Unfamiliar Fishes - New Audiobook From Sarah Vowell

Online, March 21, 2011 (Newswire.com) - "Outrageous and wise-cracking, educational but never dry, [UNFAMILIAR FISHES] is a thought-provoking and entertaining glimpse into the U.S.'s most unusual state and its unanticipated twists on the familiar story of Americanization." - Publishers Weekly on UNFAMILIAR FISHES

"History, as you've never listened to it. Doesn't it seem that history, at times, could use
a good laugh track?" - Newsday on ASSASSINATION VACATION audiobook

UNFAMILIAR FISHES

By Sarah Vowell

Bestselling author Sarah Vowell and an all-star cast of narrators - including Edward Norton, Keanu Reeves and Paul Rudd - take listeners on a historical journey in the new audiobook, UNFAMILIAR FISHES. In it, Vowell turns a keen eye, her unmistakable voice, and a penchant for history into compelling listening as she delves into the lush tropical paradise of Hawaii, a place where Manifest Destiny got a sunburn and American ideals went to die.

Vowell's trademark humor and wry observation skills have cemented her reputation as a celebrated social observer. After taking on the Puritans in2008's The Wordy Shipmates, the author, essayist, and longtime contributor to NPR's This American Life now breaks down the intriguing story of America's 1898 annexation of Hawaii and events that led up to it.

As with her previous audiobooks, Vowell has recruited a host of talented friends to help make UNFAMILIAR FISHES an engaging and memorable listening experience. Where else will you hear Academy Award-nominee Edward Norton cast as President Grover Cleveland, Mad Men's John Slattery portray author Ernest Hemingway, or original music by Academy Award-winner Michael Giacchino, the composer behind UP, RATATOUILLE and THE INCREDIBLES, as performed by singer-songwriter, Grant-Lee Phillips. Rounding out the cast are Saturday Night Live's Fred Armisen, Bill Hader and Maya Rudolph, The Daily Show's John Hodgman, and powerhouse film stars Catherine Keener (The Forty Year Old Virgin), Keanu Reeves (The Matrix), and Paul Rudd (Knocked Up).

UNFAMILIAR FISHES' entertaining glimpse into Hawaii's odd journey to statehood embraces Vowell's special brand of armchair history, making the bizarre and esoteric, fascinatingly relevant and fun. Listeners will be captivated from the first moment to the last as Sarah Vowell and a stellar cast of narrators turn out to make UNFAMILIAR FISHES an audiobook to remember.

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ABOUT THE PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster Audio is a leading publisher of general interest audiobooks including bestselling fiction, nonfiction, business/finance, self-improvement, inspiration, language learning programs, original audiobook productions, and children's titles. In addition to a list that includes such unparalleled authors as Mary Higgins Clark, Vince Flynn, Ernest Hemingway, Stephen King, Michael Lewis, and David McCullough. Simon & Schuster Audio has produced audiobooks that have won seven Grammy Awards and earned thirty-five Grammy nominations since 1989. For more information about Simon & Schuster Audio, visit our website at www.audio.simonandschuster.com.

Simon & Schuster, a part of the CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.

ABOUT Sarah Vowell: Sarah Vowell is a contributing editor for public radio's This American Life and has written for and Time, Esquire, GQ, Spin, Salon, McSweeneys, The Village Voice, and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of The Wordy Shipmates, Assassination Vacation, The Partly Cloudy Patriot, Take the Cannoli, and Radio On. She lives in New York City.