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Creation
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
- Length: 27 hrs and 8 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
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Julian the Apostate, nephew of Constantine the Great, was one of the brightest yet briefest lights in the history of the Roman Empire. A military genius on the level of Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great, a graceful and persuasive essayist, and a philosopher devoted to worshipping the gods of Hellenism, he became embroiled in a fierce intellectual war with Christianity that provoked his murder at the age of thirty-two, only four years into his brilliantly humane and compassionate reign.
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Have you heard that language is violence and that science is sexist? Have you read that certain people shouldn't practice yoga? Or been told that being obese is healthy, that there is no such thing as biological sex, or that only White people can be racist? Are you confused by these ideas, and do you wonder how they have managed to challenge the logic of Western society? In this probing volume, Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay document the evolution of the dogma that informs these ideas, from its coarse origins in French postmodernism to its refinement within activist academic fields.
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The Golden Age of the Spanish Empire would establish five centuries of Western supremacy across the globe and usher in an era of transatlantic exploration that eventually gave rise to the modern world. It was a time of discovery and adventure, of great political and social change - it was a time when Spain learned to rule the world.
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Enjoyable, clever, funny - but perplexing.
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Summary
A sweeping novel of politics, war, philosophy, and adventure - in a restored edition, featuring never-before-published material from Gore Vidal’s original manuscript - Creation offers a captivating grand tour of the ancient world.
Cyrus Spitama, grandson of the prophet Zoroaster and lifelong friend of Xerxes, spent most of his life as Persian ambassador for the great king Darius. He traveled to India, where he discussed nirvana with Buddha, and to the warring states of Cathay, where he learned of Tao from Master Li and fished on the riverbank with Confucius. Now blind and aged in Athens - the Athens of Pericles, Sophocles, Thucydides, Herodotus, and Socrates - Cyrus recounts his days as he strives to resolve the fundamental questions that have guided his life’s journeys: how the universe was created, and why evil was created with good. In revisiting the fifth century B.C. - one of the most spectacular periods in history - Gore Vidal illuminates the ideas that have shaped civilizations for millennia.
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- Xerxes
- 07-10-20
One of the great historical novels
Vidal takes us to ancient Persian, the court of Darius the Great and Xerxes, for this amazing historical novel. It takes us from Persia to India and China. Masterfully conceived.
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- Lindsay Harper
- 15-08-20
amazing
Great book by great writter read before but just gets better each time I read it
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- Harry Haller
- 31-01-20
A Magnificent Tour de Force
I can't believe twenty seven hours of listening went by so fast. I wanted more. This is Gore Vidal at his very best with all his wit, charm, eloquence, funny sarcasm, irreverence, defiance, curiosity and love of his fellow men. These attributes are all present in the protagonist of the novel, Cyrus Spitama, as well. In fact, I think Cyrus Spitama IS Gore Vidal to a large extent. I think, Cyrus Spitama is the avatar of Gore Vidal in the Persian Empire. I won't bore you by repeating the synopsis of the story given in other reviews and the book description (take a look also at the Amazon reviews of the book). Suffice it to say that if you like historical novels, works of fantasy based on real history, thought-provoking what-if books given in beautiful prose, and narrated beautifully, you'll love this book. You will also enjoy this book if you are interested in ancient history or philosophy. Finally, the narration was outstanding. Malcolm Hillgartner IS the older Cyrus Spitama, narrating an account of his life to his young nephew. So Hillgartner doesn't change his voice and accent much, but he does a FANTASTIC job of projecting the emotional content, humor or gravity of conversation by his intonation and the cadence of his speech. The perfect narrator for this book. Overall, listening to this book, even after having previously read it, was a very enjoyable experience.
9 people found this helpful
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- Moh AL Rasheed
- 06-03-20
Spectacular
Having read this book twice before, it was a pleasure to hear it read to me. Vidal goes without the recognition he deserves. That takes away nothing from his brilliance. If for nothing else, his asides on the tongue of The narrator(s) are worth the time and money. We all owe the Master a debt of gratitude and be happy the he does not have to suffer the incoherence of Trump.
4 people found this helpful
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- The third Chimp
- 03-09-20
Envolving and enlightening
Very interesting and well-written book especially enticing for those who like ancient history and would like to learn more about it in an informal way.
1 person found this helpful
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- Scott
- 12-01-21
Wish it were longer
Well written and long but it was so good I wish there was more to read.
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- Erik Alexander
- 23-10-20
Beautifully Constructed Historical Novel
A masterful work. Vidal immerses you in the ancient setting of Achaemenid Persia in the 6th-5th century BCE, both within the empire and beyond its far-reaching borders as the protagonist Cyrus Spitama (grandson of the prophet Zoroaster) undergoes a lifelong exploration of the concept of creation, challenging his own beliefs as a priest of the "Wise Lord" as he interacts with a multitude of cultures and characters, including real historical figures such as Herodotus, Confucius, and Xerxes. If you wish to replace your current reality with another, look no further, and prepare to be swept away as you enter the world as it was over 2,500 years ago.
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- DB
- 12-10-20
A great narrative
Insightful narrative and brilliant narrator. Great read for anyone interested in ancient history especially ancient religions.
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- Sharey
- 28-09-20
Masterpiece
Vidal took on an enormous endeavor and along with a likewise brilliant narrator achieved a 5-star audio book.