This is a splendidly obtuse look into one of the pivotal periods of American history, when the US was becoming the Empire of the title, in effect attempting to take over the role of the fading British Empire and essentially ending its policy of isolationism. I say obtuse because the formal political action takes place for the most part off-stage. Instead, we are treated to an hilarious novel of the manners of the ruling class, as defined by wealth and pedigree. The protagonists discuss the great decisions being made - which led directly to American involvement in the World Wars and later Vietnam - almost inadvertently, as when they are cutting a wedding cake, and purely in reference to their own careers and selfish aspirations.

The main characters are extremely good. There is McKinley (a political master about whom I knew virtually nothing and hence learned a good deal), Teddy Roosevelt (a buffoon in Vidal's hands who is also a political juggernaut), WR Hearst (a devourer of anything he desires and self-appointed "creator" of history), and John Hay (Lincoln's secretary, TR's secretary of state, and an imperialist). There are also the fictional Sanford half-brother and -sister, who appear in his other American novels, who are very funny as they struggle ruthlessly against eachother for the family fortune as well as for the same man. The peccadilloes of finely drawn characters were the stuff that made empires fall and created war, in particular in the Philippines. There are also the Vanderbilts, the Whitneys, and many other giants from the Gilded Age. Finally, Henry James has two brief appearances and goes into long monologues that read exactly like his stuffy prose.

In addition to the theme of the rise of the modern media with Hearst's active creation of news - perhaps literally provoking the war with Spain by manufacturing a crisis to sell newspapers - the reader is treated to the technological changes that are going on as a backdrop (electricity and horseless carriages). It is marvelously evocative, particularly as it occurred at the beginning of the last century and inspired a sense of wonder, which is the greatest achievement an historical novel can aspire to.

Because he grew up in this milieu (his Grandfather, as one of the first appointed Senators from the new state of Oklahoma, makes a sly cameo appearance) Vidal is most convincing as he dissects the casual vanity of people in power: they are just going into the family business of politics, to which they feel entitled, and are apparently not filled with the ideals that we were taught in school, or so Vidal would have us believe. As a subtle and wholly jaundiced take on America, his is a truly original comic voice and the prose is as luminous as ever. While I disagreed with a lot of it, I laughed at least once on every page and I felt like learning more about most of the characters. That to me is another sign of the novel's success. Nonetheless, now that I have read almost all of the series, I am beginning to tire of Vidal's cynicism. There is something so relentless, even facile, about it that it makes me wonder if Vidal is playing with the reader or if the deficiency of vision is in fact his and not the subjects' he chooses to accuse of hypocrisy and demagogy.

Warmly recommended.

1898 - Caroline Sanford returns to the United States to dispute her late father's will with her half-brother, Blaise. America has just won a war with Spain and has gained overseas possessions as a result. In political circles, a debate rages over what the US should do with the spoils of war - are they really "possessions" in the true imperial sense, or "liberated countries"? Is this the start of an American Empire, competing directly with other Empires?

This is a highly entertaining historical novel, in which Vidal weaves Catherine and Blaise's stories into the wider themes of an emergent, radically different America, one with a world role. The technique Vidal uses is similar to those used in his earlier "American Saga" novels, but what fascinates Vidal is the change in the nature of politics and the rise of what would now be termed media moguls, such as WR Hearst. A conflict seemed to be going on for control of domestic politics and politicians, in which the old systems of patronage were being challenged by the influence of big industry, both of which were in turn challenged by those in control of the mass media (and who could therefore "shape" public opinion).

Such themes are, of course, relevant today - for example, the US has just won another war in which it would like to be seen as a liberating force rather than an imperial one. It was interesting to contrast today's debate with what Vidal saw as the post 1898 debate. More than that, however, it seemed to me that there was a deep regret throughout "Empire", in that Vidal saw the ideals upon which the early Republic had been founded as having been finally destroyed. I suppose that Vidal would question whether or not those ideals were ever anything other than aspirations, but the new world reality in which America found itself seemed to have brought with it a regrettable loss of innocence - Caroline Sanford's loss of her own virginity could perhaps be seen as a metaphor for that greater loss of innocence?

G Rodgers

Fictional creation Caroline Sanford, owner of the Washington Tribune, is the central character in this historical novel that focuses on late 19th/early 20th century America's emergence as a global power. A well-written tale in the tradition of the author's Burr and 1876, it encompasses the Spanish-American War of 1898, U.S. takeover of the Philippines, President McKinley's assassination, and the stormy presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. Interesting and well-developed real-life characters abound, including, most memorably, Secretary of State and Lincoln's old friend John Hay. Intermixed with the well-researched backdrop of historical characters and events is Caroline's personal story. The fifth novel in Vidal's ``American Chronicle'' series, this is yet another winner. Highly recommended.

