A major new collection of essays by one of America's most distinguished men of letters, including, among matters of fact, exposures of political dealings from the Adams family through Robert Moses, and, in fiction, Vidal's famous controversial study of some contemporary writers, "American Plastic," and his backward look at Tennessee Williams, "Some Memories of the Glorious A major new collection of essays by one of America's most distinguished men of letters, including, among matters of fact, exposures of political dealings from the Adams family through Robert Moses, and, in fiction, Vidal's famous controversial study of some contemporary writers, "American Plastic," and his backward look at Tennessee Williams, "Some Memories of the Glorious Bird."
Matters of Fact and of Fiction
A major new collection of essays by one of America's most distinguished men of letters, including, among matters of fact, exposures of political dealings from the Adams family through Robert Moses, and, in fiction, Vidal's famous controversial study of some contemporary writers, "American Plastic," and his backward look at Tennessee Williams, "Some Memories of the Glorious A major new collection of essays by one of America's most distinguished men of letters, including, among matters of fact, exposures of political dealings from the Adams family through Robert Moses, and, in fiction, Vidal's famous controversial study of some contemporary writers, "American Plastic," and his backward look at Tennessee Williams, "Some Memories of the Glorious Bird."
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Julio Pino –
A confession: I own a signed by Gore himself, as he often came to UCLA. Now for the essays. Gore slashes his way through the literary landscape of the early Seventies from "The Top Ten Best Sellers {of 1971} in which he rightly burns Solzhenytsin (AUGUST 1914) and condescendingly praises Herman Wouk (THE WINDS OF WAR). Next on the platter are "The Hacks of Academe" (John Barth, Thomas Pynchon, William Gass): "These novels are written to be taught, not read". On the flip side, Vidal treats us the A confession: I own a signed by Gore himself, as he often came to UCLA. Now for the essays. Gore slashes his way through the literary landscape of the early Seventies from "The Top Ten Best Sellers {of 1971} in which he rightly burns Solzhenytsin (AUGUST 1914) and condescendingly praises Herman Wouk (THE WINDS OF WAR). Next on the platter are "The Hacks of Academe" (John Barth, Thomas Pynchon, William Gass): "These novels are written to be taught, not read". On the flip side, Vidal treats us the "Memoirs" of Tennessee Williams, where we find Gore prominently featured as "a handsome young kid" and the forever enticing saga of the multiple generation Adams family. A treat for fans of Gore and 70s American lit.
Jack –
The jaunt through the best sellers is an all-timer, and Vidal is very funny when dissecting the tendencies of academics. The Tennessee Williams sections is funny, frank and quite touching despite Gore's attempts at distance. The history lesson on the Adams isn't his best stuff, he somehow fails to communicate his own enthusiasm The jaunt through the best sellers is an all-timer, and Vidal is very funny when dissecting the tendencies of academics. The Tennessee Williams sections is funny, frank and quite touching despite Gore's attempts at distance. The history lesson on the Adams isn't his best stuff, he somehow fails to communicate his own enthusiasm
Steven –
My first encounter with the inimitable Gore Vidal, and the only book I can think of that would make it bearable to be bedridden with mono. The opening essay, on how Hollywood shaped the literary and popular fiction on the New York Times bestseller list for a particular week, is a classic. No one could wield a rapier like Vidal, but here he praises with equal gusto: my lifelong interest in Louis Auchincloss began with Vidal's essay on the underappreciated (and now forgotten) author. If you still My first encounter with the inimitable Gore Vidal, and the only book I can think of that would make it bearable to be bedridden with mono. The opening essay, on how Hollywood shaped the literary and popular fiction on the New York Times bestseller list for a particular week, is a classic. No one could wield a rapier like Vidal, but here he praises with equal gusto: my lifelong interest in Louis Auchincloss began with Vidal's essay on the underappreciated (and now forgotten) author. If you still haven't read Vidal, this is as good a place to start as any, but don't stop here.
Herb Hastings –
I first read this book about 40 years ago. Some of the topics are a bit dated but the writing is still crisp and the observations enjoyably jaundiced. Reading Vidal's take on the 70's makes you wish he was still around to turn his pen upon the current shenanigans that pass for our government. The sad truth is that no matter how pessimistic his picture of the future of our Republic, things have turned out much worse than even he expected. I highly recommend spending some time with this book. I first read this book about 40 years ago. Some of the topics are a bit dated but the writing is still crisp and the observations enjoyably jaundiced. Reading Vidal's take on the 70's makes you wish he was still around to turn his pen upon the current shenanigans that pass for our government. The sad truth is that no matter how pessimistic his picture of the future of our Republic, things have turned out much worse than even he expected. I highly recommend spending some time with this book.
Timothy –
This may have been the second volume of literary criticism that I ever read ... And I remember reading it with a fervor never again duplicated. Perhaps because I admired Vidal's fiction, and because he expressed scant taste for what he calls the U Novel (fiction meant to be studied, not read for pleasure), this set of essays became a guide to contemporary literature for me. Highly recommended. This may have been the second volume of literary criticism that I ever read ... And I remember reading it with a fervor never again duplicated. Perhaps because I admired Vidal's fiction, and because he expressed scant taste for what he calls the U Novel (fiction meant to be studied, not read for pleasure), this set of essays became a guide to contemporary literature for me. Highly recommended.
AndrĂ© Plath –
Best Essay: Sex is Politics!!
Guto –
It was the book that reveal the US entertainment industry to me. I loved reading it, Vidal is a master in essays always.
John Arfwedson –
Tad –
Marcelo Joazeiro –
Scott –
Neutron Steinman –
Armen –
Barbara –
Jeff –
Karen-Leigh –
Robert Amis –
Scott –
Samuel Smith –
Sveta –
Ellie Bouboussis –
Tom Nap –
Cate Gregory –
Friendly Planet –
Anthony McGill –
Ben –
Bradthad Codgeroger –
Diskojoe –
Breno Baldrati –
Lauren –