‘Lincoln’ goes on too long

Press, 19 April 1986, Page 20

‘Lincoln’ goes on too long

Lincoln. By Gore Vidal. Panther, 1985. 859 pp. $12.95 (paperback).

“Lincoln” was first published in 1984 as part of Gore Vidal’s on-going chronicle of American history which began with “Burr.” This paperback edition appeared last year with the back cover glowing with “outstanding critical acclaim for Gore Vidal’s brilliant portrait of America’s most famous president.”

It seems that American critics, like much of the reading public and indeed many American novelists, frequently equate length with excellence. “Lincoln” is certainly long, over 800

pages, but it is only excellent in a very few of those pages. It begins with Lincoln sneaking like a thief into the capital for his inauguration because of fears of assassination and it ends with his actual assassination in Ford’s theatre. It describes the major events of the Civil War, introduces a host of characters (mainly historical, but some imaginary) and records the troubled years of Lincoln’s presidency, but despite these stirring subjects it only occasionally becomes compelling reading. Long stretches of the book are simply boring; — Margaret Quigley.