He slept with kerouac, hung out with jackie o and feuded with mailer. Once upon a time a friend of mine included gore vidal among his list of closeted anarchists. The golden age follows chronologically washington, d. The golden age its title is deeply ironic and bitter concludes in february 2000, with an aging peter sanford visiting a most unusual friend to tape a political discussion for american tv. Ghosts are mentioned on numerous occasions and are used for one particular metaphor in the novel. A novel vintage international kindle edition by vidal, gore. A search query can be a title of the book, a name of the author, isbn or anything else. Like a latter day anthony trollope, vidal masterfully balances the personal with the political, the invented with the historical fact. Gore vidal s the golden age is a magnificent book by our greatest living author and man of letters. It is a supreme entertainment that is not only sure to be a major bestseller but that will also change listeners understanding of.
Thus the golden age is the true sixth and final book of the series, for it makes the era. Golden age refers to a mythological period of primeval human existence perceived as an ideal state when human beings were pure and free from suffering golden age may also refer to. No other american writer has maintained quite such a. Caroline, blaise, and peter sanford, james burden day, and clay overbury all return as characters from washington d. He began his literary career in 1946 with the publication of his novel williwaw but did not achieve notoriety until he published his third book the city and the pillar which cause a minor scandal for its depiction of homosexuality. Vidal knows the truth of things, is an excellent scholar, and was well placed to hear the gossip, near to if not in the corridors of power. Gore vidal books, ebooks, audiobooks, biography barnes. The story begins at a private residence in washington dc in october 1939, a. The golden age is vidals crowning achievement, a vibrant tapestry of american political and cultural life from 1939 to 1954, when the epochal events of world war ii and the cold war transformed america, once and for all, for good or ill, from a.
The story begins in 1939 and features many of the characters and events that gore vidal. Born into a political dynasty, he twice sought elected office. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. The golden age by gore vidal pittsburgh postgazette. The golden age is the capstone to the series of fine historical novels known as narratives of empire about america through the ages which gore vidal began with washington dc in 1967. The sharpeyed and sympathetic witnesses to these events are caroline sanford, hollywood actress turned washington d.
Like his national book awardwinning united states, gore vidals scintillating ninth collection, the last empire, affirms his reputation as our most provocative. The novel essentially revolves around frank gold, a hungarian jew and a war refugee, and london blends his mature voice with the innocence of a comingofage narrative, all set against the backdrop of world war ii. Vidal would argue that it is these imperfections that textbooks leave out to the detriment of our own knowledge of history, and that is partially his reason for writing this series. Editions of the golden age by gore vidal goodreads. The golden age is the concluding volume in gore vidals celebrated and bestselling american empire novels a unique pageant of the national experience from the united states entry into world war two to the end of the korean war. Buy the golden age by gore vidal online at alibris. Gore vidal 19252012 was born at the united states military academy at west. The golden age is vidals crowning achievement, a vibrant tapestry o. Read the golden age online, free books by kenneth grahame. Gore vidal was an american author who was best known for his political commentary and television appearances. Essays 19922000 is simply the one volume of his two dozen plus books of essays and nonfiction. Gore vidal 19252012 was an american writer and public intellectual. The historical novel is once again in vogue, and gore vidal stands as its undisputed. Kenneth grahames the golden age consists of 18 parts for ease of reading.
The newest entry in vidals narratives of empire series which includes burr, lincoln and 1876 is a densely plotted, hugely ambitious novel that manages to impress and infuriate in equal measure. The golden age is a popular book by kenneth grahame. As youre reading the book, watch out for her literary or poetic language, and keep track of the storys overall mood. Having sampled one, i was unable to stop until i reached the end. It begins in 1939, when fears of inevitable american involvement in another european war increase the likelihood that incumbent president franklin roosevelts amoral mastery of world politics.
The encounter permits a few haunting moments as vidal once again brings together the elements of his life and work. I just finished working my way through the late gore vidals magnificent series of political history novels spanning american history from the revolutionary war through the kennedy administration. The golden age is set in the years 19391954, and in 2000. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. The golden age by gore vidal ends the story of the sanfords, aaron burrs decedents. Gore vidals american chronicles university of pittsburgh. For years now, the promise of a new gore vidal book has been something to get the blood running or boiling. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the golden age. I have held vidal in high regard ever since, despite having read precious little from him. The story begins at a private residence in washington dc in october 1939, a few weeks after war has broken out in europe. Buy the golden age by vidal, gore from amazons fiction books store. Gore vidal and the gore vidal pageamericas famously selfassured, liberal libertarian novelist, essayist, political son, and man of letters. The golden age is the concluding volume in gore vidal s celebrated and bestselling american empire novels a unique pageant of the national experience from the united states entry into world war two to the end of the korean war. Born in 1925, vidal rarely had any kind words for his nation, often referring to the united states as a decadent empire ruled by a militaristic dictatorship.
Read free book excerpt from the golden age by gore vidal, page 2 of 2. Author gore vidal discusses his life, work and latest book gore vidal. The golden age is vidals crowning achievement, a vibrant tapestry of american political and cultural life from 1939 to 1954, when the epochal events of world war ii and the cold war transformed america, once and for all, for good or ill, from a republic into an empire. The golden age offers up united states history as only gore vidal can, with unrivaled penetration, wit, and high drama, allied to a classical view of human fate. The golden age, a historical novel published in 2000 by gore vidal, is the seventh and final novel in his narratives of empire series. The golden age is gore vidal s elegiac historical novel about the twentieth century, and we seem to be in good hands. The golden age isbn 9780375724817 pdf epub gore vidal. As the capstone on his historical novelization of the rise and decline of the american empire, it is a fitting end to a series which enlightens and entertains. Although vidal wrote the books out of historical sequence, they still have. The golden age, if nothing else, presents an interesting look at the past and all its imperfections. Feuds, vicious mother and rumours of a secret love child. The difference between the self that is out for the public to see and the self that is real and working behind the curtain is a major theme that runs throughout the book. Vidal can be a brilliant stylist, but in the golden age the writing labours under. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the golden age.
The historical novel is once again in vogue, and gore vidal stands as its undisputed american master. Excerpt from the golden age by gore vidal, plus links to. Gore vidals the golden age is a magnificent book by our greatest living author and man of letters. The author also ushers on a cast of invented characters, who are free to paddle in. It follows america through world war ii and the cold. Read the golden age, free online version of the book by kenneth grahame, on. The golden age is the final, eponymous novel that brings to an end what gabriel garcia marquez has called gore vidals magnificent series of historical novels or novelised histories, narratives of empire. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Like his national book awardwinning united states, gore vidals scintillating ninth collection, the last empire, affirms his reputation as our most provocative critic and observer of the modern american scene. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. It is a supreme entertainment that will also change listeners understanding of american history and power. Golden age metaphor, the classical term used as a metaphor for a period of perceived greatness.
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