Burr

A Novel (Narratives of Empire, Book 1)

By: Gore Vidal

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

For listeners who can’t get enough of the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, Gore Vidal’s stunning novel about Aaron Burr, the man who killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel - and who served as a successful, if often feared, statesman of our fledgling nation.

Here is an extraordinary portrait of one of the most complicated - and misunderstood - figures among the Founding Fathers. In 1804, while serving as vice president, Aaron Burr fought a duel with his political nemesis, Alexander Hamilton, and killed him. In 1807, he was arrested, tried, and acquitted of treason. In 1833, Burr is newly married, an aging statesman considered a monster by many. But he is determined to tell his own story, and he chooses to confide in a young New York City journalist named Charles Schermerhorn Schuyler. Together, they explore both Burr's past - and the continuing civic drama of their young nation.

Burr is the first novel in Gore Vidal's Narratives of Empire series, which spans the history of the United States from the Revolution to post-World War II. With their broad canvas and sprawling cast of fictional and historical characters, these novels present a panorama of American politics and imperialism, as interpreted by one of our most incisive and ironic observers.

©1993 Gore Vidal and 2012 The Beneficiaries of Gore Vidal (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Delicious

Yep, I'm a self-avowed Vidal groupie: have read "Burr" about five times over the past 20 years and was thrilled to see Audible finally added it to its catalog. You either get Vidal or you don't: he was acerbic, exacting, scholarly, bitchy and enormously entertaining. Our politics don't always line up, but his insights into the paths by which the U.S. arrived at its current point-in-time on the world stage are spot-on. Listen carefully: rewind and review, if need be. However, you'll not consider America's Founding Fathers (and a few of its Mothers) as you had previously after listening/reading "Burr." You GO, Gore!

Great book

Wow can’t believe I hadn’t read or listened to this book before now. Highly recommend

The much maligned Vice President

Loved it. It sounded just as I envisioned it would sound. Very, very satisfying. I'd recommend it, even if you've already read it.

A fantastic novel!

I was hooked from the beginning. Gore has a way of describing characters and events, like no other.

Joyful to hear

This was my first time listening (reading?) to anything about Burr. I found this story interesting and intriguing. It certainly has spurred me to read more about Burr. This is also the first book by Gore Vidal that I’ve read and I really enjoyed his prose! So much so that I’m glad I took the chance to purchase this book and I will definitely continue reading the other books in this series.

history in flesh and blood

the language, the wit, the endless irony, Vidal and Grover Gardner bring to life the American beginning. The most ironic is the way the framers of our amazing constitution bent and twisted the thing but could not break it. and politicians do now, and we can see our present in this past. it's Delicious!

Outstanding work

You would think Vidal was there himself. An amazing piece of work. Brilliantly narrated as well.

Vidal at his best

An often humorous and cynical recollection of the nation-shaping petty dramas of America’s founding fathers, pulled from their marble plinths and rightfully returned to the mortal coil to squabble in this vale of tears from which we all dare dream of escape.

Delicious

This novel was a pleasure to read and historically accurate. I enjoyed every page. Thanks, Gore.

Wonderful!

Because of the wonderful narration of Grover Gardner, and the wonderful humor and history of Gore Vidal, I plan on revisiting this wonderful work of historical fiction. So impressed. Makes me reconsider Jefferson. Again, this was so wonderful to listen to.