Palimpsest

I've accepted the Blogging A to Z Challenge. All month, I'm going to blog about Books from A to Z.

Gore Vidal's voice comes through so much on the page, especially in his non-fiction. His memoir, Palimpsest, was a terrific read. One of these days I'll read the follow-up, Point to Point Navigation.

I find it fitting that my gateway to Vidal was his mammoth essay collection, United States.

I later read some of his novels. Messiah. Kalki. Myra Breckenridge. I still haven't really delved into his history cycle, but hope to one of these days.

But as much as I enjoyed those novels, it's really in his essays that he comes alive. It's his voice. It's rich, authoritative and addictive. He's a treasure, even if he is getting a little more cranky and conspiratorial in his old age.