Eugene luther gore vidal was an american writer known for his essays, novels, screenplays, and broadway plays. A novel author vidal, gore formatbinding cloth book condition used very fine jacket condition very fine quantity available 1 edition first edition binding hardcover isbn 10 0394500156 isbn 9780394500157 publisher random house place of. A sweeping novel of politics, war, philosophy, and adventure in a restored edition, featuring neverbeforepublished material from gore vidal s original manuscript creation offers a captivating grand tour of the ancient world. Discussing the book creation with the author gore vidal. In 445 bc cyrus spitama, the persian ambassador to athens, hears herodotus reading from his histories and in response recounts to his nephew democritus. C occasionally he seems to be interested in presenting shrewd alternative versions of textbook history particularly the greekpersian wars, the sort of dustedoff, backroom politics he managed quite well in his american historicals burr, 1876. What, if anything, is gore vidal up to in this long, stylish, densely busy but totally undramatic novel of the persian empire, circa 520445 b. Once upon a time a friend of mine included gore vidal among his list of closeted anarchists. The main characters of this historical, historical fiction story are.
Pdf creation book by gore vidal free download 574 pages. The main characters of this fiction, science fiction story are kalki, teddy ottinger. Gore vidal was a prolific writer and witty political critic who authored 24 novels before his death in 2012. Gore vidal s julian 1964 and creation 1981 are at the top of my list because they choose unusual points of view and launch massive attacks on established holy cows.
In the beginning a historical novel by gore vidal, creation is an odysseus styled dialectic on religious dogma. I have held vidal in high regard ever since, despite having read precious little from him. Cyrus spitama, grandson of the prophet zoroaster and lifelong friend of xerxes, spent most of his life as persian ambassador for the great king darius. Gore vidal, quote from creation it is astonishing to think that millions of people in my timenow, too, i supposeactually thought that at a given moment in history two human beings had evolved to a higher state than that of all the gods that ever were or ever will be. Studs terkel discusses the novel creation with its. I read this after a recommendation from charles hill in his recent grand strategies also excellent and wanted to reacquaint myself with this period of history while taking a break from nonfiction. Born into a political dynasty, he twice sought elected office. Literally a tour of the known world at height of persian power, in pageturner prose. Essays 19922000 is simply the one volume of his two dozen plus books of essays and nonfiction. In 2002 he published a restored version, reinstating four chapters that a previous editor had cut and adding a brief. Creation by gore vidal similar suggestions one of my all favorite books, looking for something similar not necessarily by same author. Think of it as a book published in electronic form.
Creation by gore vidal random house, 1981 s ome years ago, gore vidal hit upon the idea that one man, given a long enough life, opportunity to travel, and a knack for being in the right place at the right time, could have met face to face with zoroaster, socrates, the buddha and confucius. Gore vidal s creation begins on the evening of what would be, according to modern reckoning, december 20, 445 b. In 2002 he published a restored version, reinstating four chapters that a previous editor had cut and adding a brief foreword explaining what had happened and why he had restored the cut chapters. Pdf rereading world history through an allseeing eye. Cyrus believed the only important issue was how and why the world was created. Finally, let me note that i have no relationship with gore vidal, nor does he have any relationship with this web site. The first edition of the novel was published in 1981, and was written by gore vidal. Creation is an epic historical fiction novel by gore vidal published in 1981. Pericles, thucydides, sophocles and confucius are among the books characters. Cyrus is fixated on the question of creation, or the origin of the universe or human existence. Creation book by gore vidal half price books marketplace. Under the guarantees of the first amendment, a writer neither needs nor traditionally. Gore vidal was an american author who was best known for his political commentary and television appearances.
Once again the incomparable gore vidal interprets and animates history. 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. Get the best deals on gore vidal books signed when you shop the largest online selection at. Creation by vidal, gore and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. A prolific essayist and acclaimed author of historical novels such as 1984s lincoln, his talent for positioning history within a modern context is one thing about vidal that remains undisputed. Gore vidal, original name eugene luther gore vidal, jr. Studs terkel discusses the novel creation with its author, gore vidal. While its probably impossible to avoid shallowness in presenting complex philosophical and religious systems in a novel, vidal does a surprisingly good job of it.
Gore vidal 1st edition books for sale in stock ebay. While traveling on the kings behalf, the books heronarrator meets buddha, goes fishing with. Gore vidal books list of books by author gore vidal. His first novel, williwaw, written when he was nineteen years old and serving in the army, appeared in the spring of 1946. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 272 pages and is available in paperback format. The first edition of the novel was published in 1976, and was written by gore vidal. Books go search hello select your address best sellers todays deals new releases customer service. Gore vidal was born in 1925 at the united states military academy at west point. This is a historical novel with knobs on not ordinary knobs but persian, greek, indian and chinese.
Gore vidal 19252012 was an american writer and public intellectual. The gore vidal indexis a site offering information and research on vidal and his work. Make offer creation by gore vidal 1981, hardcover, 1st gore vidal hollywood a novel of america in the 1920s signed 1st edition 1990. A sweeping novel of politics, war, philosophy, and adventurein a restored edition, featuring neverbeforepublished material from gore vidals. But i loved the way it blended ancient history with philosophyreligion and the whole flow of the book. Creation is a thought provoking book that is just as much an amazing narrative of persian and greek history as it is a look at western civilization today.
Gore vidal books, ebooks, audiobooks, biography barnes. The lost pulp crime novel by great american novelist gore vidal. A sweeping novel of politics, war, philosophy, and adventurein a restored edition, featuring neverbeforepublished material from gore vidals original. On one level, the book is a study of comparative religions. Hired to smuggle an ancient artefact out of egypt, pete wells finds himself the target of killers and femme fatales and just one step away from triggering a revolution that will set ca. Unafraid to point fingers and assassinate characters, gore vidal has always been provocative, if not universally liked. A sweeping novel of politics, war, philosophy, and adventurein a restored edition, featuring neverbeforepublished material from gore vidal s original manuscript creation offers a captivating grand tour of the ancient world. He was also known for his patrician manner, transatlantic accent, and witty aphorisms. Hes also careful to avoid any anachronistic traces of. Creation by gore vidal penguin random house canada. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at.
In the parts of the book that comment on history, vidal makes obvious use of the histories of herodotus. Vidal s historical novel set in the 5th century bc and narrated by cyrus spitama, son of a persian prince and greek sorceress, grandson of the prophet zoroaster, and ambassador to the courts of india, china and greece. Pdf kalki book by gore vidal free download 272 pages. In the case of creation, the point of view is harshly antigreek and propersian. 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. Free download or read online creation pdf epub book. Gore vidal imagined a man, cyrus spitama, a direct of relative of zarathustra, who managed to visit and learn from these great thinkers. Its a masterful scrutiny of the tenements which make up our ideals of western culture. Cyrus spitama, grandson of the prophet zoroaster and lifelong friend of xerxes, spent most of his life as pdf persian. Except for the mexicans, all the people and events listed above, and some others, figure in gore vidals 17th novel creation.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 574 pages and is available in hardcover format. Creation by gore vidal, 9780349104751, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The main character, cyrus spitama, is the grandson of zarathustra, and his encounters with other 5th century sages are clearly the highlights of the novel. If a mans legacy were to be gauged by the immediate response to his death, then gore vidal s is very much in danger of being reduced to a succession of pithy and caustic sentences that will. Since then he has written twentythree novels, five plays, many screenplays, short stories, well over two hundred essays, and a memoir.
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