Gore Vidal Criticism
Gore Vidal, a multifaceted and prolific American writer, has left an indelible mark on literature with his extensive work encompassing novels, plays, screenplays, short stories, essays, and criticism. Vidal's writings often reflect his upbringing in a politically charged environment, as seen in his exploration of power and identity, particularly through the lenses of sexuality and gender identity in novels like Myra Breckenridge. His "Narratives of Empire" series, including works such as Burr and Lincoln, provides a critical examination of America's transformation from a republic to an empire, drawing parallels between historical events and contemporary issues, with keen observations noted in Hollywood.
Vidal's essays, collected in volumes like United States, are celebrated for their incisive political analysis and cultural critique, praised by critics such as Jonathan Raban and Rhoda Koenig. Despite facing censorship early in his career, Vidal's bold exploration of taboo subjects and his innovative narrative style solidified his status as a seminal figure in American literature. However, his later works like Live from Golgotha and The Smithsonian Institution received mixed reviews, with Alfred Kazin expressing disapproval, while Keith Miller offered commendation.
Vidal's body of work is frequently characterized by its historical and political themes, reflecting a deep engagement with the interplay between individual lives and societal structures. His exploration of modern man's struggles within a morally bankrupt society is evident throughout his writings. Although some early novels were critiqued for their perceived lack of depth, as highlighted by John W. Aldridge, others like Julian have been lauded for their rich historical portrayals, as noted by Peter Green.
Vidal's satirical style, marked by clever use of paradox and puns, shines in works like Matters of Fact and of Fiction, despite critiques of his penchant for name-dropping, as discussed by Francis X. Jordan. His novel Kalki has attracted both admiration for its satirical take on apocalyptic themes from Diane Johnson and criticism for its lack of depth from John Romano and Maureen Bodo. His engagement with philosophical themes is evident in Creation, though its lack of imaginative engagement has been pointed out by critics like J. D. O'Hara. Despite these critiques, Vidal's sharp social commentary and sophisticated wit have cemented his significant influence on American literature.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Vidal, Gore (Vol. 142)
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Gore Vidal and the Screening of America
(summary)
In the following review, See offers a positive assessment of Hollywood, where the author attempts to place the events leading up to World War I within its 'American' context and record the shifting and changing of power within the United States from Washington, D.C., to Hollywood.
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Politics Is—Surprise!—Show Biz
(summary)
In the following review, Reeves offers a generally positive assessment of Hollywood, though he argues that Vidal's observations about the relationship between Washington and Hollywood are not particularly original.
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My O My O Myra
(summary)
In the following essay, Stimpson examines the archetypal themes and power dynamics of sexuality and gender identity in Myra Breckenridge and Myron, drawing attention to the function of these motifs in Vidal's critique of modern culture.
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How Pleasant To Be Enraged
(summary)
In the following review, Mantel offers a positive evaluation of A View from the Diner's Club.
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Tiresias' Truths
(summary)
In the following review of A View from the Diner’s Club, Lefkowitz commends Vidal's “pronouncements on politics and life,” though finds his literary criticism less interesting.
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TV Stations of the Cross
(summary)
In the following review of Live from Golgotha, Rechy finds Vidal's satire “splendid” at best and “self-indulgent” at worst.
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Is Nothing Sacred?
(summary)
In the following review, Greeley concludes that Live from Golgotha is a patently blasphemous book that will not appeal to faithful readers.
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Meddling with Sacred History
(summary)
In the following review, Korn offers a mixed assessment of Live from Golgotha, which he finds to be both “savvy” and tiresome.
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Ecce Homo
(summary)
In the following review, Kazin offers unfavorable assessments of Live from Golgotha and The Decline and Fall of the American Empire. While conceding small “pleasure” in reading Screening History, Kazin objects to Vidal's view of history and his abrasive tone.
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When the Saints Go Marching In Again
(summary)
In the following review of Live from Golgotha, Moore concludes that the novel reveals “surprising comic energy” despite its “silly” premise and “puerile” humor.
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Further Revelations
(summary)
In the following review, Kennedy offers a positive assessment of Live from Golgotha.
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A Fiendish Gospel
(summary)
In the following review, Malin offers a favorable evaluation of Live from Golgotha. Malin concludes that “Vidal's provocative, distasteful novel is, perhaps, one of his most sustained meditations on the nature of things.”
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Everlasting Watch, But Movieless
(summary)
In the following review, Adair offers unfavorable assessment of Screening History, which he describes as “a rambling, inconsequential book that fails absolutely to do justice to its title.”
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Star
(summary)
In the following review, Johnson discusses Vidal's critical reception and public persona, his interest in film as presented in Screening History, and his attack on monotheism in Live from Golgotha.
