When a mortician appears on television to declare that death is infinitely preferable to life, he sparks a religious movement that quickly leaves Christianity and most of Islam in the dust.Gore Vidal's deft and daring blend of satire and prophecy, first published in 1954, eerily anticipates the excesses of Jim Jones, David Koresh, and the Heaven's Gate suicide cult.-Print ed.

When a mortician appears on television to declare that death is infinitely preferable to life, he sparks a new religion which goes global and eerily anticipates the excesses of Jim Jones, David Koresh, and the Heaven's Gate suicide cult.

In "In a Yellow Wood," readers are likely introduced to the protagonist, who may be facing a pivotal moment in their life. The title itself suggests a sense of transition or uncertainty, as the phrase "yellow wood" evokes images of autumn, change, and reflection.Central to the narrative could be themes of self-discovery and personal growth. The protagonist may find themselves at a crossroads, grappling with questions of purpose, fulfillment, and the pursuit of happiness. As they navigate t...

The novel is set in the harsh and unforgiving environment of the Aleutian Islands, a remote and windswept chain off the coast of Alaska. Against this backdrop, Vidal weaves a tale of suspense, survival, and human drama.The story follows a small crew aboard the U.S. Army freighter "Williwaw" as they navigate the treacherous waters of the North Pacific Ocean. As they sail through the fog-shrouded channels and icy seas of the Aleutians, they are pursued by a mysterious and deadly enemy—the wi...

This New York Times bestseller offers "an unblinking view of our national heroes by one who cherishes them, warts and all" ( New York Review of Books).In Inventing a Nation, National Book Award winner Gore Vidal transports the reader into the minds, the living rooms (and bedrooms), the convention halls, and the salons of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and others. We come to know these men, through Vidal's splendid prose, ...

Master storyteller Gore Vidal's 1952 classic.The fast and furious hedonistic world of the jet-set commuting between the glamour centres of Europe is the setting for this famous novel by one of the twentieth century's most remarkable writers.Philip Warren is a personable young American who moves amongst the international demi-gods of wealth and status in search of himself and a future which will satisfy his part cynical, part romantic outlook.

Conservative icon William F. Buckley Jr. and liberal author Gore Vidal exploded onto the political scene during the presidential conventions of 1968 when they debated 11 times on ABC News as a part of the network's convention coverage. Their debates were fiery and combative and they infamously blew up at each other during their penultimate debate in Chicago. The debates, the subject of the new documentary film "Best of Enemies," have not been shown or transcribed in their entirety since th...

Gore Vidal—novelist, playwright, critic, screenwriter, memoirist, indefatigable political commentator, and controversialist—is America's premier man of letters. No other living writer brings more sparkling wit, vast learning, indelible personality, and provocative mirth to the job of writing an essay.This long-needed volume comprises some twenty-four of his best-loved pieces of criticism, political commentary, memoir, portraiture, and, occasionally, unfettered score settling. It will stand...

An American smuggler in Egypt finds himself at the mercy of killers, femme fatales, and an escalating revolution—a lost pulp crime novel from one of the legends of the genreLost for more than 60 years and overflowing with political and sexual intrigue, Thieves Fall Out provides a delicious glimpse into the mind of legendary writer Gore Vidal in his formative years. By turns mischievous and deadly serious, Vidal tells the story of a man caught up in events ...

Williwaw first published in 1946, is the notable first novel of a young Gore Vidal, who during World War II was a first mate of a supply ship stationed in the Aleutian Islands. The story revolves around the small ship and her crew as they battle both the elements in the Bering Sea and the mounting tensions between some of the crew members. An intense wind—williwaw—strikes the ship, damaging the craft as she struggles to make her way back to port.

**Reflections on, and interviews with, US presidents from Nixon to George W. Bush, from "one of the best reporters of our time" (Joan Didion, New York Times–bestselling author of The White Album).Robert Scheer's interviews with and profiles of US presidents have shaped journalism history. Scheer developed close journalistic relationships with Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and George H. W. Bush, and his reporting on them had a t...

Robert Holton removed several dark hairs from his comb and wondered if his hairline was receding. He squinted for a moment at himself in the mirror and decided that he was not losing his hair, not yet anyway. Then he sat down on the edge of the bed and put on his shoes. He started to tie the laces of the left shoe when he began to think of his dream. He had many dreams: of flying through the air, of walking in empty rooms, of all the standard things that psychiatrists like to hear about. U...