Burr

Gore Vidal's American Chronicle series spans the history of the United States from the Revolution to the post-World War II years.  With their broad canvas and large cast of fictional characters, the novels in this series present a panorama of the American political and imperial experience as interpreted by one of its most worldly, knowing and ironic observers.

Burr is a portrait of perhaps the most complex and misunderstood of 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, ad acquitted of treason.  In 1933, Burr is newly married, and aging statesman considered a monster by many.  Burr retains much of his political influence if not the respect of all.  And he is determined to tell his own story.  As his amanuensis, he chooses Charles Schermerhorn Schuyler, a young New York City journalist, and together they explore both Burr's past and the continuing political intrigues of the still young Unites States.