Once again the incomparable gore vidal interprets and animates history. Cyrus believed the only important issue was how and why the world was created. I have held vidal in high regard ever since, despite having read precious little from him. Creation by gore vidal penguin random house canada. While traveling on the kings behalf, the books heronarrator meets buddha, goes fishing with.
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. In 445 bc cyrus spitama, the persian ambassador to athens, hears herodotus reading from his histories and in response recounts to his nephew democritus. The first edition of the novel was published in 1976, and was written by gore vidal. This is a historical novel with knobs on not ordinary knobs but persian, greek, indian and chinese. Books go search hello select your address best sellers todays deals new releases customer service. Under the guarantees of the first amendment, a writer neither needs nor traditionally. 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 was a prolific writer and witty political critic who authored 24 novels before his death in 2012. Except for the mexicans, all the people and events listed above, and some others, figure in gore vidals 17th novel creation. 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. Creation by gore vidal, 9780349104751, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Make offer creation by gore vidal 1981, hardcover, 1st gore vidal hollywood a novel of america in the 1920s signed 1st edition 1990.
Creation is an epic historical fiction novel by gore vidal published in 1981. But i loved the way it blended ancient history with philosophyreligion and the whole flow of the book. The main characters of this fiction, science fiction story are kalki, teddy ottinger. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. Unafraid to point fingers and assassinate characters, gore vidal has always been provocative, if not universally liked.
Literally a tour of the known world at height of persian power, in pageturner prose. Studs terkel discusses the novel creation with its. Gore vidal s creation begins on the evening of what would be, according to modern reckoning, december 20, 445 b. A sweeping novel of politics, war, philosophy, and adventurein a restored edition, featuring neverbeforepublished material from gore vidals original. 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.
In the beginning a historical novel by gore vidal, creation is an odysseus styled dialectic on religious dogma. 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. The first edition of the novel was published in 1981, and was written by gore vidal. In the parts of the book that comment on history, vidal makes obvious use of the histories of herodotus. 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. Discussing the book creation with the 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. Creation by gore vidal similar suggestions one of my all favorite books, looking for something similar not necessarily by same author. Cyrus spitama, grandson of the prophet zoroaster and lifelong friend of xerxes, spent most of his life as pdf persian. The gore vidal indexis a site offering information and research on vidal and his work. 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. Pericles, thucydides, sophocles and confucius are among the books characters. Eugene luther gore vidal was an american writer known for his essays, novels, screenplays, and broadway plays. Pdf rereading world history through an allseeing eye.
In 2002 he published a restored version, reinstating four chapters that a previous editor had cut and adding a brief. 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. Born into a political dynasty, he twice sought elected office. Hes also careful to avoid any anachronistic traces of. The lost pulp crime novel by great american novelist gore vidal. 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. 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. Cyrus is fixated on the question of creation, or the origin of the universe or human existence. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 574 pages and is available in hardcover format. 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.
Pdf creation book by gore vidal free download 574 pages. 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. Studs terkel discusses the novel creation with its author, gore vidal. Gore vidal books list of books by author gore vidal. 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. Creation by vidal, gore and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The main characters of this historical, historical fiction story are. Once upon a time a friend of mine included gore vidal among his list of closeted anarchists. 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. 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.
Creation book by gore vidal half price books marketplace. Finally, let me note that i have no relationship with gore vidal, nor does he have any relationship with this web site. Gore vidal, original name eugene luther gore vidal, jr. Its a masterful scrutiny of the tenements which make up our ideals of western culture.
His first novel, williwaw, written when he was nineteen years old and serving in the army, appeared in the spring of 1946. Gore vidal 19252012 was an american writer and public intellectual. Gore vidal was an american author who was best known for his political commentary and television appearances. 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. In the case of creation, the point of view is harshly antigreek and propersian. 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.
Free download or read online creation pdf epub book. Get the best deals on gore vidal books signed when you shop the largest online selection at. Gore vidal imagined a man, cyrus spitama, a direct of relative of zarathustra, who managed to visit and learn from these great thinkers. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 272 pages and is available in paperback format. Pdf kalki book by gore vidal free download 272 pages. A sweeping novel of politics, war, philosophy, and adventurein a restored edition, featuring neverbeforepublished material from gore vidals. 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. He was also known for his patrician manner, transatlantic accent, and witty aphorisms. Essays 19922000 is simply the one volume of his two dozen plus books of essays and nonfiction. Think of it as a book published in electronic form. Since then he has written twentythree novels, five plays, many screenplays, short stories, well over two hundred essays, and a memoir. On one level, the book is a study of comparative religions. Gore vidal 1st edition books for sale in stock ebay. Gore vidal was born in 1925 at the united states military academy at west point.
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