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canadiantiquarian's review
3.0
A collection that begins and ends beautifully, with a sluggish middle.
His essay about Henry Miller is one of the funniest things Vidal ever said or wrote. When Vidal was on, he was ON.
Everyone knows that. But what really makes Vidal shine is that his barbs aren't the be-all, end-all. There is an unintentional lesson in his writing about giving due along with giving lip. His challenges are more joyous, his cleverness funnier, because he is also perfectly comfortable giving credit or respect where he thinks it's due. It removes the muddy waters that result from total disappointment and disinterest, or from the stubbornness that makes one segment an encapsulation.
His essay about Henry Miller is one of the funniest things Vidal ever said or wrote. When Vidal was on, he was ON.
Everyone knows that. But what really makes Vidal shine is that his barbs aren't the be-all, end-all. There is an unintentional lesson in his writing about giving due along with giving lip. His challenges are more joyous, his cleverness funnier, because he is also perfectly comfortable giving credit or respect where he thinks it's due. It removes the muddy waters that result from total disappointment and disinterest, or from the stubbornness that makes one segment an encapsulation.
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