Rating: 
Summary: Superficial and confusing
Review: Apparently Gore Vidal wanted to exact some facile laugh mixing poor religious satire (at a goliardic level, let the word "blasphemous" rest), a wagonload of sex, and a confusing cyberpunk story on the proposed filming of the
crucifixion and resurrection of Our Saviour Jesus.Well, if well done it could have been interesting, but this book is simply a prolonged implausible vaudeville act. It also purports a theory on Jesus who is rejected by all the sensible scholars in the field. Oh, well,in conclusion: if you want some fast laugh whit some sex buy it, but if you want to read something good by Gore Vidal, go elsewhere (Kalki or Julian, pour example).
Rating: 
Summary: Gore Vidal : Historical 'Ideas' as a Satirical Creation.
Review: Dear Reader, If you enjoy satire of serious events as a breathing space from a much too serious world, then you will enjoy this creation of Mr.Vidal's. Mr.Vidal once remarked on a talkshow to another famous author that his famous competitor was a "famous typist", as the two authors were debating literary style. Such is the satirical wit of Gore Vidal, and this style prevails through out "Live From Golgotha". He does not mis-state any historical facts, or ideas that are not true as we know truth to be, he is a great historian. Rather, In this work it is the way he peices together those 'facts' and the interaction between events and characters that is funny and of his own Satirical Invention. I think we have all done this at one time or another as kids in church or some serious situation, but Gore has managed to make a work of satire and it's worth a read.I would rank Vidal's Satire on par with Voltaire's, Fran Lebowitz's and Gary Kilban's. Gore Vidal has also written many serious treatments of history, in Novel form. Political Historians that I have contact with, such as local Legisators, praise Gore's wealth of detail in his historical novels when we discuss Gore Vidal's books."Julian" is another fabulous example of Gore Vidal's wit, while remaining true to the 'facts?' of history.
Rating: 
Summary: Witty, Irreverent, Wonderful
Review: Fans of Gore Vidal's novels Kalki, Myra Breckinridge, Myron, and The Smithsonian Institution will love Live From Golgotha. This novel is charged with the same biting critique of religion and religious institutions as we find in Kalki, and it incorporates the playfully sci-fi elements found in The Smithsonian Institution. In short, for Vidal fans, this novel is a must.For those poor souls who have yet to discover Gore Vidal, this is a good introduction. Vidal writes what he calls "inventions" from time to time. These are his metafictional/experimental novels that break from his more famous, and more mainstream, historical novels such as Lincoln and The Golden Age (both of which are wonderful novels). In these inventions, Vidal allows himself to be more playful and unusual. Live From Golgotha reads like a collaborative effort between Kurt Vonnegut and Thomas Pynchon. Despite the apt comparison to other pop-experimental novelists, Vidal writes originally and, I feel, quite a bit better than Vonnegut, Pynchon, T. C. Boyle, and Tom Robbins. Perhaps it is most impressive that Vidal can write anything, including these "inventions," while the aforementioned authors are limited to that style. It is clear that Vidal knows exactly what he is doing, and that he does well. In this case, he has chosen to tell an alternate story of the Gospels through the point of view of Saint Timothy. Timothy is being bombarded by characters from the future(s) who are trying to coerce him into re-writing scripture with their political and financial concerns in mind. What we end up with is a romp-in-the-sand of a novel that makes you laugh out loud at times and grimace with knowing pain at the cut-throat attitudes present in media, politics, and religion.
Rating:
Summary: The single most mastrful writer in the English Language
Review: Gore Vidal will never fail in amazing you! This rather twisted story of technology and Faith will make you think about what and how you believe. If you know why "Everything you knoe is Wrong" is an important phrase, this book is for you. Read it and be prepared to be taken on a journey you will never forget. And to think, Gore Vidal writes historical novels that are interesting too!!!
Rating:
Summary: The Ultimate In Commercial TV
Review: Most of the other reviewers of this book seem to have approached it as if it was a semi-serious study in the line of "the quest for the historical Jesus." Have they really read it? It's an absurd science fiction comedy that is actually very, *very* funny! Humankind has discovered how to go back in time...albeit only semi-accurately. And so, the race is on! The goal...to send back to the future a LIVE broadcast of the events surrounding the crucifiction of Christ! It takes a while to get there, however...an outrageous romp that insults and mocks everyone and everything along the way, the sacred icons slamming one by two in the dust. Vidal's excellent writing is surpassed only by his vivid and unbridled imagination. (I laughed for days after the scene where Shirley MacClaine briefly appears, having channeled into the past by means of her own!) The story is told by Timothy---you know, the guy that...uh...cavorted with the apostle Paul)---who has his own unique set of priorities. The inevitable result? Well, we all know how sponsors of programs want to get their money's worth, yes? Let's just say that more than a few things manage to compromise themselves in the quest for corporate profit. I'd love to see it, but I doubt this one will ever make it to TV....
Rating:
Summary: The Ultimate In Commercial TV
Review: Most of the other reviewers of this book seem to have approached it as if it was a semi-serious study in the line of "the quest for the historical Jesus." Have they really read it? It's an absurd science fiction comedy that is actually very, *very* funny! Humankind has discovered how to go back in time...albeit only semi-accurately. And so, the race is on! The goal...to send back to the future a LIVE broadcast of the events surrounding the crucifiction of Christ! It takes a while to get there, however...an outrageous romp that insults and mocks everyone and everything along the way, the sacred icons slamming one by two in the dust. Vidal's excellent writing is surpassed only by his vivid and unbridled imagination. (I laughed for days after the scene where Shirley MacClaine briefly appears, having channeled into the past by means of her own!) The story is told by Timothy---you know, the guy that...uh...cavorted with the apostle Paul)---who has his own unique set of priorities. The inevitable result? Well, we all know how sponsors of programs want to get their money's worth, yes? Let's just say that more than a few things manage to compromise themselves in the quest for corporate profit. I'd love to see it, but I doubt this one will ever make it to TV....
Rating:
Summary: Very entertaining
Review: Strangely this book reminded me of the movie Back to the Future. Only instead of Michael J Fox in the lead role we have Saint Timothy who is desperately trying to hold his vision of Christianity together against the onslaught of corporate executives who keep dropping in from the future.
Rating:
Summary: My sides are *still* splitting
Review: Take a tap-dancing St. Paul ("Solly"), an enormously fat Jesus, a rather mercenary St. Timothy, and a whole lot of Time-Travel, and you get this hysterical book.' I agree with soem of the previous reviewers: this book is indeed a bit confusing, but really, only if you don't follow it all the way to the end. If you pay close attention--this is totally one of those books that you have to think about all the way through--you won't get lost, and you will definately enjoy this little cyberpunk-mmets-early Christianity romp.
Rating:
Summary: My sides are *still* splitting
Review: Take a tap-dancing St. Paul ("Solly"), an enormously fat Jesus, a rather mercenary St. Timothy, and a whole lot of Time-Travel, and you get this hysterical book.' I agree with soem of the previous reviewers: this book is indeed a bit confusing, but really, only if you don't follow it all the way to the end. If you pay close attention--this is totally one of those books that you have to think about all the way through--you won't get lost, and you will definately enjoy this little cyberpunk-mmets-early Christianity romp.
Rating:
Summary: Delightful!
Review: This book is an absolute must for anyone who can appreciate someone taking a poke at hypocritical piety among organized religions (esp. Christianity). Not only does Gore Vidal remind us of his acumen as an historian, but he most of all he illustrates that he is still a master of satire and wit.
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