Great for people who haven't read the essays before. Vidal rules the psycho-sociological TAKE on historical relevance in today's "situations".....or "acts," if you prefer. He knows where to provide the JUICE in each issue and has a backlog of great lit & history that helps swirl the goodies with great authority. Who knows what he's up to. ARe the days of cruisin for boys over, or does he resort to the South American tradition of "little boys'" parties. I seriously doubt it, but it would be funny. The book CRADLE OF EROTICA by Kinsey & Masters (Kinsey's ghost name is Allan Edwardes) is a great side book to have along the ride. Unfortunately he "peppers"(a word he humiliates in the essays) the good stuff with opinions on population control. Hell, the supply of young nubile boys enjoyed by the literary elite would certainly go down if his ideas were to be applied!!!

Anyways, Vidal could write more of this good stuff, but his grumblin' needs to get the TRUTH out prevents it. That's fine, but that just requires his reading public to savor every word, if ya ask a true fan.

... Environmental Consciousness, Political Awareness and generally not succumbing to the mindless morass of pedestrian thought and values -- which are neither thought-through nor truly valuable. Gore Vidal's compiled essays on sexuality -- both in terms of the act as well as gender and sexual orientation -- is an invaluable comfort to anyone whose rejection of "The American Dream" has been met with resistance and criticism.

Read Vidal, and then remember that being who you are is more important than succumbing to who other people try to convince you to be.

It is axiomatic that Gore Vidal has long been one of the more underrated American literary masters of the 20th century. It is brilliant compilations like SEXUALLY SPEAKING that do battle with this oversight. Not often do books emerge that contain such wit, history and a chilling timeliness, that can be both enlightening and serve as a puckish summer read. The supplemental commentary is piercing, poignant and vulgar. This is the book that archeologists will dig up in two hundred years, to see how sexual identity in the 20th century was both confused and triumphant

According to the back cover of the Penguin edition of Gore Vidal's "Messiah," this novel was first published in 1954. With that in mind, the book is unsettlingly prophetic in its depiction of a media driven, controversy-plagued religious movement; it's almost as if Vidal had looked into the future and seen the coming era of televangelists and death cults.

"Messiah" is told in the first person by Eugene Luther, a key figure in the rise of the Cavite movement. This new religion is founded by John Cave, who preaches the simple message that "it is good to die." Vidal uses a very effective narrative device: Luther is an older man who alternates between narrating his current life in exile and the birth if the Cavite movement 50 years previously. Thus, the reader essentially gets two parallel stories of the same man at different stages in his life.

"Messiah" could be read as a sort of science fiction novel: one based not in the physical sciences, but rather in a flight of fancy derived from concepts from the social sciences. Vidal's novel is flawed in that the Cavite movement is not fleshed out enough to be wholly convincing. But what's here is indeed intriguing. Vidal looks at the creation of the new religion's scriptures, infighting among the new faith's inner circle, etc. He ultimately considers some big questions, such as the plasticity of history in the service of dogma. And the book is very much a reflection on religion in the United States; one character notes that "America is particularly known for religious maniacs."

I think of "Messiah" as one of a group of literary works that look at the creation of imaginary new religions. As companion texts, I recommend Kurt Vonnegut's "Cat's Cradle" and Tony Kushner's 2-part play "Angels in America."

Great Literature opens the window for all to see what is hidden behind ordinary verbiage-to make transparent words that cloak and distort the world. Vidal allows John Cave and his other characters to speak like few others have spoken. Life is "like a spray in the ocean. There it forms, there it goes back to the sea." "Neither revenge nor reward, only the not-knowing in the grave which is the same for all." "It is good to die." John Cave discovered that with his proposal to establish suicide centers came the obligation for himself, like Christ, to take leave of earth. Like all messiahs Cave had to take the final step, showing mankind his Cavesway.

This is a great novelization of ideas best expressed by Eric Hoffer, THE TRUE BELIEVER, who tried to account for the rise of Hitler, Stalin, and others. The catalyst for mass movements are groups who are bored and frustrated by the mechanized societies that spawn them. The character Clarissa remarks, "boredom, finally, is the one monster the race will never conquer-the monster which will devour us in time." Cave's message was to "minds corseted and constricted by familiar ways of thinking, often the opposite of what they truly believed." Vidal wasn't writing to those who thoughtlessly accept life as it is and was dished out. I consider this book great literature.

