Rating: 
Summary: quite an introduction to Gore Vidal!
Review: This is my first exposure to Gore Vidal's writing - despite many years of being vaguely familiar with him. I was so very impressed with this work, that I've gone ahead and ordered all the books of his American Chronicle series (via amazon.com, of course!)As someone who rarely reads novels, I indulge myself more often via Books on Tape (i.e., "audio books"). I didn't actually read this book, but instead listened to the unabridged audio version. What was so compelling about this book (besides its superb writing) was the subject matter and scope. As someone who has closely followed politics and American history for many years, I was nonetheless amazed at how much I learned in the course of listening to this tale. I found the historical storylines to be rendered accurately and fairly. Franklin Roosevelt's possible secret mission to get the United States into World War II, including the details thereof, is most intriguing - even if perhaps not fully substantiated. The individual characterizations - of both fictional characters and real historical personages - were skillfully, compellingly, and deftly wrought. I kept wondering whom Day and his protege were supposed to be modeling in real life (historically). (If anyone knows, please let me know!) I wonder, too, which state they were supposedly from (New Mexico or Arizona, presumably). The one small disappointment was hearing Gore Vidal read the final portion of the book on tape. His reading was fine, but it was jarring after hearing the rest of the book so well read and convincingly rendered by the woman narrator. I also found the end itself to be somewhat out of place, and poorly joined to, the rest of the book - which holds together as a tight, coherent whole.
Rating:
Summary: quite an introduction to Gore Vidal!
Review: This is my first exposure to Gore Vidal's writing - despite many years of being vaguely familiar with him. I was so very impressed with this work, that I've gone ahead and ordered all the books of his American Chronicle series (via amazon.com, of course!) As someone who rarely reads novels, I indulge myself more often via Books on Tape (i.e., "audio books"). I didn't actually read this book, but instead listened to the unabridged audio version. What was so compelling about this book (besides its superb writing) was the subject matter and scope. As someone who has closely followed politics and American history for many years, I was nonetheless amazed at how much I learned in the course of listening to this tale. I found the historical storylines to be rendered accurately and fairly. Franklin Roosevelt's possible secret mission to get the United States into World War II, including the details thereof, is most intriguing - even if perhaps not fully substantiated. The individual characterizations - of both fictional characters and real historical personages - were skillfully, compellingly, and deftly wrought. I kept wondering whom Day and his protege were supposed to be modeling in real life (historically). (If anyone knows, please let me know!) I wonder, too, which state they were supposedly from (New Mexico or Arizona, presumably). The one small disappointment was hearing Gore Vidal read the final portion of the book on tape. His reading was fine, but it was jarring after hearing the rest of the book so well read and convincingly rendered by the woman narrator. I also found the end itself to be somewhat out of place, and poorly joined to, the rest of the book - which holds together as a tight, coherent whole.
Rating:
Summary: Mock On, Vidal, For It Is NOT All In Vain!
Review: Whether or not one agrees with every last thing Vidal says, I have to say I found myself doing once again what I always do when I read one of his historical novels - rushing to read the history books on the era - I did the same thing with Lincoln, Burr and Empire (not to mention Julian and Creation). And I agree with the reviewer who says, Hurrah for Vidal's last hurrah. The Golden Age is a highly entertaining literary read. Do not be too shocked by some of the claims here that Vidal is skewering the memory of Pearl Harbor (for example)- the detached reader can more than see what Vidal is up to and come to his own conclusion. Just enjoy it, and see if you aren't very interested in making your own exploration of the era with a armful of history books.
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