Vidal continues, sort of, where he left off in Palimpsest. His writing is as always biting, occasionally cruel, and quite funny. It's always interesting to get an "inside" version of some of the movers and shakers of our recent past.

A previous reviewer mentioned that this book jumps around. Yes, it does. The title and the forward explain that Vidal uses one person, idea, or event to lead to another, gently wandering through the past.

This starts a bit slowly; I thought, "Oh no, Gore has finally succumbed to time and his writng has slipped in quality." I was wrong; as the book progresses his voice becomes stronger.

Vidal is an acquired taste. If you've enjoyed his previous work, you'll enjoy this. He's not for everyone.

Enjoyable, but I think Gore's being a tad lazy in this one. It's easy to write engaging memoir when you've been born into this society. Didn't mind skipping around chronologically but he could have done more to weave a stronger narrative thread.

Who, finally, was Gore Vidal? He asked himself this question frequently, so I guess we can ask it here. A novelist? I hope not. He wrote some remarkable trash, like "Duluth" and "Myron." Then there's "Two Sisters." It isn't trash, it's just a hodgepodge that never figures out where it's going, yet somehow gets there anyway. A writer of historical fiction? "Lincoln" isn't trash, it's tedium, which might be worse. A memoirist? "Palimpsest" is okay, not great, but has a memorable line, to the effect, you can't fix someone else's life, or their story. Maybe you can't fix their story, Mr. Vidal, but you sure as heck should have let someone fix a really bad title. The subject of the biographer? I have read only one biography, Jay Parini's "Empire of Self," which is first-rate. Gore Vidal knew his way around Hollywood. He knew his way around Washington. He lobbed plenty of political grenades and was especially fond of blasting what he derisively termed the "American Empire." He ran unsuccessfully for office, perhaps motivated by his maternal grandfather, a senator from Oklahoma who influenced him, even profoundly. He knew his way around Italy, which he eventually called home. He was a gay man, and he sowed his wild oats, though how much of what he says is exaggerated went with him to the grave. Certainly his sexuality figures considerably in his writing. He lived with another man, Howard Austen, and they found true love in not making love. He called William F. Buckley, Jr., a Nazi on national television, before television ruined itself. He got punched by Norman Mailer. Last but not least, he was a sailor posted to the Aleutian Islands during World War II, where the weather made it necessary sometimes to rely on "point-to-point navigation." I think this book, also a memoir, is his best. Its title, this time a very good one, is our clue. What is the very last image that comes to mind, when one thinks of Gore Vidal? A sailor. But he was. He was a GI, like millions of others, answering the call to become part of something very much bigger than himself. He did this when he was 20, and it is perhaps his tragedy he couldn't again, until six decades later.

A good read because of the people he knew. Two points. Firstly, he lived with Howard Auster for fifty years but the man doesn’t come over. Secondly, he flits freely back and forth in time. My wife likes this, but I feel it’s lazy here. In my opinion his previous volume, Palimpsest, was better. There comes a time when we all have to stop. I believe Vidal has reached that point, a view reinforced by a recent television interview where he was quirky alright, but somewhat incoherent with it.

I found this to be a fascinating book. I listened to the audio version read by the author which made it even better because of the accents and because there was no doubt when he was being ironic. He has been everywhere and done everything and is related to all kinds of people. He also has a very amusing, and unfortunately true, outlook on American politics.
Definitely worth listening to. It is semi-episodic and jumps around in time so it lends itself to listening in short snatches like a commute without losing context.

Like the art on the end flaps, this is a collage of thoughts and memories, and per the title, it moves from one point to the next. Some of those points are excellent and soar above the others, but for the most part the book is not as good as Palimpsest and in fact repeats quite a bit of it.

I listened to the author read this memoir. Very narcissistic man. I have never read his books but have heard of him so was interested to find out a little about him. I don't think I will bother with any of his books.

If you can, get the audio recorded version. Gore himself reads. His comical impersonations of JFK, FDR, Tennessee Williams, and Federico Fellini are spot on... worth listening to over and over. Otherwise, read his essays on America...no one today can touch him.

Highly entertaining!

Listening to this memoir by Gore Vidal, I had the feeling I was spending the afternoon with an elderly man listening to his stories. A few years ago I had read a biography of General Robert Olds who in 1942 married Nina Gore Auchincloss. Gore Vidal’s famous actress mother. I like it when information in one book I read shows up in another book I am reading. Vidal came from a famous family. His father was a military pilot who in civilian life started three airlines, TWA, Eastern and Northwestern. His mother was an actress whose father was a long time Senator from Oklahoma. Gore tells about reading to his grandfather who was blind and going into the U.S. Senate to read whatever was needed to him. The book is a bit rambling but just as it would be if you were sitting having a conversation with him. His life ranged from a playwright on Broadway to a Hollywood screen writer to essayist and novelist. In the book he discusses the various famous people he knew in all types of professions. From Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy (his step sister was Jackie Auchincloss Kennedy). He also discussed Tennessee Williams, William Faulkner, Saul Bellows, and Marlene Dietrich, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. Two people he had nothing nice to say about were Truman Capote and Richard Nixon. A few of his witty aphorism were present also. He wrote this just after the death of Howard Austen his partner for 53 years. I noticed some of the reviews of this book were negative but I enjoyed listening to Gore Vidal. He gave me a glimpse into the life of a famous writer and intellectual from the 1930 through 2005. I remember reading some of his books such as Lincoln, Burr and the novel Myra Breckinridge. I read this as an audio book downloaded from Audible. Gore Vidal narrated the book himself.

I enjoyed every moment of this memoir and will likely listen to the audiobook of it here and there for years. Vidal's wisdom, wit, and forethought come through beautifully. He led a life like no other and reviews many touching, comic, and tragic moments with his signature cocktail of heartfelt honesty and stylistic swagger.

I really like Gore Vidal, his observations, and his life experiences. Unfortunately, I overdid the reading of his work these past 6 weeks or so, and I got a little "done" with reading him. I will most likely never get back to finishing PTPN, though I would hope I'd do so before he dies. I don't want to be one of "those" people.