Messiah was the first book I read by Gore Vidal. He is an amazing story teller. You will not be able to stop thinking about this book. I have recommended this book to everyone I know. Read Kalki as well. Wonderful stuff!!

Vanden Heuvel is to the left what Rush Limbaugh is to the right. Objectivity be damned!

However, the authors state their positions passionately and persuasively. Like one of the reviewers stated previously, if you have a conservative bent, the articles will make you really think about your position. If, on the other hand, you are more liberally inclined, these articles won't say anything that you haven't already heard.

I am not your typical Nation reader, not by any means. In fact I am pretty much so a right winger, but I was curious and thought I'd check out this collection. While I can't say it changed my mind any, in fact it might have done the exact opposite, this is a very interesting and well written piece of work. I do not agree with the politics of The Nation, but I must say they have some of the best contributors writing for them, and they do make you think about your own stances. If you actually agree with their politics, you probably already know about this book and have read it. If not, and you want to see what the other side believes, this is a great way to educate yourself.

This book is for those who missed out on the ~500 issues it draws from, or those who're curious about the ultimate tastes of Victor Navasky, publisher, and Katrina Vanden Heuval, editor. How do you filter the best of ten years? Interesting to ponder. These two must have been taking notes the whole time.

TheNation is a magazine it is good to have discovered. I found it when some soul regularly put big piles of free issues on a table in the English building at my college. A subversive act, no? If you consider progress subversive. It was kind of strange to read at first. Who were all these people mentioned? What were these groups? But once you get in synch with the vibe, the magazine becomes truly exciting and audacious. I don't know how some of these writers became so intellectually powerful, so incisive at tearing apart the fabric of the consensus trance and revealing the bloody insides of what a DeLillo character called The Festival of Death. Which world is this? This book will help you know, with respect to whether you can be helped.

Is TheNation provincial? Some say so, but I think not. What about its coverage of Russia? Latin America? Africa? The Middle East? Asia? Europe? America is the focus, of course, but would we want it different? How can we influence lands far away if we don't yet know the secrets of our own land? Isn't the most powerful machine a good one to examine if we'd like to twist the world history vector? And if you want to get into the foreign more than the magazine itself gives you, there are lots of book recommendations to be had--books that will take you wherever you want to go, and what's more, books that will explore the world in ways you may not have even dreamed of.

No relevent aspect of reality goes unnoticed in the textuality of The Nation, the books, the readers. The perceptual net is tight--the neurotic denial of perspectives is fully minimized here. How much is going on? Can you help people? What about armchair radicals? I have nothing against sitting in chairs. I find myself reading this book, and thinking, I'm totally unable to participate in struggle for justice X, yet--in a certain way, reading about it is enough. If we can't save the victims, we can at least know of them. There is infinite Pain going on, and it's hard to influence an infinity, but any decrease in pain is meaningful. Everything is meaningful.

Peggy was a trip. She also apparently had no editor, or so it seems, which adds to the air of entitlement and oblique charm that permeates this book. Her accounts are interesting historically, though PG's slant on history is sometimes its own beast. This is a quick read and some of her observations will make you laugh out loud ("I was worried about my virginity--I was twenty-three and I found it burdensome..."), while others are chilling, especially the question of which Jews she deemed worthy of her efforts to help them get to the States. This may be more entertaining than informative, but it's both.

Here's the story of a woman that knew them all, felt the earth move under her feet with many of them, and bought their art for pretty much nothing. She recognized them when they were starting, and this makes her a Princess. This book is her equivalent to Gore Vidal's "Palimpsest" and Lillian Hellman's "Pentimento". This is one of those books that almost transports you to a long gone era, and makes you wish you could have been there to see it all.

This is a book you do not want to finish, you constantly wish that as you progress in your reading as the book will unfold in more pages. It does not happen. What a life story, full of art and style. What a charming book, simple and direct. Easy to read but so full of references to the Art of this Century. Peggy lived and tell the life of a brilliant collector not only of art pieces but of emotions and feelings. To me this is one of the best books of the year. It goes on top of DV by Diana Vreeland on my nightstand.

Though I confess to some sympathy towards the "queer essentialist" side of the ledger, Katz's "Invention of Heterosexuality" is a clever, daring, and wonderfully readable account of the construction of heterosexual identity. This is a fine text for undergraduates new to the study of historical sexuality, perhaps so much so because it is both scholarly and accessible.

