Bob Gustafson
asked
John Bicknell:
What is your opinion of the work of Gore Vidal, especially "Burr" and "1876", if you have read them?
John Bicknell
Bob,
I rarely read fiction these days, and back when I did, was more inclined toward John Updike and Philip Roth than Vidal. My feeling was always, if I want to read about history, I'll read history, rather than historical fiction. Sometimes I wonder if I'm missing something, though. Good historical fiction -- "The Killer Angels" comes to mind -- can add a valuable dimension to the study of history. Lots of people swear by Vidal on that count.
JB
I rarely read fiction these days, and back when I did, was more inclined toward John Updike and Philip Roth than Vidal. My feeling was always, if I want to read about history, I'll read history, rather than historical fiction. Sometimes I wonder if I'm missing something, though. Good historical fiction -- "The Killer Angels" comes to mind -- can add a valuable dimension to the study of history. Lots of people swear by Vidal on that count.
JB
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