# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
" except for the people who were there that one day they discovered the polio vaccine, being part of history is rarely a good idea. History is one war after another with a bunch of murders in between”
P.208
Type:Basic

Response:
I thought she loved history, wouldn’t she want to be apart of it. She contradicts herself a lot throughout the book. Which makes me uniterested

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"For the record (and for the FBI agent forced to watch this and make sure I mean no harm-hello there), clearly state that while I am obsessed with death, I am against it."
P.6
Type:Evaluation

Response:
Throughout the preface Sarah Vowell talks about how she is obsessed with death, over and over again. I find this a bit disturbing and odd. She is very blunt in her writing and I feel that makes readers turn away from this book more than it draws them in.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"Presidents and Presidential assassins are like Las Vegas and Salt Lake City that way. Even Though one is all about sin and the other one is all about salvation, They are identical,one-dimensional company towns built up out of the desert by the sheer will of true believers."
P.7
Type: Interpretation

Response:
This quote shows the view the author has on the subject of assassinations of presidents and sets up how the book is going to look right at the beginning.

# data[].attributes.body
"once I knew my dead Presidents and I had become insufferable, I started to censor myself... I didn't hear half of what was being said because i was sitting there, silently chiding myself, don't bring up Mckinley. Don't bring up Mckinley."
P.13
Type: Rant

Response:
I'm questioning author's sanity.. this quote sums up how the preface was written and the ideas that displayed. This brings up the question of why so interested in president's death and dark nature in these ideas. Although this is just the preface this quote and many other things in the book sums how how the book is a bit odd from the start.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"George Washington's amusingly misearble letters from the front- New Jersey is full of whores giving his solidiers..."
P.21
Type: Evaluation

Response:
I feel as though Vowell may be being a little harsh describing the play and what's going on and in it. she uses choice words, that shocks readers and for me pushed my interest away.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"The Lincoln Memorial is the lovliest when the sun goes down. It glows. It's quiet.. The lights bounce off the Marble and onto their faces so that they glow too."
P.25
Type: Rhetoric

Response:
Sarah Vowell uses great descriptions and imagery in the quote to describe the memorial. This quote shows how much she enjoys it, by her description you can picture the memorial in the way she sees it and picture it as beatutiful."

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
" I am standing there reading the plaque admiring mudd- forgiving him."
P.75
Type: Basic

Response:
Why does she develop a sense of connection to the murderers and those that assist them. It confuses me and also shows I don't understand her personality, or the way she thinks.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
" Thus I am bobbing up and down here on the edge of Bermuda Triangle opening up my third paper barf bag"
p.67
Type: rave

Response:
Although her traveling and getting seasick is a bit off the point of the story, i find it amusing and somewhat of a break from the harsh death and assasignations from the rest of the story.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
" Poe wrote his famous Poem of John Wilkes Booth reminds me of how much the two Marylanders have in common."
P.90
Type: Rhetoric

Response:
Vowell uses a compare an contrast method to show her thoughts ideas, and the lines she draws between literature and History. This comparison gives us an idea of Sarah thinks.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
" Aunt Sarah, she see a snake and she say. AH! AH! AH!"
P.43
Type: Evaluation

Response:
Throughout the book, She goes off topic a lot and strays from the point often. I find this style of writing is a little hard to read, yet helps you understand what she is thinking. I find it more difficult to read with all the off topic points she throws in.

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Quote:
"Calls the layout candy land of death."
P.89
Type: Rhetoric

Response:
She uses vivid descriptions, and a use of imagery to paint a creepy picture in your head. Although it is creepy it works. It draws the readers attention in.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"It's time for the slavery question."
P.22
Type: Rant

Response:
When Sarah is talking about slavery in this part of the book. she is very harsh, which is how she described almost everything, very harshly. I thiught this was escpecially insensitive and a little too much.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"Back home in New York, I'm always bumping into John Wilkes Booth's big brother Edwin, I see Edwin's statue almost every day."
P.99
Type: Basic

Response:
Does she go see the statue everyday or does she just happen to walk by it everyday? If she goes too see it everyday it seems a little obsessive to go see a statue every single day."

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
On April 21, A week after shooting Lincoln, Booth wrote the following in his Journal, .. comparing himself to Brutus "
P. 81
Type : Evaluation

Response:
Sarah Vowell really knows the history behind every story. It shows good writing skills and dedication to what she is writing about.It would make a huge difference in the book if she wrote something she wasn't passionate about. The book provides about a lot of historical background. It shows small details that you typically wouldn't know.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"But the Seward episode is especially action packed.."
p.31
Type: Evauation

Response:
Once again I find this a little insensitive, talking about someones assasignation as 'acton packed', may end up turning readers away from the book entirely, just because her writing is so blunt.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
" Hanging underneath Mollie's words is Garfield's death mask, a shock."
P.125
Type: rhetoric

Response:
This quote adds a serious spooky tone to the text. The change in tone brings it to a serious place and adds to the intensity. It draws in the readers attention

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
" I realize how much of our relationship revolves around body parts and severed heads."
P. 43
Type: Rant

