinking of unread books on my shelf crying for attention. What I mean is that Vowell's take on American life is most welcome and effective when it's unexpected. The sixteen essays aren't particularly bad (except the one on Frank Sinatra, which is the one case where Vowell takes a conceit—Sinatra as the original punk—and attempts to ram it home despite the obvious contradictions), but very few of them are truly engaging in the way her radio work is. The best two, are not surprisingly, two of the most personal: "Shooting Dad", in which she elegantly displays her relationship with her gun-loving father, and "What I See When I Look On the Face on the $20 Bill", in which she and her sister embark on a "Trail of Tears" road trip to try and get in touch with their part-Cherokee heritage. On the other end of the spectrum are her set pieces on the famous Chelsea Hotel, learning to drive, hanging out with goths, Disney World, a cheezy Rock 'n Roll fantasy camp, none of which are particularly insightful, funny, or distinctive. Somewhere in the middle are more autobiographical pieces, such as those on her insomnia, obsession with The Godfather, playing music in high school, and the end of the world all of which have chuckle moments and are much less self-consciously post-ironic hipsteresque than other parts. Vowell is great on radio, and I suspect over time, she'll get better and better on paper. The two recommendations I have for this book are to spread it out over time, read it in small chunks, and not to have overly high expectations. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Dissecting America, 31 Dec 2000 By A Customer This review is from: Take the Cannoli: Stories from the New World (Hardcover) n the part of the world where I live, good English books are rare. Having something as " "alternative" " as this stacked in the bookshops... yeah, right. I first saw Sarah Vowell on the David Letterman Show. The thing that made me want to buy this book was the title. Yes, I am obssessed with the Godfather too. As I read on, I found it had as much to do with the Godfather as sliced bread did. Having said this, you would probably have thought that I might have chucked the book. But no, I couldn't put it down. I guess the best words to describe this book would be "nakedly autobiographical". As I read on, I found myself identifying with Vowell's voice, even though I was brought up in land where America was portrayed as the pathetic setting for the Rosanne comedy skits on TV. Essays like "Music Lessons" have more to do with Ms. Vowell's analysis of accidental life lessons she gained from her band-geek days, like how the Darwinian implications of high school cliques carries over to the real world, than actual MUSIC LESSONS. "Orchestra kids wear tuxedos. Band kids wear tuxedo T-shirts. The one thing the band kids and the orchestra kids had in common was a unified disgust for the chorus kids who were, to us, merely drama geeks with access to four-part harmony." I don't think there's a book out there that even slightly resembles this one. If there was, they probably nicked the ideas off Sarah Vowell. Read it. You WON'T be sorry. I can vouch for that. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   5.0 out of 5 stars from a fellow don corleone disciple, 15 Jun 2002 By A Customer i loved this book and finished it in two sittings. the author's wonderfully witty observations are fantastic, with the anicdotal nature of her writing making the reader feel relaxed; as a result you actually want to hear what she has to say, even though it may not apply to all. from her obbsession with 'the godfather' to a frank sinatra pilgrimage, this book spans the whole of north america and is a must for any u.s.a fan. a thoroughly enjoyable yarn! Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 3 customer reviews...		Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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