Gore Vidal (1925–2012)

I was studying Emperor Julian's writings in the past and consider myself relatively well-versed in what remained of Mithraic mysteries and those few scattered sources on other mystes' traditions. Since I studied middle neoplatonism in depth along with Chaldean theurgical underground - and I still humbly do not consider myself an expert - a friend of mine commended this book to me. He knew that I'm both pro-nobilitas, anti-christian, a history buff and looking at the golden times of high antique through the prism of a tear that was semblant of the one left behind in Alexandria when the "Dionisian company abandoned it", when Hypatia was murdered and Serapeion destroyed. I always found Julian the last hope of pagan Rome, a great potential reformer, unifier and a hope to plant seeds to renew the spirit of Rome. I read this book blushing with joy, like a little child, at times grave, at times uplifting with ethos, at times flirtatious or self-important and thinking "what would I do" from the perspective of each character in the book. Extremely well-researched, visible throughout the captivating narration, excellent grasp of human nature. As a sidenote, it also left a personal mark on me by situationalism. I finished the last two chapters at 4 AM in the morning, when an old acquaintance of mine - an underdeveloped love from years ago - that started blooming only recently was sleeping nearby. I looked at her from time to time with a smile on my face and then after finishing the book joined her in sleep, kissing her gently in the most gracious manner I could conjure with a simple gesture. For that, I will remember this book for the rest of my life.… (more)

Vidal is erudite and well read on the intricacies of the founding fathers, having written a series of very good books about them and their era. This is like dipping your toes into a nonfiction version of these stories, the interpersonal conflicts, the differing philosophies, of the revolutionary era to the first presidents. Tangents are frequent and opinions come fast and freely, not just about the past but then (then) present, with many allusions to prescience in the founders being relevant to early 2000s politics.… (more)

A thoroughly nasty, but very enjoyable, memoir, in which Gore Vidal shamelessly and wittily takes the opportunity to settle scores with numerous well-known people who aren't around any more to answer back, whilst at the same time doing his best to impress us with how many of the great and famous he has rubbed shoulders with at one time or another. I frequently felt uncomfortable about laughing out loud at this book, but it was hard not to.

Lots of vitriol is directed at his mother; at the Kennedys (he shared a stepfather with Jackie); at the US literary establishment, which he accuses of blacklisting him after the publication of The city and the pillar with its explicit same-sex love story; at Truman Capote (accused of being short); at President Truman's "national security state" (fair enough); at European cinema for its deluded notion that directors are more important than writers; at Charlton Heston; at Hillary Clinton (insufficiently impressed at meeting him); at the English royal family (dim); and at just about everyone else who appears in the book, with the minor exceptions of Tennessee Williams, who is only mildly teased, and Vidal's grandfather Senator T P Gore, who can do no wrong.… (more)