1876 (novel)

infobox Book |
name = 1876
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translator =


image_caption =
author = Gore Vidal
illustrator =
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country = United States
language = English
series = Narratives of Empire
genre = Historical novel
publisher = Random House
release_date = 1976
english_release_date = 1976
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 364 pp
isbn = ISBN 0394497503
preceded_by = Lincoln
followed_by = Empire
Gore Vidal's "1876" is the third historical novel in his Narratives of Empire series. It was published in 1976 and details the events of a year described by Vidal himself as "probably the low point in our republic's history."

In 1876 the U.S. presidential election was a close run contest between the Democratic candidate, Samuel J. Tilden, and the Republican Rutherford Hayes. Tilden won the popular vote, but there was a dispute over the results in four states, including Florida. In Florida the Republican leaders of the State initially reported a victory for Tilden, before deciding that in fact Hayes had won. Vidal builds up to this historic crisis through the activities of a mixed cast of historical and fictional characters, some of the latter having previously appeared in "Burr", or having descended from characters in that novel.

In Popular Culture

*Gore Vidal guest starred in "The Simpsons" episode "Moe'N'a Lisa". He states that the title for "1876" came from "the price he paid for gas once".