Washington, D.C: A Novel (Narratives of Empire). [Paperback]

Gore Vidal (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 1, 2000

With a New Introduction

Washington, D.C., is the final installment in Gore Vidal's Narratives of Empire,his acclaimed six-volume series of historical novels about the American past. It offers an illuminating portrait of our republic from the time of the New Deal to the McCar-thy era.

Widely regarded as Vidal's ultimate comment on how the American political system degrades those who participate in it, Washington, D.C. is a stunning tale of corruption and diseased ambitions. It traces the fortunes of James Burden Day, a powerful conservative senator who is eyeing the presidency; Clay Overbury, a pragmatic young congressional aide with political aspirations of his own; and Blaise Sanford, a ruthless newspaper tycoon who understands the importance of money and image in modern politics. With characteristic wit and insight, Vidal chronicles life in the nation's capital at a time when these men and others transformed America into "possibly the last empire on earth."

"Washington, D.C. may well be the finest of contemporary novels about the capital," said The New Yorker, and the Times Literary Supplement deemed it "a prodigiously skilled and clever performance."

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A superb story. . . . Vidal's people are per-suasive, and he handles the interplay of per-sonality and power with rare skill. . . . Fascinating."
--John Kenneth Galbraith

"        Vidal is the best political novelist since Disraeli. . . . [His] highly polished prose style, in part the fruit of his classical training, is a constant delight. One might even go so far as to call him a modern La Rochefoucauld."
--Louis Auchincloss

"        Washington to Vidal is like some Jacobean court, a city where even the smallest movement is in-teresting and dangerous, and where strokes and suicide have taken the place of poison."
--Times Literary Supplement


Also available from the Modern Library:
Burr  ¸  Lincoln  ¸  1876  ¸
Empire  ¸  Hollywood

From the Inside Flap

With a New Introduction

Washington, D.C., is the final installment in Gore Vidal's Narratives of Empire,his acclaimed six-volume series of historical novels about the American past. It offers an illuminating portrait of our republic from the time of the New Deal to the McCar-thy era.

Widely regarded as Vidal's ultimate comment on how the American political system degrades those who participate in it, Washington, D.C. is a stunning tale of corruption and diseased ambitions. It traces the fortunes of James Burden Day, a powerful conservative senator who is eyeing the presidency; Clay Overbury, a pragmatic young congressional aide with political aspirations of his own; and Blaise Sanford, a ruthless newspaper tycoon who understands the importance of money and image in modern politics. With characteristic wit and insight, Vidal chronicles life in the nation's capital at a time when these men and others transformed America into "possibly the last empire on earth."

"Washington, D.C. may well be the finest of contemporary novels about the capital," said The New Yorker, and the Times Literary Supplement deemed it "a prodigiously skilled and clever performance."

From the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Vintage; 1st Vintage International ed edition (August 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375708774
• ISBN-13: 978-0375708770
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.9 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #572,873 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.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Vidal is a master of political deceit & betrayal June 15, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

A vividly accurate portrayal of what people will do to further their (political) careers and to get ahead in life. Although the book takes place mainly in the 40's, you can make a case where it is still relevent in today's society. The character development is good and you find yourself cheering for no one but sympathizing with most. This is the first Vidal book I have read and I look forward to exploring more in his series.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite of the American Chronicle January 2, 2003

By A. Phillips

Format:Paperback

Apparently others disagree, but I thought this was the best novel in Vidal's American Chronicle series. It's also the best one to start with if you haven't read any others in the series, although it's near the end chronologically. I feel that it provides a good background for the other books, making it easier to understand and get into them.
Washington, DC will also stand alone as a great political novel. I'm not generally a fan of historical fiction, but I love Vidal, and this book is one of his best.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars History, Politics, and Literature at Their Finest November 6, 2002

By Okla Elliott

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Gore Vidal is one of America's most erudite and imaginative historical and political thinkers. He also happens to be one the most intelligent, witty, and capable literary craftsmen this country has ever produced.

In Washington, D. C., Vidal has created a novel that is simultaneously informative and entertaining. The story takes place between the 1930s (FDR era) and WWII. For anyone interested in that historical period, this book will be a fascinating read. The amazing thing is, however, that even if you're not interested in that historical period, you'll enjoy the satirical nuances of the book. Also, Vidal draws his characters with such authenticity that you'll get lost in the interpersonal relationships and forget the historical backdrop.

A vague outline of the novel is as follows: Senator Day twarts FDR's attempt to pack the Supreme Court; he then gets involved in an attempt to be elected president; while all this is happening his daughter's ex-fiance Clay Overbury (who is also Senator Day's aide) marries another woman whose father is extremely rich; and the political intrigue and madness ensue.

This, and all of Vidal's American Chronicle series, should be required reading for every American citizen.