Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #77942 in Books
• Published on: 2002-11-05
• Binding: Paperback
• 176 pages

The Times
`There is no one quite like him, and if you do not know his work you should.'

The Guardian
`Gore Vidal is the most elegant, erudite and eclectic writer of his generation.'

The Observer
`Vidal's combination of learning, wit and disdain gets into your blood. He can change the way you think.'

Customer Reviews

Warning
Vidal's 'The Last Empire', which includes most of the essays in 'Perpetual War...' and 'Dreaming War...' is a much better value for your money.

Vidal truly afflicts the comfortable
Anyone who wants to understand the basic value of free speech in America needs to read this long litany of the abuses of government authority by the police, politicians and press.

All criticism of power obviously infuriates conservatives, and Vidal constantly skewers the rich, complacent, corrupt and conniving. It is definitely not meant to be read by rich fat conservatives of the Greedy Old Party, or even the Dumb Enough for Me set. Instead, it's a wonderful expose of the abuses of power by people who hold power; it's not meant to be fair, any more than 'Common Sense' by Thomas Paine was meant to be even handed. Like the Founding Fathers, Vidal believes American can be better if some of its inherited bad habits are discarded.

From Paine to Thomas Jefferson to Michael Moore, America has thrived in part because of its critics. And who reins in the critics? They must wage a constant rearguard action against everyone from Rush Limbaugh to Ann Colter. The very best are often betrayed by even their friends; but, this is often the price of being right instead of popular. Public debate in America is waged in a playpen of paranoid wolves; there is no mercy for anyone who bleeds in the arena of public comment. It is no place for the weak-minded.

Vidal is one of the best. Of course he's unfair; he's quick to cite government slaughter at Waco, but ignores the slaughter by religious cults from Jonestown to Heaven's Gate, and the appalling sexual child abuse by polygamist Mormons in Arizona. His talent is defending individual freedom against government conformity. This is the heart of a free society. In some countries conformity is an art form, such as Cuba, Iran and North Korea, but it is not the fate chosen by free people.

Government in America is truly as bad as Vidal states; but, every fault Vidal cites was brought to his attention by news reports and government studies and not by his own original effort. In other words, a free press exists and is effective. A century ago, critics such as Upton Sinclair were the first to tell all Americans about appalling conditions in industry. The result was major reform. Today, critics thrive throughout society from village newspapers to national publishers, plus millions of bloggers, book critics and letter writers. The result is a constant process of incremental reform.

Amazon.com book reviews are one such utterly new bastion of free expression; they offer another means to praise or cauterize the cogent or corrupt arguments of everyone from Vidal to myself. It is this freedom that makes Vidal possible and precious, and gives America an almost unassailable strength. This is one society where error of opinion or fact is pounced upon with vigor and glee, instead of being covered over in the genteel ivy of sacred tradition, pride and heritage.

Vidal is one of the best. You can learn a lot by reading a book, and this book is one of the most provocative. You (and America) will be better for it.

Another masterpiece by Gore Vidal
PERPETUAL WAR FOR PERPETUAL PEACE is a collection of essays by Gore Vidal, who has been referred to as the master essayist of the century. In these essays Vidal explains why the United States has become so hated. Vidal also explains why the United States government has become hated by many of its own citizens.

Given the heinous reality of the crime committed by McVeigh, it is tempting to believe that Gore Vidal is excusing the murder of innocent Oklahoma citizens. But that is not the case. Vidal readily agrees that the killing of innocent people is wrong, and then proceeds to explain how the United States government - which he refers to as the greatest terrorist organization in the world - has set the precedent by killing many innocent people abroad (chapter one concludes with a 20 page list of the wars the United States has been engaged in - some still ongoing - over the past 50 years, noting that in most cases we struck the first blow), and many innocent people within its own borders, examples being Waco, Ruby Ridge, and even in Washington state (in each situation those killed had committed no crime).

Gore claims that the important piece to the McVeigh story is that the attack was a *retaliation* against the US government for its constant harassment - and in some cases murder of - its own citizens. The author states that the mainstream media portrayed McVeigh as having evolved in a vacuum, that he was irrational evil incarnate who killed only for the fun of it. To the contrary, the author argues that McVeigh, as well as the 9/11 terrorists, were provoked. Vidal, who opposes the death penalty, strongly agrees that two wrongs do not make a right, but nor does a third: McVeigh was put to death for his crime. The author claims that yet another piece of the story that we have not been given is that McVeigh may not have even committed the bombing. There is evidence that he may've taken the fall for friends, or that he may have opted for death rather than endure what the author refers to as the most barbaric prison system of all developed nations. (Vidal asserts that prison rape is so pervasive, and so ignored by authorities, that it could reasonably be considered a type of punishment endorsed by the US government.)

PERPETUAL WAR FOR PERPETUAL PEACE is one of the best books I have ever read. I highly recommend it in addition to Vidal's DREAMING WAR: BLOOD FOR OIL AND THE CHENEY-BUSH JUNTA.

Andrew Parodi