Criticism > Contemporary Literary Criticism > Condon, Richard (Vol. 100) - Herbert Mitgang (review date 14 February 1990)

1. Printable Version
2. Download PDF
3. Cite this Page
4. Tweet This

Herbert Mitgang (review date 14 February 1990)

SOURCE: "A Twisting Road of Humor to an Imperial America," in The New York Times, February 14, 1990, p. C19.

[In the following review, Mitgang reviews Condon's strong political opinions in Emperor of America, "even if they come across like rabbit punches."]

Who would dare to combine the styles of the Manchurian Candidate and Prizzi's Honor, more or less, and invent a character who heads the Royalty Party, not in Naples but in the United States? None other than Richard Condon in his latest sendup of the American scene and Presidency.

In Emperor of America, his 23rd novel, Mr. Condon is a little more hortatory than usual. He seems to be warning readers against electing a kingly ruler, as Sinclair Lewis once did in his cautionary anti-dictator novel, It Can't Happen Here, about a flag-waving general in the White House. Mr. Condon obviously aims to be...

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:

eNotes Pass

1. Introduction
2. Principal Works
3. Criticism
   1. John F. Baker (interview date 24 June 1983)
   2. John Skow (review date 22 September 1986)
   3. Michael Neill (essay date 8 December 1986)
   4. Roderick Mann (essay date 16 August 1987)
   5. Charles Champlin (review date 18 September 1988)
   6. Vincent Patrick (review date 9 October 1988)
   7. Jonathan Yardley (review date 7 February 1990)
   8. Ray Blount Jr. (review date 11 February 1990)
   9. Herbert Mitgang (review date 14 February 1990)
   10. Carolyn See (review date 26 February 1990)
   11. Sarah Booth Conroy (review date 10 May 1990)
   12. Alex Heard (review date 10 September 1991)
   13. Herbert Mitgang (review date 18 September 1991)
   14. Kirkus Reviews (review date 15 September 1992)
   15. Jay Cantor (review date 29 November 1992)
   16. Herbert Mitgang (review date 2 December 1992)
   17. Donald E. Westlake (review date 13 December 1992)
   18. Joe Queenan (review date 6 February 1994)
   19. Chris Petrakos (review date 20 February 1994)
   20. Lorrie K. Inagaki (review date Summer 1994)
   21. Mel Gussow (obituary date 10 April 1996)
   22. Charles McCarry (obituary date 10 April 1996)
   23. Myrna Oliver (obituary date 10 April 1996)
4. Further Reading
5. Copyright