Customer Reviews

Burr: A Novel (Modern Library)

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Burr is intelligent and insightful as well as fun and interesting. The book chronicles the life of the notorious Aaron Burr from his days as a soldier in the American Revolution to his term as Vice President and his treason trial. And it culminates in an thoughtful vision of the man's remaining years. Vidal's book is brilliant and refreshing in its portrayals of the founding fathers, particularly Burr, Hamilton, and Washington. A must read for anyone who loves fiction, history, and good writing.

Burr, perhaps the most underrated and forgotten founding father of all time. Aaron Burr lived a life where there was a balance between two extremes. He would became the best of friends with one man and the worst of enemies with another and years later the roles were reversed. A man who loved his country only to see it turn its back on him. A man exposed to the incompetence of our nation's heroes doomed to live on in their shadow. This book made me believe that Van Buren was his son and also that the famous duel was because of a slanderous remark Hamilton made. I believe this because it seems much more natural than any reason a history book could give. Burr was a great man, but he was not without his faults; nobody ever is, but for a man so misunderstood, it just doesn't seem fair.

Also, I have tremendous respect for Vidal's talent. After reading his sidenote, it is obvious the man knows what he is doing. But not so much is my respect for his research, than it is for his brilliant way of conveying a belief even he himself does not hold.

Vidal said he was not a Burr supporter and that probably still holds true. But if the old boy were alive today-you can be bloody sure he would receive my vote.

I couldn't put it down once I started reading! The portrayals of Washington, Hamilton, Jackson, Jefferson, etc were wonderfully sarcastic & humerous. I've always wondered as Burr if the members of Continental Congress were such patriots why weren't they out with the troops getting shot at. The founding fathers weren't 2 dimensional models of perfection. I adored Burr's character. His memoirs of his treason trial were especially entertaining.

After 25 years I have just read this wonderful novel again - and regret having taken so long! One of the best American novels ever written: entertaining, erudite, passionate without being sentimental. This is history the way it ought to be told, with every blemish and wrinkle proudly displayed.Vidal folds his stories within each other with his usual consummate skill, wit, intelligence. Most of all, a thorough devotion to the subject of this country's background and how our historyreverberates today and throughout our confused culture. Second only to CREATION in Vidal's panoply ofhistorical novels. Simply the best!

Vidal effectively posits that Aaron Burr is the missing link of American History. Burr's progeny play a role of some kind in the other historical novels in Vidal's series, with the exception of Lincoln. The portraits of the ambitious Burr, the corrupt Wilkinson, and the fawning Blennerhassett are well crafted. The book, as best I can ascertain, is faithful to the known characteristics and actions of its characters. An outstanding read.

As an historian, I have always doubted the guilt of Aaron Burr whose greatest curse seems to have been his willingness to consider both sides of an issue. As a 'middle-of-the-roader' he was not much liked by persons with stronger opinions. If we recall how nearly Burr came to winning the presidency from Jefferson, consider how his temperment at the time was viewed, and note the support he received at his trial, and from whom, the reader ought to be left with questions which, as a reviewer with a legal background concluded, creates serious doubt as to Burr's purpose and guilt. Burr's Americanism is proved by the way he accepted what he knew was political policy of the day; government condemned individuals rather than accept blame for filibustering schemes gone awry.