Unfamiliar Fishes in paperback

Sarah Vowell’s Unfamiliar Fishes is now available in paperback.

And here’s an interview with her in the LA Weekly, including this:

You mentioned some Hawaiians who carried signs that read, “We Are Not Americans” at a parade for the 50th anniversary of its statehood. Have those types given you any feedback on your book?

Oh, yes. There’s a pretty potent community of native activists there who have spent decades picketing and speaking out about Hawaiian sovereignty. To my delight, they have really embraced the book because someone with access to the American mass media is telling the story of how the United States took over their country and, in their opinion, wrecked it.

I also found those people to be an invaluable resource when I was researching the book. The nice thing about people who hold grudges is that they are exceedingly knowledgeable about the past and are more than happy to talk about it! One of the interviews I did with one of those protesters was supposed to be a half-hour lunch. It lasted six hours. I learned a lot.