Katz does a fine job of skewering Foucault for "his highly abstract level of discourse, his elusive prose, and his unwillingness to clarify his meaning with sufficient concrete examples." As a historian of sexuality who is a bit tired of our late French friend, Katz's words elicited a hearty "amen" from me!

All things considered, a worthy (and brief) contribution to the field, with a daring new angle.

For those who believe that heterosexuality and homosexuality are timeless orientations, this book is a useful eye-opener. Katz traces the development of the idea of a homosexual identity, paying attention to the role played by psychoanalysis and sexology. This is a readable book, not off-puttingly jargon-filled.

Jonathan Katz is a scrupulous, witty historian who gets better with every book. In "The Invention of Heterosexuality," Katz takes up one of the most neglected tasks in scholarship on sexuality, which is to look directly at what is considered 'normal', how it got to be considered normal, and how that norm has changed over time. This book is deceptively easy to read, given how challenging it is to dominant assumptions about sexuality. I recommend it highly!

I bought a rather tattered, cheapish 1960's paperback of 'A Thirsty Evil' some years ago ("an insight into the world of unconventional relationships", with an added essay 'On Pornography'). Puzzling, this is Gore Vidal's only collection of short fiction. He never seems to have taken to the format, yet he was of a generation that thrived on it (he's elsewhere adept at the short form - see his essays).

For readers used to Vidal's later, witty style, you may be disappointed. There is no 'Duluth' or 'Myra' here. All of these stories were written between 1948-56, at a time when Vidal was writing a bunch of diverse novels, before finding his voice with 'The Judgement of Paris' and 'Messiah'.

Several of these stories were published in the 'New World Writing' journal of the early fifties. I believe Vidal helped establish that periodical, which is notable for publishing Chapter 1 of 'Catch-22' by Joseph Heller in 1955 (called 'Catch-18').

My favourite stories in this collection are 'Erlinda and Mr. Coffin', darkly funny and written through the voice of "a gentlewoman in middle life" & 'A Moment of Green Laurel', where a man meets himself as a boy, a la 'The Twilight Zone'. 'Laurel' is haunting and seemingly autobiographical (from a writer who calls himself "the least autobiographical of authors").

The other stories are a mixed bunch - 'Three Strategems' is an interesting but rather cold depiction of Key West in the late 40s; 'The Robin' is a very brief reminiscence; 'The Zenner Trophy' tries a little too hard to preach its agenda - that it is perfectly normal for healthy young men to want to sleep with each other - no matter how perfectly right Vidal is in his opinion; 'Notes From An Abandoned Journal'; 'Ladies in the Library'.

From the mid-1950s (when this book was first published), until the publication of 'Julian' in 1964, Vidal was unable to financially support himself from his novels (he cites the New York Times' blanket refusal to review his books after 'The City and the Pillar'). He worked in Hollywood ('Ben-Hur'), television, the theatre (two hits - 'Visit from a Small Planet' and 'The Best Man'), and wrote pulp detective fiction under the pen name Edgar Box. Surprising, then, that he didn't pen any short stories in that era for the many magazines. Our loss.

This collection is very short, but very much a treat. It is the first work I read of Vidal's and I am very glad I ran into it (I saw it in Bargain Books at Barnes and Nobel, and such a low price on an author I'd been wanting to read was too tempting :-). The first story, "Three Stratagems," is a curious little gem about a hustler garnering the interest of a wealthy man. The atmosphere and narration are absorbing, and what happens at the end when the young hustler is in the rich man's room is truly surprising. "The Robin," is a short and disquieting piece about an old man looking back upon the cruelties of youth. "A Moment of Green Laurel" was definately interesting; as you read you strugle to figure out if the main character is crazy or the memories that haunt him do materialize in the way they do. At the end of the story, he finds himself face to face with himself as a young boy. "The Zenner Trophy" is a touching and aptly written piece. A boy is being evicted from his high school a mere couple weeks before graduation after being caught having never-specified homosexual relations with another student, but it is to be discovered that the closeted teacher sent to give him the news is taken it hard while the boy is seemingly indifferent; a great story on the commentary of the growing strength of each generation. "Erlinda and Mr Coffin," is not the books most entertaining piece, but it is decent anyway. It deals with the internal struggle of an old woman who fears what friens will think because she has a non-white girl staying in her boarding-house/hotel, as well as a dramatic fight between the girl--who has amazing voice-acting abilities--and the opporater of a local theatre. "Pages From An Abandoned Journal," is a fun, interesting story of the evolution of one man from being engaged to a woman, and the events that bring him to self realization. The story ends with him gay-clubbing and talking of his ex-lover, Bill. He meets some very interesting and entertaining characters on the way. The book ends with "The Ladies of the Library," which is a very intriguing piece reported to have many shades of Mann's A Death In Venice (I have not read the work yet, so I can not verify the similarities or their extent.)

