The Best Man [Paperback]

Gore Vidal (Author), Gore Vidal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1998

The Best Man crackles with the smart lines and situations inherent to the work of Gore Vidal. The political intrigues rampant in Vidals 1960 setting are strangly similar to the political intrigues of the present day. This darkly satirical drama finds two presidential contenders seeking the endorsement of an aging ex-president and explores how personal agendas can change the course of a nations destiny.

A L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: Terrence Currier, Johnny Holliday, Naomi Jacobson, Timmy Ray James, Michael Kramer, Marsha Mason, Paul Morella, Kevin Murray, Judy Simmons, Gary Sloan and Senator Fred Thompson.

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Director Nick Alcott and his cast create an adrenaline-charged pace in Gore Vidal's 1960 political drama (revived in 2000) about the backstage maneuvering of a presidential convention. On- and off-the-record conversations unfold quickly and meaningfully as candidate Bill Russell (Fred Thompson) seeks to win his party's nomination without surrendering his self-respect. The play, even after 44 years, is a smart little gem, and the performance effectively captures its various moods, moving smoothly between satire and drama and always skewering the national habit of instinctive dissembling. The only intermittent weakness is Fred Thompson, who sounds a bit lifeless in some important scenes, but the ensemble acting is consistently fine. --AudioFile Magazine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 82 pages
• Publisher: Dramatists Play Service, Inc.; Revised edition (January 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0822215276
• ISBN-13: 978-0822215271
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #132,766 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gore Vidal has received the National Book Award, written numerous novels, short stories, plays and essays. He has been a political activist and as Democratic candidate for Congress from upstate New York, he received the most votes of any Democrat in a half-century.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A little dated but still excellent, July 12, 2008

By 

Kentucky Kurio (Louisville, Ky) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Best Man (Paperback)

There were a ton of great political movies made in the early and mid 1960's and this is the basis for one of the best. Originally a Broadway play, it was made into a movie starting Henry Fonda and a young Cliff Robertson. (I highly recommend the movie.)

It's the story of two very different men vying for the nomination of their party for President. One is moral and intellectual and the other, well, not so much. The dialogue is outstanding and has certain expectations of the reader. Younger readers may have to keep Google on stand-by. But it flows well and builds towards a great surprise ending.

One caveat: It is a play, not a novel.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars May the Best Man Win, September 26, 2004

By 

M. I. "krushedvelvet" (Old Bridge, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Best Man (Mass Market Paperback)

Rancher Joe Roark has died. In his will, he agrees to leave all of his wordly goods including his ranch and money to his three daughters Alex, Freddy, and Les. But theres a catch...his daughters, all gently bred, must drive a herd of Longhorns to market in Abilene, Kansas. The three women have to deliver and sell 2000 longhorns at the end of the drive and they must do it alone with only 9 other men to assist them. The Roarke sisters do not get along well. Infact, they want nothing to do with eachother, but suddenly a fortune depends upon the three of them working together.
"The Best Man" was an enjoyable read. My only complaint that I have is that at times it became a little too easy to set down. While I enjoyed the growing affection between the sisters, I wanted more romance. I also felt that some of the situations that arose in the book and the way that they were handled was somewhat unrealistic and saccharine. This book just missed being a keeper for me, but it is still a story that I would recommend.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The Best Man" indeed wins, August 28, 2008

By 

Timothy P. Biglow "Tim Biglow" (Brentwood, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best Man (Paperback)

This script is just as timely today during the current election climate as it was when Gore Vidal first penned it back in the 60s. Yes...as with all writings, some material is a bit on the dated side, (especially the references to women before the women's right movement of the 70s) but all in all the same truths hold up today as they did back then. A good read. By chance the other night, I also happened to catch the film version with Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson. It was faithful to the script and very good.