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Bolts from Mt. Olympus
(summary)
In the following review, Raban offers a positive assessment of Vidal's essay collection United States.
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The Red, White, and True
(summary)
In the following review, Koenig offers a generally positive assessment of United States.
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Gentleman's Relish
(summary)
In the following review of United States, Kaveney praises Vidal's intelligence, wit, and adamance, though argues that his writings are at times overly condescending and irritating.
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The Waspish Grandee
(summary)
In the following review of United States, Raphael commends Vidal's “moral courage,” though finds fault in his smugness and antagonism.
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The Vital Vidal
(summary)
In the following review of United States, MacIntyre offers a largely positive assessment of Vidal's essays, though he argues that Vidal is a “snob” whose writings sometimes suffer from his “aloofness.”
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Don't Look Back
(summary)
In the following review, Woods offers an unfavorable assessment of Vidal's revised version of The City and the Pillar, which, according to Woods, muddles rather than improves the original. Woods also comments on A Thirsty Evil, which he regards as significant to the history of gay literature, though the individual stories are unremarkable.
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Isn't It Romantic?
(summary)
In the following review of Palimpsest, McCourt finds Vidal's memoir lacking, though commends his discussion of a boyhood friendship, which to McCourt's regret is not elaborated upon.
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He Has Not Lived in Vain
(summary)
In the following review, Hillier offers a positive evaluation of Palimpsest.
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Private Faces, Public Places
(summary)
In the following review, Brogan offers a positive assessment of Palimpsest.
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What Gore Remembers
(summary)
In the following negative review of Palimpsest, Simon condemns the “self-aggrandizement,” vituperation, and disingenuousness of Vidal's memoir, particularly Vidal’s characterizations of various friends, writers, celebrities, and lovers.
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Palimpsest
(summary)
In the following review, LaHood offers a positive assessment of Palimpsest.
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Class Act
(summary)
In the following review, Bayley offers a positive evaluation of Palimpsest.
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Still Almost on Target
(summary)
In the following review, Christiansen offers a positive assessment of Virgin Islands, though he argues that some of Vidal's themes are repetitive and predictable.
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A Wrinkle in Time
(summary)
In the following review, Rubin offers an unfavorable assessment of The Smithsonian Institution.
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American Prodigies
(summary)
In the following review, Miller offers a positive assessment of The Smithsonian Institution.
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High Jinks and Low Jokes in Never-Land
(summary)
In the following review, Taylor offers a negative assessment of The Smithsonian Institution.
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The Cosmopolitan Man
(summary)
In the following review of The Smithsonian Institution and The Essential Gore Vidal, Hitchens provides an overview of Vidal's literary career, recurring themes in his work, and Vidal's view of American history, national identity, and geopolitical obligations.
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Witness for the Prosecution
(summary)
In the following review of The Essential Gore Vidal, Brownrigg praises Vidal's diverse and provocative oeuvre, though finds shortcomings with the volume's critical introductions and selections by editor Fred Kaplan.
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The Smithsonian Institution
(summary)
In the following review, LaHood offers an unfavorable assessment of The Smithsonian Institution.
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Live from Golgotha: Gore Vidal and the Problem of Satiric Reinscription
(summary)
In the following essay, Fletcher and Feros examine Vidal's satiric, postmodern critique of Christian theology, biblical veracity, and contemporary media culture in Live from Golgotha. According to the critics, Vidal's subversive comedy is undermined to some degree by his essentialist notion of bisexuality and his view of sex as primarily an expression of power and domination.
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Novel of the Week
(summary)
In the following review, Barnacle offers a positive assessment of The Golden Age, despite its several historical inaccuracies and American slant.
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Gore Vidal and the Screening of America
(summary)
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Vidal, Gore (Vol. 22)
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Gore Vidal: The Search for a King
(summary)
In the following essay, John W. Aldridge critiques Gore Vidal's early novels, arguing that while Vidal demonstrates technical skill, his works lack depth and vitality, ultimately reflecting a pervasive spiritual emptiness that hinders the thematic coherence and emotional resonance of his narratives.
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Resucitated Emperor
(summary)
In the following essay, Peter Green argues that Gore Vidal's novel "Julian" skillfully brings to life the complex character of Julian the Apostate by balancing historical accuracy with fictional wit and insight, ultimately presenting a nuanced portrayal of a pagan emperor out of sync with his Christian era.
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The Last Pagan
(summary)
In the following essay, Walter Allen argues that Gore Vidal's novel "Julian" effectively dramatizes recurring themes in Vidal's work, centering on the transition from paganism to Christianity and exploring Julian's failed attempts to counter Christian ascendancy, thereby making him an emblematic figure for contemporary society.
