Funds for Bookworm are provided in part by Lannin Foundation.

You are a human animal.

You are a very special breed,

or you are the only animal,

who can think, who can reason, who can read.

I'm KCRW, Santa Monica. I'm Michael Silverblatt, and this is Bookworm. Today I'm happy to have

as my guest, Sarah Vowell, whose most recent book is the wordy shipmates. It's published by Riverhead.

Her previous books include assassination, vacation,

the partly cloudy Patriot,

Radio On,

and one more take with Canoli out of order.

This book is a book about the American Puritans,

and it seems to be part of an ongoing shaping that's going on in her work,

about how to be an American working through the values such as they are in America and still being willing to stay here.

And what in the Puritans brings you to a feeling that you can continue to be here?

Well, you know, I have friends here also in America and family and, you know, a home and my record

collection.

But let's see, the Puritans.

What do I like about them?

Is that what you're asking me?

Yes, and it seems like they provide some version of an American goal that seems acceptable

even with all of their difficulties and downsides.

...