THE LAST EMPIRE Essays 1991-2000

A prolific writer of novels, literary criticism, and social criticism, Vidal is considered by many to be one of the great American writers of the late twentieth century. Given Vidal's complex prose and acerbic wit, it is a daunting task to read this work. Dan Cashman performs this text in an excellent fashion. He deftly handles the pauses, parenthetical remarks, and asides in each essay and never falters on the many names and foreign phrases. Vidal excoriates John Updike, a biographer of Mark Twain, and most contemporary political figures, and Cashman clearly communicates Vidal's contempt. Cashman seems to understand the text so well one might think Vidal is reading his own work. M.L.C. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/ JAN 02]