Judgment of Paris [Mass Market Paperback]

Gore Vidal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 12, 1986

Power, knowledge, and love are the temptations of three alluring women as Philip wanders from Paris to Rome. Yet his choice matters less than the act of choosing in this witty odyssey of self-discovery.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Mr Vidal writes with an engaging freshness, which is rarely naive, occasionally salacious and almost always entertaining' Spectator 'A preposterously good novel' Sphere 'There is no one quite like him, and if you don't know his work then you should' Erica Wagner, The Times --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

Power, knowledge, and love are the temptations of three alluring women as Philip wanders from Paris to Rome. Yet his choice matters less than the act of choosing in this witty odyssey of self-discovery.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (November 12, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345334582
• ISBN-13: 978-0345334589
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,778,397 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

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vintage Vidal, March 18, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Judgement of Paris (Hardcover)

In his memoirs, Gore Vidal calls this novel the beginning of his literary voice. It is a joy to read, and appears to have been a joy to write, for this youthful, vibrant, charismatic novel flows effortlessly through cities, affairs, and misadventures. Colorful characters abound -- early on there's an uproariously matter-of-fact description of our hero's casual fling with the wife of an American power broker. The mythological superstructure of the book -- glorious youth flirting with power, wisdom, and love -- is light enough for Vidal's characters to prance and amuse. It's a nice departure from his oh-so-serious historical novels and a welcome, balletic hop into Vidal's fantasies. He wrote this novel around 1950 -- when peace and prosperity were just re-emerging after wartime. Read this book, if only to see Gore Vidal exercise a masterful light touch years before he turned bitter.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!, July 30, 2006

By 

Ventura Angelo (Brescia, Lombardia Italy) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Judgement of Paris (Paperback)

Gore Vidal's wit and humour sparkle in this tale of a young american boy traveling Europe in search of a purpose to his life. Like Paris, he knows the lures of power, knowlwdge and love, represented by three fascinating women. The characterization and the detailing of the major and minor charachters make of this book a masterpiece, full of wry notations and often exilarating situations. A must read!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In the beginning..., March 23, 2007

By 

Jeff Fyke "Jeff" (Flint, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Judgment of Paris (Paperback)

This is the first true Vidal novel. The value of those that went before this work are valuable more for their content than style ("Williwaw" and "City and the Pillar" - both strongly recommended nonetheless). With the Judgment of Paris, Vidal became the heir to a beautiful tradition that may be traced back to Thomas Mann's "The Magic Mountain" and Somerset Maugham's "Christmas Holiday."