Gore Vidal Knihy

Vidalov historický román Mohol som byť prezidentom zobrazuje životný príbeh pozoruhodnej postavy americkej revolúcie, jedného zo zakladajúcich otcov republiky, tretieho amerického viceprezidenta a súčasného „hrdinu" prvého veľkého politického škandálu Spojených štátov Aarona Burra (1756—1836). Burr prežil nesmierne farbistý život, plný dobrodružných zvratov (v devätnástich vojnový hrdina, plukovník, viceprezident, čo v súboji zastrelil svojho politického protivníka, súdený za zradu a pokus odtrhnúť západné štáty od Únie, politik s ambíciami vyhlásiť sa za mexického cisára, vášnivý milenec a nežný otec). O sebe i o velikánoch americkej revolúcie Georgeovi Washingtonovi, Thomasovi Jeffersonovi, Alexandrovi Hamiltonovi a iných rozpráva bez zábran, vidí ich malicherné slabosti, zbavuje ich glorioly; sú to jeho politickí protivníci, ktorí vyhrali boj, kým on ho prehral a stal sa čiernou ovcou amerických dejín. Keď Vidalov román vyšiel roku 1973 v newyorskom nakladateľstve Random House, stal sa pre svoje umelecké majstrovstvo i provokatívny prístup k stvárneniu historickej témy veľkým bestsellerom.

Kniha prináša 20 rozhovorov s našimi i zahraničnými osobnosťami, ktorá vyšli na stránkach týždenníka Slovo prevažne na prelome dvadsiateho a dvadsiateho prvého storočia. Títo ľudia, ktorých dielo a život sa už uzavreli, boli nielen svedkami, ale aj aktérmi udalostí druhej polovice dvadsiateho storočia, no aj aktívnymi účastníkmi či pozorovateľmi prevratných zmien po roku 1989, ktoré v čase vzniku rozhovorov už nadobúdali jasné kontúry. Zahraničné osobnosti sa rôznym spôsobom viažu aj k Slovensku, k prelomovej dobe, ktorú sme žili a žijeme. Väčšina oslovených bola aktívna už v čase druhej svetovej vojny. Prišli na svet v prvej tretine minulého storočia a do ich osudov výrazne zasiahlo Povstanie, ktorého sa viacerí zúčastnili. Čítanie rozhovorov, aj keď to iste vtedy redakcia Slova tak nekoncipovala, je ako čítanie jedného príbehu Slovenska.

The remarkable bestseller about the fourth-century Roman emperor who famously tried to halt the spread of Christianity, Julian is widely regarded as one of Gore Vidal’s finest historical novels. Julian the Apostate, nephew of Constantine the Great, was one of the brightest yet briefest lights in the history of the Roman Empire. A military genius on the level of Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great, a graceful and persuasive essayist, and a philosopher devoted to worshipping the gods of Hellenism, he became embroiled in a fierce intellectual war with Christianity that provoked his murder at the age of thirty-two, only four years into his brilliantly humane and compassionate reign. A marvelously imaginative and insightful novel of classical antiquity, Julian captures the religious and political ferment of a desperate age and restores with blazing wit and vigor the legacy of an impassioned ruler.

Gore Vidal's Narratives of Empire series spans the history of the United States from the Revolution to the post-World War II years. With their broad canvas and large cast of fictional and historical characters, the novels in this series present a panorama of the American political and imperial experience as interpreted by one of its most worldly, knowing, and ironic observers. Burr is a portrait of perhaps the most complex and misunderstood of the Founding Fathers. In 1804, while serving as vice president, Aaron Burr fought a duel with his political nemesis, Alexander Hamilton, and killed him. In 1807, he was arrested, tried, and acquitted of treason. In 1833, Burr is newly married, an aging statesman considered a monster by many. Burr retains much of his political influence if not the respect of all. And he is determined to tell his own story. As his amanuensis, he chooses Charles Schermerhorn Schuyler, a young New York City journalist, and together they explore both Burr's past and the continuing political intrigues of the still young United States.

Thanks to the latest breakthrough in computer software, a cyberpunk- known bleakly as The Hacker- is destroying the tapes that describe the mission of Jesus Christ and His Gospel or Good News. The Sacred Story is vanishing rapidly. Fortunately one tape is Hackerproof, that of Timothy, who in his youth, was Robin to Saint Paul's Batman. Now, in Timothy's old age, Saint Paul comes to him in a vision and begs him to write down the True Gospel, otherwise all is lost. And thanks to the wonders of modern techonology, a TV crew will pre-record, live from Golgotha, the Crucifixion in order to boost NBC during the upcoming ratings battle. Will it take place or not? Will the Hacker manage to destroy all the records, including Timothy's? Will Jesus's weight problem be an image problem in the light of today's high standards? Tune in to Gore Vidal's classic of the greatest story never told- until now.

Smíchejte seriál Dallas, film Blízká setkání třetího druhu, klasické ptákoviny bratří Marxů a náhodně vybranou ukázku z takzvaných „romancí“ pro ženy (to jest z toho, čemu říkáme „Červená knihovna“), hodně s tím zatřepte a pak to dejte přepsat někomu, kdo umí spojit přívětivý humor F. Kafky, hlubokou tragiku Kačera Donalda a něžnou lyriku daňových předpisů, a možná vám z toho vyleze něco vzdáleně podobného této literární mystifikaci.... celý text

Comprising more than 100 of Vidal's inimitable pieces, this National Book Award winner features the author's choice of the essays that he has written over a period of 40 years--a definitive guide to post-war America.

Juilian, fourth-century Emperor who tried to reinstate pagan worship. Williwaw-a tale of a US patrol boat WWII. The Judgement of Paris-Entertaining account of travels and affairs in Italy, Egypt & Paris. The City and the Pillar-Tragedy -homosexual underground.

Gore Vidal again demonstrates in these seven stories the maturity of craftsmanship and individuality which has gained him an important place among writers. He has wit; he has variety; he has a style. Of the hundreds of new writers to come out of the Second World War, only a handful have continued to develop, to grow. He has survived notoriety and early success to achieve a career of letters that is unique, a body of work that is substantial, a perception of reality which is precise and illuminating. After reading 'A Moment of Green Laurel,' published here for the first time, one appreciates the comment of The Times Literary Supplement: 'It is quite possible for a successful young novelist like Mr. Gore Vidal to live in America and prevent anything he does not want from impinging on his consciousness and, as he matures, a correlation between his standards and those he does not follow. From the fusion a peculiarly American literature develops.'