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'Fascinating reading ... the story is as many-sided as the American continent itself' DAILY TELEGRAPH 'Intensely readable; artfully constructed; often touching; sometimes very funny ... written with great skill, wit and elegance' OBSERVER 'Magnificent' Gabriel Garcia Marquez
OBSERVER
...sometimes very funny ... written with great skill, wit and elegance'
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First Sentence
Shortly before midnight July 1, 1833, Colonel Aaron Burr, aged seventy-seven, married Eliza Jumel, born Bowen fifty-eight years ago (more likely sixty-five but remember: she is prone to litigation!). Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Shortly before midnight July 1, 1833, Colonel Aaron Burr, aged seventy-seven, married Eliza Jumel, born Bowen fifty-eight years ago (more likely sixty-five but remember: she is prone to litigation!). Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The only Vidal novel I had read previously to this had been Myra Breckinridge which i had not been particularly impressed with. I had heard that his historical novels were a different kettle of fish, but being a history buff I tend to avoid 'historical novels'. This one certainly might bring about a change in my reading habits. Its an absolutely brilliant book and I certainly cannot recommend it enough. Based around the interactions between an aspiring journalist in the New York of the 1830s and the aging and notorious Colonel Aaron Burr - war hero, ex-vice president, murderer of Alexander Hamilton and accused as the villian of an infamous plot to break up the united states and set himself up as king of Mexico, the novel serves to not only provide an 'alternative' look at the American War of Independence, the framing of the Constitution and the characters of several of the founding fathers, but also to illuminate the political culture of the subsequent years. It is wonderfully written, intelligent, questioning, witty, often laugh-out-loud-funny and ultimately enormously touching and sad. Mr. Vidal sticks to the facts for most of the way through - it is in the interpretation that he runs counter to the current of received history. After reading this one just cannot think of Jefferson et al with the same unquestioning hero-worship one is indoctrinated with in the classroom. Though this book was written a couple of decades ago, I have only reccently read it. It set me on a path to reading a number of Mr Vidals other historical novels. Certainly it is one of the best books I've read in a long time.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I ignored Gore Vidal for most of my life. He was always way too media for my tastes. Especially after that encounter with Mailer on the Cavett show those many years ago. I had a friend who was in the movie version of Myra Breckenridge, so I saw that film in a Manhatten cinema and wished I hadn't. It just confirmed my prejudices towards Vidal. What I discovered after reading this book was that I'd been doing myself a disservice.
Gore Vidal is the wittiest, and thankfully, one of the least lugubriously erudite, historian we have. Burr and Schuyler come across as three-dimensional characters, much more so than Washington or Jefferson ever have.
Yes, this is biased, not to mention jaundiced, history. We must remind ourselves that it is an historical novel, not purporting to keep strictly to the facts. Washington comes across as a militarily incompetent, but poticially shrewd egomaniac. Jefferson is not treated too reverentially either.
Burr, whom we know from American History classes only because he killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel, comes across as a witty and urbane statesman who perhaps didn't display the greatest amount of common sense in that murky New Orleans business.
This novel opened my eyes about Vidal and I promptly went on a Vidal tear, reading five of his other books. I'd stick to the American History novels (particularly Lincoln), however. I found Creation to be a lot more contrived than his other works (and I love Byzantine/medieval history). If you want a good picture of Byzantium, stick to Procopius.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
American history (back in my day) stopped after the world turned upside down, briefly reappeared as the White House, as it later was, burned and then fell silent until the American Civil War. It is precisely in this Terra Incognita that Gore Vidal places his life of Aaron Burr, vice-president, slayer of Alexander Hamilton and supposed traitor. The long life of Burr and his many roles in the young republic make for an interesting account (made a little difficult by the jumping back and forth between decades). However, even I can spot Gore goring (appropriately) sacred cows with a vengeance. Few escape a sound thrashing, and Washington and Jefferson least of all. I cannot comment on the accuracy of these views but it is rather as if Private Eye had been involved. The topic is a fascinating one, and I greatly enjoyed it, but I do not think I will take it as a balanced account.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
hall of mirrors reflecting America's mythic founding fathers
I just re-read this book, which I read about 20 years ago, and I must say that it passed the test - there were wonderful and hilarious things in it that I didn't remember and it... Read more
Published 11 months ago by rob crawford
History interpreted
The passage of time edits history. The roughness and corners of detail wear away under the constant erosion of recall and interpretation. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Philip Spires
Quick review for slow brilliant book
Burr is enormous, in every sense of the word, in length, in content, in style, and the man himself. Gore Vidal is a brilliant writer, a pleasure to read, but you do have to want... Read more
Published on 27 Mar 2009 by V. Fowler
Biography but only if you know your US history
A bit of a weighty read that I cannot help but think could have been a lot better written. Vidal chooses to write this biography through the eyes of a journalist of the time... Read more
Published on 10 May 2004 by Matthew Thorpe
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