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20th out of 22 books
—
10 voters
Hollywood (Narratives of Empire #5)
by
Gore Vidal
"Wicked and provocative...Vidal's purview of Hollywood in one of its golden ages is fascinating." —Chicago Tribune
In his brilliant and dazzling new novel, Gore Vidal sweeps us into one of the most fascinating periods of American political and social change. The time is 1917. In Washington, President Wilson is about to lead the United States into the Great War. In Californi...more
In his brilliant and dazzling new novel, Gore Vidal sweeps us into one of the most fascinating periods of American political and social change. The time is 1917. In Washington, President Wilson is about to lead the United States into the Great War. In Californi...more
Paperback, 448 pages
Published
August 1st 2000
by Vintage
(first published October 1st 1989)
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I am slowly making my way through all the books Gore Vidal wrote. I have to admit I started reading him only in the last few years. What a marvelous writer this man was. Usually anything politically-oriented leaves me cold, but I am now 5 books into his "Narratives of Empire" series revolving around the Washington political atmosphere over the span of the revolutionary war to J.F.K., and I find these books utterly enthralling. If even half of what he has written in this series actually happened...more
Mais tarde, quando fez Intolerância, sucumbira ao espetacular em detrimento do intelecto. No entanto, Caroline sabia o que ele estava fazendo ou tentando fazer. Como Griffith, Tim acreditava que a imaginação do público podia ser sitiada e conquistada. Mas ele preferia, perversamente, apelar ao senso de justiça das pessoas, ao passo que Griffith as aborrecia com grandiosas visões de diversos pecados mortais. Caroline sabia que a resposta estava em algum lugar entre essas duas coisas - naquilo que...more
This one of the less good installments in Vidal rewriting of American political history. Unlike many of the volumes, it lacks a main protagonist and flits around from politics to Hollywood, but not in a satifactory or convincing manner. Vidal makes the consistent argument that America evolved from a republic [albeit not a shining light on the hill] to a militaristic empire by its gradual involvement in international affairs after the civil war. This book traces the post-WWI era with the idealist...more
This is an incredible book. The paragraph structure can take some getting used to - Vidal likes to interrupt quotes in odd places - and I had to create a little cheat sheet to keep track of all the characters and their entangling relationships. But if you like political history, the book is a must. It's also something of a conceit. It's the sexy side of American history: of our beautiful people and our smoke-filled back rooms of power. (Don't go looking for a more comprehensive social history.)...more
So far so good. I haven't gotten far enough to tell what is going as far as where Vidal is taking this whole novel which seems, at least so far, epic in scope. This is one of those historical fictions where real historical personages are turned into fictional characters, but so far it has been completely believable. I think Gore Vidal is probably a pretty good student of American history, both political and cultural, though he undoubtedly has a polemic it hasn't shown itself yet. The novel opens...more
I was sure I'd read Hollywood many years ago, but now I''m not sure. If I did, I didn't finish it. I'm tempted to give the book 5 stars, but will stick with 4 since it's a little unfocused in some places, and talky; though talky from GV is hardly tiresome.
Hollywood expands Caroline Sanford (and Hearst's) practice of news creation as Caroline takes the idea into film, first as the unlikely actress Emma Traxler and at the end, as a film mogul who sees film as the ultimate creation of a new society...more
Hollywood expands Caroline Sanford (and Hearst's) practice of news creation as Caroline takes the idea into film, first as the unlikely actress Emma Traxler and at the end, as a film mogul who sees film as the ultimate creation of a new society...more
I'll admit it: it took me the better part of both spring and summer to read this book. I think Gore Vidal is best when he reigns himself in to focus, at least primarily, on a single historical figure. Lincoln and Burr have scores of intricately woven story lines, but benefit from adhering to the narrative arc afforded by focusing on one man's life. Hollywood , which details both the politics surrounding the Wilson and Harding administrations and the nascent film industry, is all intricately wov...more
This book dragged a bit and I am looking forward to getting to the penultimate novel in the series (Washington DC) which is apparently highly regarded. I was going to give it three stars but I added another star for the sociological themes on the role of movies in formulating public opinion. I wonder how much this is true today with all the crappy things people watch (Gigli anyone?), but at bottom I think the idea has some validity even if its efficacy has waned over the last century or so. His...more
I was disappointed with this book, in part, because I had read another of his books, Burr, some years ago and absolutely loved it. I don't know if this means I need to stick to his books set in earlier periods, or if he is an author that, for me, is going to be very hit or miss. I did love a couple of passages very early in the book, but other than that I wasn't all that crazy about this one.