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Crime: 'Death in the Fifth Position', 'Death before Bedtime', and 'Death Likes It Hot'
(summary)
In the following essay, Newgate Callendar evaluates Gore Vidal's mystery novels written under the pseudonym Edgar Box, acknowledging their charming qualities as period pieces with some social commentary, despite a somewhat forced and dated writing style.
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Satire in Gore Vidal's 'Kalki'
(summary)
In the following essay, Charles Berryman examines Gore Vidal's use of satire to critique religious superstition through his novels 'Messiah,' 'Julian,' and 'Kalki,' highlighting Vidal's postmodern narrative techniques, particularly his use of self-reflexive memoirs and the theme of uncertainty, which challenge both literary realism and religious beliefs.
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The Winds of Vidal
(summary)
In the following essay, J. D. O'Hara critiques Gore Vidal's novel "Creation" for its lack of imaginative engagement, arguing that while Vidal's narrative offers a wealth of historical detail and figures, it ultimately feels like an uninspired and shallow introduction-to-philosophy due to its pedantic and report-like style.
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Vidal's 5th Century B.C.
(summary)
In the following essay, Paul Theroux critiques Gore Vidal's novel "Creation" as an ambitious and intellectually bold work that, while offering a rich historical perspective through its protagonist Cyrus Spitama, falls short of greatness due to its lack of everyday human experiences and its tendency toward elitist name-dropping.
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Encyclopedic Fiction: 'Creation'
(summary)
In the following essay, Jon Manchip White critiques Gore Vidal's novel Creation for its ambitious scope and thematic focus on ethics and religion, arguing that despite Vidal's noble attempt to expand the American novel's boundaries, the work suffers from excessive detail and a lack of dramatic structure.
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Two Cheers for Zoroaster
(summary)
In the following essay, Stefan Kanfer argues that despite Gore Vidal's reputation as a provocative commentator, his novel Creation reveals a serious engagement with history and morality, presenting a panoramic view of the fifth century BC while lacking depth in portraying the lives of ordinary people.
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Back to the Cradle
(summary)
In the following essay, Paul Ableman critiques Gore Vidal's novel Creation, asserting that while Vidal ambitiously attempts to explore the origins of multiple philosophical and historical phenomena, the vast narrative scope ultimately compromises character development, rendering the protagonist and other figures more as historical guides than fully realized characters.
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Imperial Dope
(summary)
In the following essay, Alan Hollinghurst critiques Gore Vidal's novel Creation for its ambitious historical scope and exploration of political and religious themes, but argues that its lack of vivid characterization, repetitive irony, and impersonal narrative tone ultimately detract from its effectiveness.
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Gore Vidal: The Search for a King
(summary)
- Vidal, Gore (Vol. 6)
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Vidal, Gore (Vol. 10)
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Francis X. Jordan
(summary)
In the following essay, Francis X. Jordan argues that despite criticisms of Gore Vidal's use of epithets, name dropping, and personal allusions, Matters of Fact and of Fiction triumphs due to Vidal's wit, style, and sharp cynicism, offering readers paradox, puns, and striking figures of speech.
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The Camera Follows
(summary)
In the following essay, John Romano critiques Gore Vidal's novel "Kalki" as a superficial and cliché-ridden work, arguing that despite its potential as a moral allegory, it ultimately lacks depth and fails to convey a meaningful apocalyptic vision, portraying instead a world filled with shallow caricatures rather than genuine human characters.
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We Are for the Dark
(summary)
In the following essay, Eric Korn critiques Gore Vidal's novel Kalki as a restatement of his earlier work Messiah, emphasizing its portrayal of a grimmer apocalypse while highlighting Vidal's satirical attack on political figures and institutions, though noting the unevenness in its execution.
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Gilding the Lotus
(summary)
In the following essay, Diane Johnson discusses Gore Vidal's novel "Kalki," highlighting its unique perspective on apocalyptic and utopian literature, where Vidal adeptly balances wit and wisdom to explore themes of human fallibility and the question of whether the world is worth saving.
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Vishnu as Double Agent
(summary)
In the following essay, John Simon critiques Gore Vidal's novel Kalki as a diabolically clever work of social satire and doomsday comedy, while also pointing out its flaws in character believability and stylistic inconsistencies, ultimately questioning Vidal's apparent misanthropy and satirical intent.
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His Own Worst Enemy
(summary)
In the following essay, Maureen Bodo critiques Gore Vidal's novel Kalki as an exercise in self-cannibalization, arguing that Vidal's work exhibits a decline in originality and conviction by repurposing past themes and styles, ultimately rendering the novel a disappointing echo of his earlier literary prowess.
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Francis X. Jordan
(summary)
- Vidal, Gore (Vol. 2)
- Vidal, Gore (Vol. 4)
- Vidal, Gore (Vol. 8)
- Further Reading