Response: This part of the book creeped me out a little bit. I find it odd that her kid nephew and her relationship revolves around dead people and such gory things. The way she thinks doesnt really draw my attention in, makes me more uninterested.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
" But the 1800 Republican National Convention in summertime Chicago was unpredictable, a hissy fit on the verge of a riot."
P.128
Type:Interpretation

Response:
She is using background information to provide vivid details. She also gives details about her political stance, she gives us details about this because its her personal book, and she throughout the book gives her harsh thoughts and beliefs.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"It's People whose bodies or body parts are here in the museum who have made possible the education... That I think is the way we ought to look at the collections and not just think of it as spooky and weird."
P.94
Type:Reflection

Response:
I think this shows a little bit more of her sensitive side and respecting those who have died. I agree with this we are able to study them and shouldn’t be creeped out

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"Garfield's assassination meant he would miss out on so much... but I would imagine he would have also mourned all the books he never got to read."
P.133
Type: Evaluation

Response:
This proves she knows so much about the presidents and their personalities. She really does know a lot about the history, it helps her writing. It makes you take her more seriously.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
Written in 1774, Edwards sermon describes us as sinners as spiders the creator dangles over the mouth of hell... I love this sermon as literature."
P.149
Type: Basic

Response:
Why does She enjoy this? So dark and creepy, it weird. How does she enjoy or find interest in all these creepy things.The book pushes me away because of this.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"Of course I sympathized with his bum of luck death."
Type: Rant

Response:
She talks about death like its no big deal. Maybe this is her way of dealing with death, but its insensitive.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
" Garfield's campaign song,"If the Johnies get into the power."set to the tune of when Johnny comes marching home."
p.155
Type: rhetoric

Response:
She sets tone with this passage, she then goes on to describe the song. It sets a certain tone for the next pages, more of a happier tone. Its almost a break from all the dark and gloom.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"I get a look at the choir, thirty singers and from where I’m sitting it looks like only two of them are black”
P. 250
Type: evaluation

Response:
Using controvesal topics in her book might push readers away. Its might be a little to harsh, and it certain had lost my attention for the book.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"I’m sure you’ll be hit by lightning Or perhaps a tidal wave.”
P.181
Type:reflection

Response:
I find this kind of amusing. It’s so rare for either one of these and The fact he thinks she is cursed is funny.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"I am not ashamed to tell you, gentlemen, that I went down on my knees and prayed to almighty God for light and guidance”
P.202
Type: rant

Response:
Throughout the book she is very inconsistent on what she says and her thoughts. She contradicts herself a lot. She has talked in the book that she is not religious but yet she is praying, this doesn’t make sense.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
" I find it hard to picture it as it must have looked on the night of Garfield's ball:decorated with flags and bunting,seven thousand people lit by the glow of three thousand gaslights."
P.158
Type: evaluation

Response:
She Uses great description and imagery in this quote. It provides a perfect picture of the ideas she has in her head and how the night went and looked.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
“ To me, every plaque, no matter what words are inscribed on it. Says the same magic information thing: Something Happened!”
P.159
Type: reflection

Response:
I can relate to this because over spring break I was at a civil war museum and had a similar thought about the plaques and history, they are all somewhat the same, because something major happened. This quote popped out because it was a simialiar thought to one of mine.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
“Then, as if getting blown up is not enough to worry about..”
P.250
Type:rant

Response:
Why does she talk about such gory and heavy things with such a insensitive manner. This tone of like joking around about death has bothered me the entire book. I myself am one to joke and not take things seriously, but this is too far.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
" Bright botanical decorative panels are still cheering up the walls...is welcoming and quaint."
P.157
Type: reflection

Response:
She describes this almost cheery, I like the way she describes it. I am a happy, cheery person, and the way she describes it reminds me of the way I see things.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote
“-that McKinley could be fun or that anyone alive was thinking of him at all”
P.209
Type:reflection

Response:
I can relate to this because I don’t really enjoy history and wouldn’t think a monument would be fun. I also don’t think about history or past presidents a lot either

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
I’m at the Lincoln Memorail Center ten past six to strategize my seat location.
P.249
Type: Basic

Response:
Why is she at an Easter church service when she says she’s not religious? This lady confuses me..

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"I have a strange sensation I can’t put my finger on. Suddenly it registers. I think I might be crowded.”
P. 166
Type: rant

Response:
This is off topic, she seems to through in these little details that stray away from the point. It’s like she writes down everything she thinks in her head and it distract from the purpose of the book.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
That probably isn’t saying much, as I spend most of my free time indoors around people who talk about politics and entertainment.
P.224
Type: interpretation

Response:
I think she adds this to give a little humor but also show her personality and how she carries herself among others. It shows alot  about her and how she has come to know so much about the topics she enjoys.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"Fate seems to grant each man one last good day, some moment of grace and whimsy..”
P.211
Type:Basic

Response: Maybe it’s not that every man has one good last day , but maybe we try and think that they do, so it’s an easier way for us to handle them dying?

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"Having a hard life doesn’t justify murder”
P.215
Type:reflection

Response:
I completely agree with this. Nowadays people seem to make excuses for people who do horrible things because they have issues, or have certain mental problems. Just because life is rough it you have a hard life does not mean it is okay to do horrible things.