by Gore Vidal
First published 1991
Gore Vidal sits at his usual table in Venice's famous Harry's Bar, watching the familiar cast of regulars drift through the elegant establishment. The celebrated American writer has made this watering hole his second home, observing the intersection of high society, literary figures, and wealthy tourists who frequent the legendary venue. As Vidal nurses his drinks and exchanges barbs with fellow patrons, he contemplates the peculiar ecosystem that thrives within these wood-paneled walls. The bar becomes a stage where European aristocrats mingle with American expatriates, where gossip flows as freely as the champagne, and where Vidal himself plays both observer and participant in the ongoing theater of international café society. Through his sharp wit and insider's perspective, he captures the essence of a place that has become synonymous with Venetian sophistication and literary legend.
Genres: literary-fiction, 20th-century, american, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: insider-perspective, observer-participant
Setting: Harry's Bar, Venice
Period: 20th Century, 21st Century
290 pages · Hardcover · Sperling & Kupfer