Creation

I re-read this book about once every two years, and I think I've gone through three copies. As historical novels go it avoids the present over-active sex and slaying model, and goes for the reasoned wanderer. Just as with the great Alfred Duggan (all of whose narrators sound like a slightly blasé English gentleman) the narrator of Creation (Cyrus Spitama) is a New England Yankee - he is Gore Vidal but on a really good day. The Greek Wars have been purloined for the purpose of comparison with the War of Terror. But Vidal goes back to the older world where British and American imperialists and scholars worshipped at the feet of Greece and Rome; he then suggests a good deal of the received view of the Greek Wars (and much else Persian) is wrong - in some cases anticipating future scholarship. The poem "The Persian Version" by Robert Graves predates Creation and shows the same refusal to accept the received view (as well as allowing a pop at Great War military reporting). Gore Vidal does not simply write a contrarian history; he has identified that in one lifetime a person could have met (or met at one remove) a list of great philosophers (Zoroaster, Socrates, the Buddha, Mahavira, Lao Tsu, and Confucius) and historical characters (Perikles, Thucydides, Darius, Xerxes and many other Greek and Persian names). At times the novel is reportage, and others a travelogue, a commentary on various religions, and an arch tale of the life of a courtier.It is a wonderful piece of work; immerse yourself in it.

Fabulous adventure examining global relations in the age of Confucius, Zoroaster and Darius the Great. Tyranny is everywhere and exists today where multinational corporations refuse to allow workers to organise.

I've actually come back to edit this review. I gave it 2 stars originally and it frustrated the hell out of me. I can now see with some distance that it is far better than the other books I gave a 2 star rating to. The problem with Gore Vidal and his 'historical' novels is that you can be sun dazzled by his erudition whilst failing to recognise what he said himself about his historical novels - nobody knew what it was really like so my 'interpretation' is as good as any other. Interpretation yes. Elaboration? Hmmmmm. There is of course the sense that if a story is worth telling, it's worth elaborating, but then that takes us away from the 'Historical' and puts us completely into the world of the 'Novel'. So Vidal 'elaborates' on history - but boy can he write. Anything that Vidal writes is generally better than 60 m aybe 70% of contemporary fiction writers.This Vidalesque historical novel 'brick' comes in at over 650 pages and its scope is vast taking in Periclean Greece, Persia, Zoroastrianism, India, Buddhism, Confucius and China (did I leave something out....probably). The book demonstrates perfectly how an epic of this standard can be both engrossing and tedious. There are parts that I just couldn't get through and had to skip several pages. But there are also parts that are fascinating and brilliantly written. But how do you deal with it? As history...... well hardly. As a novel.... well not really is it, though the character development is worthy of a novel and the narrative runs on (and on and on and on.And essentially the problem still remains - is this HISTORY or is this a NOVEL - b ut then, does it really matter. How much is this a product of Vidal's very fertile and fevered imagination and how much is studied and researched before putting it into his novel context. I found it hard sometimes to jump between the two positions and one position mitigated against the other so that in the end it became a task to get through the complete book to the bitter end and the death of Cyrus Spitama.I find all his novels, of which I truly enjoyed Duluth and Kalki, stand as excellent examples wonderfully written and expounded.

Read many years ago which I borrowed from a friend. so v Happy when I saw the novel here.

A fabulously wide ranging epic journey of what I presume is a totally fictitious character who happens to be the grandson of Zoroaster. In his inimitable way Vidal includes salacious gossip, erotic episodes and meetings with remarkable men including Buddha, Confucius, Lao Tze, Socrates and Aristotle. That is apart from the great monarchs of ancient Persia. He is a writer of great skill and panache giving us a wonderfully personalised view of a hugely important era in both Eastern and Western early civilisations

I purchased this by accident not realising that it was an audible book, my first. I have always enjoyed the work of Gore Vidal and have downloaded audible I am looking forward to hearing it.

It reads as a scince fiction story in that there is nothing familiar. All the social rules are different.Definitely learned a lot.Once started I wanted to read it.

A rewarding read, with an interesting take on ancient history and spotting parallels with modern times.

This was the first Gore Vidal book I read and certainly not the last. It is a marvellous and fascinating journey, specially for me, living in India. Vidal has the brilliance of making history come alive, making it memorable and meaningful.A must read for everyone, everywhere.

I read this 30 years ago and had such great memories I tried it again. The prose is elegant, the erudition remarkable and the lead character is wonderful. A pure reading pleasure.

E' un piacere immenso leggere Gore Vidal, soprattutto in questo romanzo. L'accuratezza dei dati e la maestria nel ritmare racconto e avvenimenti uniti ad un piacevolissimo "sense of humour" lo rendono godibilissimo.

I have been studying the ancient civilizations of Persia, Greece, Rome through on-line and audio lessons but somehow, I was not relating to the dynamics of those civilizations. Gore Vidal has a unique style that is historically correct yet enables the reader to 'feel' the lifestyle and times of those who actually made the history.In addition to being well written, it is also clever and amusing. How often does one feel like laughing, or at least smiling, when reading a historical novel? To be entertained while being educated is a very special treat. When I finish this long novel, I am sure I will be looking for other Gore Vidal books - perhaps "The Twelve Caesars" will be next.

Très bien. Tout c'est très bien passé. Produit tel comme il a été décrit. ****** ****** ****** *** *** ****