This is a great collection, and a gay classic from when homosexuality was still called "sexual inversion."

It seems that Gore Vidal never quite gets the attention he deserves. His is one of the sharpest and freshest intellects around, and his writing is as good as one might expect from that description. It is only his essays, however, that seem to get much attention, but I contend that his novels, and this--his only collection of short stories--deserve, no, demand equal attention. Each story in here is well done and a pleasure to read; they are also stimulating to the mind. How often do I have the pleasure of saying I loved every short story in a single collection? It is a rare experience, I assure you. Highly recommended.

In his most illuminating and disturbing book Professor Shahak takes the lid off previously hidden Orthodox Jewish beliefs and practices. He explains how these beliefs are at the heart of the Zionist adventure and constitute a major influence upon Israeli government policies and actions. We are made aware of the paradox of a largely secular state basing its raison d'etre and future direction upon biblical text. The depth of Orthodox Jewish antipathy toward the gentile, and especially toward Christianity (and Jesus) will come as an unsettling surprise to the many millions of American evangelical Christians who uncritically accept a fawning admiration of all things Israeli repeatedly displayed by the TV evangelists. Frightening, too, is the near-total control of most Jewish organizations now in the hands of Zionists; it is now almost impossible for a Jew to openly disassociate him or herself from, let alone be critical of, the state of Israel or the aims of Zionism. Whereas the critical gentile must be an 'anti-Semite' so must the critical Jew be 'self-hating'. Whatever your point of view on the situation in Israel, whatever your religion or philosophical perspective, however deeply you hold your convictions, you cannot fail to be challenged by this marvelous book.

If you talk to a Muslim/Christian palastinian who is living under the Israeli occupation, he or she will not be surprised by what is written in Mr. Shahak's book. What is being described in this book as classical judaism teaching is currently being practiced and for the last fifty years in the State of Israel in the form of legitimate Judaism but comprise extreme injustice against non-Jewish people of Israel and of the occupied territories. Mr. Shahak describes where do these practices come from, and how are they being supported by the Jewish Israeli community. This book is not anti-semitic, the autor is a Jewish person born in a conservative Jewish family and lived most of his life in Israel. I think that this book has honestly analyzed the origins of the conflict in Israel and the occupied territories. Without considering the role and power of Jewish fundamentalism in Israel as described by Mr. Shahak, the quest for peace will never materialize.

Prof. Shahak is a Jew who taught at a major university in Israel. Here is provides a nuanced Jewish view on history and religion and show how the Jewish mentality leads everywhere to antisemitism. I cannot praise him enough for the honesty and courage he shows in the chapters on Jewish orthodoxy and especially on the Jewish laws against non-Jews. These abominable things are at the core of Judaism, and this gem of a book will be an eye-opener for many. It will also help understanding the many hardships the Palestinian people have been suffering since their country was invaded in the 2nd half of the 20th century.

I think that the world would be great if all Jews were as virtuous as Shahak is, and there would be much less antisemitism. Another good book by a Jewish author is Prof. Lindemann's Esau's Tears : Modern Anti-Semitism and the Rise of the Jews. I can also recommend the books by Kevin B. MacDonald and Michael Hoffman's Judaism's Strange Gods.

This book must have been the blueprint for the Bush's family election success. 1876 could as well be talking about Florida in November of 2000.

Keep this in mind when you read this book and you won't put it down, I guarantee it.

Charles Schermerhorn Schuyler returns to America at the end of 1875 after his long stay in Europe, accompanied by his daughter, the Princesse d'Agrigente. It's the last days of the Grant presidency, the Adminstration rapidly decaying amid its own corruption. Prospective successors are busy lining themselves up.

Through the eyes of Schuyler, Vidal takes the reader through the political high society of the day, painting a picture of an elite, and indeed a society, so devoted to the capture of wealth that principles have been wantonly (indeed, proudly) discarded. The culmination is the corrupt election of 1876, the result of which is disputed until March 1877 (ring any bells?).

Democracy is seen not to be working for the benefit of all - Vidal paints a frightening picture of the New York underworld, replete with beggars, violence and prostitution, the latter of which the hypocritical male upper classes frequent regularly.

