Vidal

2006 · 71168 — New York NY: Doubleday 2006. First edition. First Edition stated. First Printing stated. Hardcover. Very good/Very good. Glued binding. Paper over boards. 12 277 1 p. Illustrated endpapers. Illustrations. Index. Signed by author. Signed on fep. DJ has slight wear and soiling. From Wikipedia: "Gore Vidal b. Eugene Louis Vidal; 3 October 1925 31 July 2012 was an American writer and a public intellectual known for his epigrammatic wit and polished style of writing. He was a Democratic Party politician who twice sought elected office; first to the United States House of Representatives New York State 1960 then to the U.S. Senate California 1982. As a political commentator and essayist Vidal s principal subject was the history of the United States and its society. As a public intellectual Gore Vidal s topical debates on sex politics and religion with other public intellectuals and writers occasionally became continual quarrels. As a novelist Gore Vidal explored the nature of corruption in public and private life; the polished erudite style of narration readily evokes the time and place of the story and perceptively delineates the psychology of the characters." Derived from a Kirkus review: This is a successor volume to his memoir Palimpsest 1995. In contrast to earlier reminiscences "melancholy baggage" weighs more heavily on him here-declining health and departed friends. Moving from his villa in Ravello Italy to the Hollywood Hills Vidal starts this year-long chronicle on New Year's Eve 2004. Death-Iraq casualties disaster victims in New Orleans the exits of Saul Bellow Johnny Carson and Pope John Paul II-provokes a flood of memories and fulminations. Like an ancient Roman patrician he awaits his turn to shuffle off this mortal coil. Sensing that time is no longer on his side Vidal celebrates friends criticizes enemies and bemoans the end of "our old original Republic." Vidal can produce memorable portraits. Vidal's memories from encounters in DC New York Hollywood and elsewhere remain intact the wit affecting. Doubleday hardcover