Take the Cannoli by sarah vowell

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

I have an intense love for Sarah Vowell's writing. There is just something about her unique voice that truly strikes a profound chord within me. I can deeply identify with various aspects of her life as she presents them in her works. Her unwavering obsession with books, her arduous struggles in relating to her more conservative family, her battle with insomnia, and her complex ambivalence towards Disney all resonate with me on a personal level.

Among the selections in this particular book, my absolute favorite was her retracing of the Trail of Tears. Through her account, I was able to learn several new and eye-opening things about this truly horrible event. I discovered the significant involvement of Stand Waite. My all-time favorite book during my 6th grade days (which I read an astonishing over 50 times) was "Rifles for Waite" by Harold Keith. This book provided an excellent and comprehensive look at the Civil War from both sides. From it, I gained a deeper understanding of the reasons why the Cherokee Nation chose to join the Confederacy and was aware that many of them were indeed slave owners.

My dear friend Suzy, who is part Cherokee, and I have had numerous discussions about the Trail of Tears and Andrew Jackson. However, it was not until Sarah Vowell made the connection and shared it that I truly realized the implications. This meant that the Cherokees on the Trail of Tears took their slaves with them on that brutally forced march. If one quarter of the 16,000 Cherokees died on the way to Oklahoma due to cold and starvation, one can only wonder how many enslaved people also perished. As Vowell so poignantly said, as degrading as slavery was, it would have been even worse being the slave to a broken refugee Indian. Vowell emerged from this experience with a new and profound sense of connection to that particular part of her family history. For me, on the other hand, I gained yet another valuable nugget of the psychology of American history to ponder and chew on.

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Singulariity

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

A peek into Sarah's journey that defines her as a person and a writer is truly captivating.

This book winds through a funny, insightful, and at times neurotic journey as Sarah and her sister Amy trace the "Trail of Tears" which their ancestors took. It offers a poignant look at the bitter past of our nation's dark history, vividly illustrating the broken promises and prejudice that are part of our legacy.

During this trip, Sarah endeavors to find herself. She eventually ends up as a pseudo goth, only to discover that one cannot truly hide who they really are.

Sarah Vowell is an extremely funny individual, and her humor and writing are well thought out. Her unique perspective and engaging storytelling make this a must-read for anyone interested in history, self-discovery, and a good laugh.

Overall, this book is a remarkable exploration of one woman's journey and a powerful reminder of the importance of facing our past and being true to ourselves.

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Kaiser_Chris

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

Thankfully, I had a much more positive experience with Take the Cannoli compared to Radio On.

The essays in this collection, on the whole, struck me as being funnier and/or more engaging. The concept of being instructed on how to drive by Ira Glass is truly delightful.

Moreover, the essay regarding the Trail of Tears was not only interesting but also highly thought-provoking.

This collection was undeniably superior to Radio On. Perhaps it's because Vowell was more mature when she penned these pieces, or maybe they are less self-centered (or are they?).

I'm not entirely sure. Maybe it's because Take the Cannoli wasn't as focused on a particular time period but rather on life in general.

I simply preferred this set of essays over the first one I read. In fact, I might even recommend it to others, while I would urge people to stay far away from Radio On.

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Hachannn

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

Someone placed 2 Sarah Vowell books in my Little Free Library. Naturally, I felt compelled to take them out and read them before putting them back in.

The essays within this book range from the uproariously hilarious to the deeply tragic. The account of Vowell's journey with her twin sister, who is part Cherokee, along the Trail of Tears is poignant. It vividly highlights the irony of their taking a car trip over a few days, while their ancestors endured months of bloodshed and death on the same path. They visited various sites and interacted with people along the way,赋予the trail personal significance.

I couldn't help but laugh out loud at the essay about how Vowell's boss, NPR's Ira Glass, insisted that at the age of 30, she learn to drive, and what ultimately persuaded her. I won't reveal the details here...you'll have to read it for yourselves!

I inserted bookmarks on many other pages so that I could easily locate and share snippets and vignettes with my husband and friends.

It will be a challenge to return this book to my LFL because I have grown so fond of it. However, I will do so because others deserve to read it as well. Maybe one day I'll obtain another copy for myself.