I think that the propective reader needs to be aware that (surprise, surprise given that this is Vidal) this is an intensely political novel. Vidal both loves and detests the US political scene, is fascinated and yet repelled by its faults and hypocrisy: Vidal seems to say that countries get the governments they deserve, and if you've got a corrupt government then a plague on the electors for being stupid enough to elect it in the first place. Vidal may, due to the fact that he's lived in Europe for so many years (even at the time of writing "1876" if I'm not mistaken), have become more European than the Europeans - read Schuyler's views on Mark Twain for example.

Although it's fiction I enjoyed "1876" as it's part of American history I am utterly ignorant of, and Vidal carries off the novel with style.

"1876" was written as part of a series commemorating the USA two centennial republic. Like Gore Vidal, in the year 1976 (or slightly before) other authors were invited to write a text or a book whose subject had to be related to that date (1776). For example, Isaac Asimov wrote "The bicentennial man" for the series.

"1876" brings back character Charles Schuyler, who had previously appeared in "Burr". After a self-exile of forty years, Schuyler is back to his native country and begins to write his impressions for New York newspapers. 1876 is election year in USA. It is also the final year of the Grant 8-year administration, which is notorious for its corruption and scandals related to large amounts of money.

Schuyler describes the race for the seat in the Oval office and his struggles to earn money in a country totally defferent from the one he left behind almost half a century before.

After the ridiculous voting and election problems during the Bush-Gore dispute, the reader can see that, after 125+ years, some things (specially related to power and money) are difficult to get changed, no matter where.

"1876" is about a nebulous (at least for me) period of the US history and, as always, Vidal, with his sarcasm, good prose and refined research, delivers another accurately historic fiction. The problem is, Vidal doesn't have complete respect for things he doesn't fully understand or know, so some passages of the book feature a bad taste that I don't like.

This book is not so dense and enjoyable as some of Vidal's other works, like "Lincoln" or "Creation" or Burr, but still one is able to learn about the period, society, people, etc featured in the story.

As part of the trilogy "Burr", "1876", "Washington D.C.", a necessary read for Vidal fans.

Grade 8.6/10

As a long-time fan of Gore Vidal (both the man and his work) I was disappointed with Kaplan's treatment. He is overly fawning of Vidal and looks at all events soley through his subject's eyes. The result is a fawing biography with little, if any, critical analysis or realism about Vidal. Kaplan also has a propensity for constantly droning on about Gore's good looks. Every few pages we are reminded that Vidal was "handsome," striking" or given details about his mesmerizing pulchritude. Enough, already.

There was ample gossip and name dropping, so if you're into dirt on the Kennedy's, Capote or Gore himself, you won't be disappointed. But if you're seeking a serious or even semi-critical examination of Gore, flaws and all, you won't find it here.

It's a shame, because few men of any generation have had the brains, wit and talent of Gore Vidal, but he has proven elusive to the picklocks of biographers.

The monumental life lived by Gore Vidal is on full display here: politics, Hollywood, literary fist-fights, etc. In a way, this book is a biography of America in the 20th century, and as such it is a fascinating and surprisingly quick read (despite its heft).

But as a biography it is flawed, essentially because Kaplan views everything through Vidal's perspective. Little critical analysis is given to significant events in Vidal's life, except to the extent Vidal provides some himself and articulates it to the biographer. By excusing, defending and/or justifying the many poses, positions, and actions this larger-than-life figure has taken, the book reads less like a biography and more like an apologia. Hey, maybe Gore's entitled to one.

Kaplan has written a wonderfully involving biography of my favorite author. His portrait is well balanced and doesn't skirt any issues concerning this talented, complex and sometimes infuriating man. I have had my reservations about Vidal as a person and Kaplan gives enough background to understand, though not fully absolve, Gore Vidal. I enjoyed every page of it. Especially priceless is the shrewd, winking, nudging account of the famous William F. Buckley/Gore Vidal feuds in which Buckley comes across as quite bad. It becomes pretty obvious to any intelligent reader of 1999 why Buckley behaved so erratically and could barely stand to be in the same room with Gore Vidal. The whole book is a great read. One finishes it with a sense of both admiration and pity for Vidal who suffered (at the hands of his shrewish mother, from the loss of an early love, from early devastating literary disappointments, from being gay when it was verboten) more than he ever let on. Vidal isn't what one would call a nice, warm human being, but he did his best to make something of himself with the considerable talent he had.