Gore Vidal recommendations

AlexBell · 11-09-2012, 02:05 AM

I'm nearly finished I Told You So: Gore Vidal Talks Politics by Jon Weiner, and would like to read more by him. Any recommendations? I'm thinking of Selected Essays or Empire.

Jozawun · 11-09-2012, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexBell

I'm nearly finished I Told You So: Gore Vidal Talks Politics by Jon Weiner, and would like to read more by him. Any recommendations? I'm thinking of Selected Essays or Empire.

Personally I enjoyed Creation the most, followed by Julian, the whole American Empire series, and Myra Brekinridge.
But most of his novels are seductively easy to read.

AlexBell · 11-10-2012, 12:05 AM

Thanks, Jozawun, I'll check their availability

Mike L · 11-10-2012, 05:01 AM

Myra Breckinridge would be a good first choice, as that's usually considered the best of his "social" novels.

If you prefer his historical fiction, I can recommend Lincoln. It's an account of Lincoln's life during the US Civil War, seen through the eyes of several of his contemporaries. I found it quite gripping.

I haven't read anything else by Vidal yet, but I've got Burr on my list.

Mike

BenG · 11-10-2012, 09:06 AM

Live from Golgotha is pretty good too.

http://www.gorevidalpages.com/1992/1...-golgotha.html

I don't think there's an electronic edition though.

AlexBell · 11-11-2012, 12:35 AM

Thanks to you both

dreams · 11-11-2012, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike L

Myra Breckinridge would be a good first choice, as that's usually considered the best of his "social" novels.

If you prefer his historical fiction, I can recommend Lincoln. It's an account of Lincoln's life during the US Civil War, seen through the eyes of several of his contemporaries. I found it quite gripping.

I haven't read anything else by Vidal yet, but I've got Burr on my list.

Mike

I agree that Lincoln was good.

Xanthe · 11-18-2012, 09:41 PM

I second the recommendations of "Creation" and "Lincoln".

Ripplinger · 11-18-2012, 09:48 PM

A second for Myra Breckenridge. I remember reading it on my to work and while walking through the crowded subway, STILL reading. And lucky for me that day I did, I walked into the office and one of the boss's made a 3-word comment that would have entirely ruined the book had I not just gotten that far.

Quexos · 11-19-2012, 05:21 PM

Didn't this guy write a book called Infinite Jest or am I mistaken with some other writer ?

Mike L · 11-20-2012, 12:47 PM

I've never heard of the book Infinite Jest, ut according to Wikipedia, it was written by David Foster Wallace.

Mike

Quexos · 11-20-2012, 12:55 PM

My mistake I guess

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike L

I've never heard of the book Infinite Jest, ut according to Wikipedia, it was written by David Foster Wallace.

Mike

11-09-2012, 02:05 AM	#1
AlexBell Wizard Posts: 1,848 Karma: 2836850 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Launceston, Tasmania Device: Sony PRS 650, Kindle3, iPad2, Sony PRS T1, Sony PRS T2	Gore Vidal recommendations I'm nearly finished I Told You So: Gore Vidal Talks Politics by Jon Weiner, and would like to read more by him. Any recommendations? I'm thinking of Selected Essays or Empire. __________________ Regards, Alex "I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong." Frederick Douglass Circaidy Gregory Press - Earlyworks Press

11-10-2012, 12:05 AM	#3
AlexBell Wizard Posts: 1,848 Karma: 2836850 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Launceston, Tasmania Device: Sony PRS 650, Kindle3, iPad2, Sony PRS T1, Sony PRS T2	Thanks, Jozawun, I'll check their availability __________________ Regards, Alex "I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong." Frederick Douglass Circaidy Gregory Press - Earlyworks Press

11-10-2012, 05:01 AM	#4
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,179 Karma: 3027200 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3	Myra Breckinridge would be a good first choice, as that's usually considered the best of his "social" novels. If you prefer his historical fiction, I can recommend Lincoln. It's an account of Lincoln's life during the US Civil War, seen through the eyes of several of his contemporaries. I found it quite gripping. I haven't read anything else by Vidal yet, but I've got Burr on my list. Mike __________________ Currently reading: And We Shall Shock Them (David Fraser); The Secret Agent (Joseph Conrad)

11-10-2012, 09:06 AM	#5
BenG Wizard Posts: 3,210 Karma: 42078797 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: The Triad Device: Paperwhite	Live from Golgotha is pretty good too. http://www.gorevidalpages.com/1992/1...-golgotha.html I don't think there's an electronic edition though. __________________ Ben The Gone-Away World by Nick Harkaway

11-11-2012, 12:35 AM	#6
AlexBell Wizard Posts: 1,848 Karma: 2836850 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Launceston, Tasmania Device: Sony PRS 650, Kindle3, iPad2, Sony PRS T1, Sony PRS T2	Thanks to you both __________________ Regards, Alex "I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong." Frederick Douglass Circaidy Gregory Press - Earlyworks Press

11-18-2012, 09:41 PM	#8
Xanthe Wizard Posts: 1,239 Karma: 3583555 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Surebleak Device: Aluratek Libre, Sony T1, Sony 350, Pandigital, eBM 911, Nook HD & HD+	I second the recommendations of "Creation" and "Lincoln". __________________ Plan B Is Now In Force

11-18-2012, 09:48 PM	#9
Ripplinger 350 Hoarder Posts: 1,623 Karma: 2000203 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Midwest USA Device: Sony PRS-350: 4 Silver, 2 Blue!; Kobo Glo	A second for Myra Breckenridge. I remember reading it on my to work and while walking through the crowded subway, STILL reading. And lucky for me that day I did, I walked into the office and one of the boss's made a 3-word comment that would have entirely ruined the book had I not just gotten that far.

11-19-2012, 05:21 PM	#10
Quexos Freethinker Posts: 1,498 Karma: 7053978 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Glo, Aura HD 2.5.1	Didn't this guy write a book called Infinite Jest or am I mistaken with some other writer ?

11-20-2012, 12:47 PM	#11
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,179 Karma: 3027200 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3	I've never heard of the book Infinite Jest, ut according to Wikipedia, it was written by David Foster Wallace. Mike __________________ Currently reading: And We Shall Shock Them (David Fraser); The Secret Agent (Joseph Conrad)

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