In the meantime, I can explore the other two Vowell books we have at home, including the one I purchased for my husband on Father's Day, Assassination Vacation.

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alifiank

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

I truly relished this book. It presented a seamless blend of history, Elvis, and the Godfather.

Among all the elements, my absolute favorite was the essay dedicated to Sinatra and Hoboken.

I have visited Leo's restaurant on numerous occasions. However, it has been several years since my last visit.

Consequently, I now feel compelled to make a return trip.

This book has not only rekindled my interest in these fascinating topics but has also inspired me to revisit the places that hold special memories.

I am excited to once again experience the charm of Leo's restaurant and soak in the atmosphere that is so richly described in the book.

It will be a wonderful opportunity to connect the dots between the written word and my own personal experiences.

I look forward to this upcoming trip with great anticipation.

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kikichan_

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

Quick read.

A lot of these stories were already familiar to me from This American Life. This American Life is a well-known radio show and podcast that features a wide variety of true stories from different people and walks of life.

I have been a regular listener of This American Life for quite some time, and as a result, many of the stories in this article seemed quite familiar.

The show has a unique way of presenting stories that makes them engaging and relatable. The hosts often interview the people involved in the stories and add their own commentary and insights.

Despite already knowing some of the stories, it was still interesting to read them in a different format. The article provided a new perspective on the stories and allowed me to think about them in a different way.

Overall, I found the article to be a quick and enjoyable read, even though some of the stories were already familiar to me.

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Nakuke

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

Sarah Vowell is an interesting and complex figure. She is both intelligent and has a sharp wit, as seen in her interviews with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. She is a curious blend, writing for NPR while also celebrating her "white trash" background.

Her collection of stories, Take the Cannoli, is uneven, which is to be expected with a writer like Vowell. Her style is to take the events and thoughts in her life and turn them into stories, not quite stream of consciousness but more like a stream of life. This can be interesting at times, but not always.

Some of her stories are quite engaging. For example, she goes to Disney World with her gay New Yorker friend and learns to drive with Ira Glass. She also steps out of her comfort zone to go through a goth makeover and check out the club scene in San Francisco. One of her best lines in the book comes from this experience: "By the time they're done cinching up the corset and stabilizing my bustle, I'm in so many layers of black lace scarves and fringe and fishnet stockings that I could play strip poker for three weeks without baring my belly button." However, there are also stories about Frank Sinatra, which seem out of place.

The most moving story in the collection is "Take the Cannoli," from which the book takes its title. In this story, Vowell talks about her compulsive watching of The Godfather in college as she struggles with the loss of her religious faith and finds comfort in the moral certainties of Sicilian mafia family values. The line "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli" from the movie encapsulates a philosophy of life for her.

In "The End is Near, Nearer, Nearest," Vowell describes growing up with religion in Oklahoma, with its fire and brimstone, Armageddon, and sin. Naturally, in the late 1990s, she attends a Y2K seminar, which brings back familiar memories from her fundamentalist upbringing. However, by now she is an adult and can reject this nonsense. The passage about heaven on earth is my favorite in the whole book.

Overall, if you skip the Sinatra stories and anything else that doesn't interest you in the first couple of pages, you will enjoy this book. It is a bit narcissistic, but if you like Vowell's point of view, that's okay.

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zombiexhead

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

This is the first of Sarah Vowell's books that I read.

Her writing style is indeed funny, yet she doesn't quite reach the comedic heights of David Sedaris or Augusten Burroughs. Perhaps it's just my perception that gay men have a certain brand of humor that I find more appealing. I'm not entirely sure.

My main gripe with Sarah Vowell is her extremely enthusiastic and overly patriotic stance. She truly seems to believe that the system would function perfectly if everyone simply played by the rules. Despite this significant difference in our outlooks and beliefs, I still have a desire for Sarah Vowell to be my friend. She is interesting and has just the right amount of crankiness to be both amusing and endearing. Of course, this is only the persona she presents in her writing, so perhaps in reality, she is even crankier than I imagine.

Nevertheless, her books have provided me with entertainment and food for thought, and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

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