false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165722349m/8722.jpg 8722 17 Charles Schuyler is a personal assistant to Aaron Burr, the former Revolutionary War hero, vice president under Jefferson, and infamous slayer of Alexander Hamilton. He's also been employed by a group of political operatives in New York journalism circles to dig up evidence that Burr is the "natural father," as the expression goes, of up-and-coming presidential candidate Martin van Buren. Schuyler's journal entries are a wondrous prose picture of Jacksonian society, while an imagined autobiographical account from Burr provides a similar depiction of the nation's origins. Like all of Vidal's historical fiction, <I>Burr</I> has little use for America's received iconography, and draws upon contemporary sources to puncture the legendary reputations of Washington and Jefferson. There are also marvelous cameo appearances from figures like Washington Irving and Davy Crockett, of whom Schuyler notes, "He is considered a delightful figure. I can't think why." (There's also a substantial subplot in which Schuyler falls in love with a prostitute named Helen Jewett; readers may be interested to learn that she is, in fact, a real historical figure). <I>--Ron Hogan</I> 1702196 1973 Burr: A Novel total:881|5:296|4:360|3:184|2:32|1:9| 881 3545 1197 91 5 1 false false Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2000 Tue Apr 14 20:05:33 -0700 2009 Tue Apr 14 20:13:07 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 2 false false Fri Jun 20 17:50:25 -0700 2008 Mon Jun 30 20:16:11 -0700 2008 more...]]> 2 0 false false Fri Jan 02 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Mon Jan 19 07:57:57 -0800 2009 Mon Jan 19 08:01:51 -0800 2009
In all fairness, I'm stuck about 50 pages in and reluctant to continue.

I don't like any of the characters, and when that's the case, it's hard for me to like a book (or movie o...more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Mar 14 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Feb 18 09:33:34 -0800 2009 Sat Mar 14 17:43:05 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Tue Nov 17 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Tue Nov 24 19:30:46 -0800 2009 Tue Nov 24 19:41:57 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Thu Jan 01 11:15:04 -0800 2009 Thu Jan 01 11:35:31 -0800 2009
As u...more...]]> 3 0 false false Mon Sep 08 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Mon Sep 08 21:52:12 -0700 2008 Wed Sep 24 17:01:43 -0700 2008 more...]]> 4 1 false false Sat Aug 16 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Aug 16 19:25:42 -0700 2008 Sun Aug 17 09:18:07 -0700 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Tue Mar 27 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Thu Jul 31 17:57:00 -0700 2008 Thu Jul 31 17:57:00 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 1 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1980 Thu Mar 19 13:29:44 -0700 2009 Thu Mar 19 13:33:42 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Fri Jan 30 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Nov 11 07:47:10 -0800 2007 Fri Jul 24 18:23:04 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 1 false false Sun Apr 12 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Apr 07 16:47:00 -0700 2009 Sat Apr 11 18:23:14 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Wed Apr 09 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Tue Sep 08 21:52:37 -0700 2009 Tue Sep 08 21:55:27 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 true false Thu Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 1983 Tue Jun 02 11:59:51 -0700 2009 Tue Jun 02 12:02:47 -0700 2009 1 more...]]> 3 1 false false Mon Dec 29 15:31:04 -0800 2008 Mon Dec 29 15:33:11 -0800 2008 5 1 false false Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Thu Jan 29 18:39:55 -0800 2009 Thu Jan 29 18:39:55 -0800 2009 4 1 false false Wed Dec 31 17:05:23 -0800 2008 Wed Dec 31 17:07:42 -0800 2008 5 1 false false Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Mon Sep 10 13:30:07 -0700 2007 Thu Oct 04 11:36:28 -0700 2007 more...]]> 5 1 false false Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1999 Tue Dec 30 14:06:24 -0800 2008 Tue Dec 30 14:17:06 -0800 2008 5 0 false false Wed Aug 12 19:38:24 -0700 2009 Wed Aug 12 19:39:56 -0700 2009 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=8722