Sarah Vowell to Deliver Jones Lecture

The New York Times’ bestselling author Sarah Vowell will discuss her latest book, Lafayette in the Somewhat United States, as part of the Jones Lecture series on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016, at Colton Chapel.

Vowell’s work explores how the young French aristocrat expected to discover an America united by the ideals of the Enlightenment but instead found divided allegiances—revolutionaries and loyalists—and a Congress often at odds with the Continental Army.

Described as the “Queen of the literary hipster nerds” by Vanity Fair, Vowell is also a journalist, essayist, social commentator, and actress. She was a contributing editor for NPR’s This American Life from 1996 to 2008, producing numerous commentaries and documentaries for the weekly broadcast and touring the country for many of its live shows.

She has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. For the Pixar animated film The Incredibles, she voiced the character of Violet Parr.