The Last Empire : Essays 1992-2000

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Summary: Gore Vidal has always been clear about what is real and true
Review: This collection of essays is written in Vidal's always concise, straight-to-the-point manner. As great as he is in the historical fiction genre (his works from "Burr" through "Empire" are true American classics), still, I think his essay work is his best venue. Split into four parts, the latter three are often brilliant. His essay "Wiretapping the Oval Office" is hilarious, while his "Time for a Peoples Convention" is timely, even before it became imperative. Vidal seems to have the knack for seeing the most viable probabilities before they become crystal clear. The man simply talks (and writes) sensible, if sometimes altruistic, ideas and ideals. "Race Against Time" is one of those altruistic, yet emminently sensible essays. If anyone doubts Vidal's knack for seeing political reality in advance, let me quote his 1992 essay "With Extreme Prejudice", "...there is no longer a rational for so many secret services unless the Feds really come out of the closet and declare war on the American people, the ultimate solution..." Patriot Act anyone? Part Four of this book of essays must be read. "Shredding The Bill Of Rights", written in 1998, is an eery, uncanny prediction (come true) of what is happening now - ostensibly as a result of the 9/11 attacks - but Vidal saw this coming well before that. Recently, an aquaintance of mine whose opinions I respect stated that "desperate times call for desperate measures" when I expressed my deep concern with the unusually (and, in my opinion, illegal and unconstitutional) wide scope and potential for serious abuse of power contained in the PATRIOT Act (an acronym for Providing Adequate Tools Required in order to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism). I reminded him that this was precisely the defense used at Nuremburg by Nazi defense council. Count on Vidal to always be on the cutting edge of what is coming to a Country near you.