1876: A Novel

Narratives of Empire, Book 3

By: Gore Vidal

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

The third volume of Gore Vidal's magnificent series of historical novels aimed at demythologizing the American past, 1876 chronicles the political scandals and dark intrigues that rocked the United States in its centennial year.

Charles Schermerhorn Schuyler, Aaron Burr's unacknowledged son, returns to a flamboyant America after his long, self-imposed European exile. The narrator of Burr has come home to recoup a lost fortune by arranging a suitable marriage for his beautiful daughter, the widowed Princess d'Agrigente, and by ingratiating himself with Samuel Tilden, the favored presidential candidate in the centennial year. With these ambitions and with their own abundant charms, Schuyler and his daughter soon find themselves at the centers of American social and political power at a time when the fading ideals of the young republic were being replaced by the excitement of empire.

"A glorious piece of writing," said Jimmy Breslin in Harper's. "Vidal can take history and make it powerful and astonishing." Time concurred: "Vidal has no peers at breathing movement and laughter into the historical past."

©1976 Gore Vidal (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Written in 1975 about 1876 it’s prescient

1975 was post Watergate, a time of corruption.. The election of 1876 was an election of corruption. Gore Vidal brilliantly and entertainingly lays out a template of political corruption at the highest levels which in one form or another (Super Pacs, dark money, etc.) continues to exist today.

Mr.Vidal is an exceptional historical fiction novelists. His created characters blend in seamlessly with historical figures. His writing style is imbued with sarcasm and irony which makes potentially dry events alive, enlightening, and entertaining.

The narrator seemed to capture the writer’s voice accurately and made the many hours of listening enjoyable.

Fictional look at the True Soul of Government

What can I say? Loved this book. Historical fiction at its best. The characters are great and the plot totally believable. Grover Gardener impresses as usual.

Wonderful characters!

Vidal’s writing is a rich tapestry of humor, irony and just plain good!! I’ve only recently discovered his books and have become a fan of his writing style. On top of the wonderfully written story is the outstanding narration by Grover Gardner!! His work is so totally suited to bringing these characters alive! I’ve picked books to listen to just because he’s narrating them.

Gore and Grover Deliver

Gore Vidal's slightly arch characters and observations make history as varied and amusing as I hope it was. Hearing of all the machinations behind the stolen election of 1876, makes the elections of 2016 and 2020 seem part of the American way of democracy. Grover Gardner delivers another wonderful performance, creating specific and effective characters for all the guys in those smoke filled rooms.... and a few ladies too. I highly highly recommend this as well as Burr and Lincoln. Looking forward to Empire, Hollywood, and the Golden Age.

I have never hated such well written characters

The main character and his psycho daughter are both unsufferable hypocritical assholes. Good writing though.

Weak as a stand alone, but worthwhile.

This book is the third in the Narratives of Empire series. I’m enjoying the series, but this book doesn’t do well as a stand-alone.

On the other hand, it’s a story of political corruption at the highest level, very reminiscent of today. It’s striking to listen to the parallels between the news of today and from 1876.

As always, Vidal’s writing is pleasing to follow. The performer did a wonderful job, particularly with all the accents. He played his part well.

Perhaps not as stellar as Burr but still worth your time

Burr was snarky and fun, made more enjoyable by the fact that it stands as a stunning counterpart to Hamilton. I often thought while reading it that it would make a wonderful play.

1876 covers,for me and I would say for most readers, the lesser known events of that centennial year, including the hotly contested election (the winner of the popular vote doesn’t win the Electoral College and so the election becomes contentious and dependent on — what?! — Florida?!). So while I didn’t catch all the nuances and subtle attacks on various historic persons, it was still a wonderful way to spend several hours

Not great yet very very good

Anything Gore Vidal is truly worth the time . I love his take on historical facts with fictional characters it’s more immersive for me

Truth is the necessary casualty

Although fundamentally a bleak view of the United States ten years after the civil war and a century after its foundation - a society ruled over by self satisfied, dull plutocrats, with a political life warped by corruption and a ruthless partisanship that cares nothing for the truth (seems familiar) - the tone of 1876 is mostly light and companionable.

This is not a great book and it is also far from being the author's best work. However it does have some interesting points to make about a time in American history now largely forgotten and it is easy to spend time with as it does so. As with the two earlier books in this series, the reading by Grover Gardner could not be better.

Superb Historical Fiction

Grove Gardner provides a masterful narration of Gore Vidal's superb historical novel of our American Centennial Year.