Program 489: Sarah Vowell American Hawaii; Rick Mercer Canada 150; Winning the Palio

Author and This American Life contributor Sarah Vowell tells us what she's recently learned about the Americanization of the Hawaiian islands. Then say "Happy 150th birthday" to Canada with one of its top TV personalities, Rick Mercer. Plus, a tour guide from Siena tells us how her adopted neighborhood won last year's Palio horse race — twice.

• Author Sarah Vowell
• CBC-TV host Rick Mercer
• Art historian and tour guide Anna Piperato from Siena, Italy

• Sarah Vowell has written six best-selling nonfiction books on American history and culture, including "Unfamiliar Fishes" about the American annexation of Hawaii in the 1890s. Her latest is "Lafayette in the Somewhat United States." She is represented by the Stephen Barclay Agency. 
• Sarah Vowell's book about Hawaiian history was reviewed in the New York Times in 2011.  She was also interviewed about "Unfamiliar Fishes" by Mother Jones magazine.
• Iolani Palace in Honolulu is the only royal palace in the United States.
• Iao Valley State Monument in on Maui.
• Rick Mercer will host an evening of standup comedy on Thursday, July 27 at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal. 
• Video of Siena's Palio celebration, from Rick's TV show "Rick Steves' Europe."
• Rick also recorded the excitement from his window perch above the Palio race on his cellphone.
• Here is video of the actual race in which the Lupa contrada wins the July 2, 2016 Palio race.
• Wikipedia has detailed information about the history of the Palio race, and a chart of wins dating back to the 17th century.