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From Publishers Weekly
The commercial success of Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace and Dreaming War shows that Vidal's Jeffersonian anti-imperialism is fashionable again with the left wing of the book-buying public. In time for the election season, Vidal has dashed off three rambling anti-Bush diatribes and collected eight articles from the Nation, Esquire and other magazines, written from 1975 to 2004. Many of the selections take the form of mock State of the Union addresses, and while Vidal's consistency over the years is admirable, reading 11 variants of the same stump speech becomes monotonous. Vidal typically includes denunciations of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Truman for their part in constructing America's "National Security State." He believes that the Cold Warriors invented a phony Communist bogeyman and that "Israeli fifth columnists" such as Norman Podhoretz control America's policy in the Middle East. Vidal would end the war on drugs and nationalize health care and natural resources. And he would change the Constitution to make America a parliamentary democracy and break the monopoly of what he calls the "Property party," with "its two wings: Republican and Democrat." Vidal is at his most convincing and entertaining when he's jeering at democratic pieties about America, which he believes is actually an oligarchy run by a military-industrial-financial elite that he calls "the bank." Vidal may be in tune with the zeitgeist again because his polemical writing resembles the new blogger punditry: conversational, tart, fervent, digressive, susceptible to idiosyncratic theories but capable of worthwhile provocations.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Booklist
Like Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace (2002) and Dreaming War (2003), this final volume in Vidal's trilogy attacking the "Cheney-Bush junta" contains some new analysis padded out by previously published essays (most of these are from the 1980s). This time, Vidal tackles the American imperial impulse, placing the Cheney-Bush wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the context of America's 1846 seizure of California and the later annexation of colonies in the Pacific. Vidal's vast knowledge of American history and his blazing wit set him apart from the other Bush bashers, and even his old stuff will be fun to read for those sharing his point of view. Some of the material is dated, though, such as an analysis from 1985 of Reagan's Christian apocalypticism, which never really gets connected to imperial America or its current leaders. And the book's organization leaves something to be desired; some observations are repeated almost verbatim 100 pages apart. Still, Vidal's fierce, vitriolic voice remains relevant. The highlight of the book is the opening essay, a scathing critique of what Vidal calls Cheney-Bush's "hijacking" of the election and their subsequent administration, and so it's a bit disappointing that most of the material here is older. Vidal's historical analysis is often fascinating, but fellow Bush-bashers will wish for more current intelligence. John Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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First Sentence
In the sixties and seventies of the last unlamented century, there was a New York television producer named David Susskind. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
In the sixties and seventies of the last unlamented century, there was a New York television producer named David Susskind. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Love it, but...,
By A Customer
This review is from: Imperial America: Reflections on the United States Of Amnesia (Hardcover)
As much as I love Gore Vidal, I am getting tired of buying his pamplets and seeing that there are only 30-40 pages of new essays. I like the older essays, but I liked them better the first time I bought them. That gripe aside, the new essays are more of the Vidal style, typically witty and perfectly written.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Vidal .... In Syndication,
By
This review is from: Imperial America: Reflections on the United States Of Amnesia (Hardcover)
If you are just dying to know what Gore Vidal thought about the late President Ronald Reagan, and the 1980s in general, this is your book. Political commentary is a tough market. The fruit ages quickly. Thus, much of this book ought to be "off the shelf" by now. Mr. Vidal does provide some views on President Bush and other timely topics. One observation I have to contest: Mr. Vidal's image of the President as a boy dreaming safe in bed while imposing warped visions on the people. That image -- of the dreamer -- with us as the victims of whatever nightmares his fantasy conjures, is undeserved. Name an American President who has had the horrifying experience of Airforce 1 being re-directed and escorted by fighter pilots as on September 11? The idea that the President is not exposed to risk is simply empirically false. More important, I simply do not believe Vidal's implicit assumption that the President is detached emotionally from the decisions he makes. Whether Vidal likes those decisions or not, the President has skin in the game. One observation, however, does merit attention, and it concerns the founding fathers. I believe that Vidal is much closer to the truth, than are many modern commentators, when he assesses the religious propensity of our founding fathers. By the standards of many in the main line movement of Christian thinking, our founding fathers would lack the moral scruples and the solidity of belief required to gain the fundamentalist Christian vote in any election.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Time is running out,
By
This review is from: Imperial America: Reflections on the United States Of Amnesia (Hardcover)
I would urge those concerned with the future to read Mr. Vidals newest book, Imperial America. In it you'll learn things of value. The False Statement Statute (Title 18: Section 1001) which should allow not only for Bush's impeachment but a possible jail sentence is one. Another is the HAVA (Help America Vote Act) which could allow some very suspect machinery to influnence this next election...or rather after 2000, the selection. One should be more concerned with Letting America Vote.Yet please do not feel this is a slow, technical read...far from it. It moves briskly and unlike many offerings always shows where quotes came from and who said them. Mr. Vidal, along with Ms.Roy and Mr.Chomsky continue to be very meticulous here. Their knowledge greatly expands each book...allowing for greater thought, bringing us into area's not reported or covered. For those who won't read this book...don't...you will not get anything from it. For those who respect knowledge and truth, you'll undoubtedly read it. My concern (and hope) is for those not quite sure. It is for you to grow and become (far) more knowledable. Put down the sports page, stop worrying about some millionaire, who will not hit his weight...and get involved. Time is running out...The French Foreign Legion had a motto, 'March or Die.' For 2004 may I suggest, 'Learn or Die.' Thank you for taking the time to read this...and please read this book...Highly recommended.
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