Title is a bit misleading. I thought it would be about the beginings of Hollywood. More specifically, it's about the beginings of Hollywood as a propoganda machine--as an extension and/or mouthpiece of the government. Much of the action is set in Washington DC and centers on the Wilson presidency and then later the Harding administration. So many many many characters it's like being in a long historical parade. Many of the characters are historical figures of note, so part of the challenge for m...more
Vidal captured the beginning of the incestuous relationship between government and the recreational media; the political and social changes presented by "image-making" have been with us ever since. Lots of facts woven throughout this fictional tapestry. Great read.
I like his books, but this is the worst I' e read of his. The characters are difficult to keep straight, it is repetitive (he needed an editor), the timeline is askew, and it takes forever to get somewhere. Shame because it could be Interesting topics.
I found this book slow and the characters empty. The political background was interesting but made for slow reading as it was just not what I had expected. Lots of history......just presented in a very droning type way.
Historical novel focusing on the Wilson and Harding administrations, including the political scandals and the cultural evolution from wartime puritanism and progressivism to the Roaring 20s.
Dec 09, 2008
Michaelbatte
added it
Verpy insightful to political nature of United States before the Depression - really enjoyed this book although it took me almost a week to finish it which is a long time for me to spend on one book
A deeply turgid read. Vidal never failed to take himself very seriously and that's how he approached his fiction too. A shame, because the project is worthy, it just needed a much lighter touch.
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11565608
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11565608
I really enjoyed reading about how politics influenced Hollywood and vice versa, even way back in the very early days of movies.
Gore Vidal is an excellent writer and I find his American history series compelling. This period becomes more accessible through the imagined dialogues and behind-the-scenes relations among the political and cultural influential figures of the 1920's. It goes far in connecting the dots between Washington, DC's ideological/political agendas (national and international) and the burgeoning film industry in Hollywood, CA. As such, a worthwhile read to connect with the entire series, but compared wit...more
The federal government dictating movie ideas to hollywood, A must read!
For US history buffs, a semi-interesting read and a run-of-the-mill write.
Interesting history but I find his style hard to read. Is it just me?
Loved it! Main character is a bit unrealistic (witty, an actress, a publisher, a producer, and the only woman in her forties who is also beautiful on and off screen...), but I was drawn into the story by the other characters and the narrative. Burr is still my favorite so far of the series, but this ranked a close second.
Maybe the weakest in the series. A lot of repetition, and not a lot of insight.
I'm just not a fan of Gore Vidal. Plus I think the title is misleading as the book takes place mostly from 1915 to 1920 . . . .very little of the actual 20's in the story line . . . and a little bit unrealistic.
I couldn't get through it. I skimmed the first 50 pages hoping it would get interesting, but at page 180 I gave up. Seemed to me the book was about a bunch of rich people with little to do. It just didn't pull me in.
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While the book does cover the early years of Hollywood and the beginnings of the motion picture industry, it is more about politics before and after WWI. Interesting look at President Wilson and the corrupt Harding administration. Also, an interesting look at how politics, the media and Hollywood related to each other at the time.
The title is "Hollywood" - Set mostly in Washington DC.
"A novel of America in the 1920's" - Story is from 1917 to 1923.
Although I feel it's misrepresented on the cover, not a bad read. Found it hard to keep track as to who was who though.
"A novel of America in the 1920's" - Story is from 1917 to 1923.
Although I feel it's misrepresented on the cover, not a bad read. Found it hard to keep track as to who was who though.
1 like · like · see review
Here is another that will have to wait. My problem is my moods change and I get interested in other things. This is -- so far -- an interesting book about the interplay of politics and the movie industry. Definitely plan to return to it.
Disappointingly shallow book. No real character development, very light on the historical angle. Just not what I expecter of Gore Vidal.
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Eugene Luther Gore Vidal was an American writer known for his essays, novels, screenplays, and Broadway plays. He was also known for his patrician manner, Transatlantic accent, and witty aphorisms. Vidal came from a distinguished political lineage; his grandfather was the senator Thomas Gore, and he later became a relation (through marriage) to Jacqueline Kennedy.
Vidal ran for political office twi...more
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Vidal ran for political office twi...more
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