It’s 1939. Europe is heading toward war, and America is rushing to develop a nuclear bomb. Enter young T., a math genius who sees limitations in Einstein’s E=mc2 equation. T. has the mental capacity to develop all sorts of nukes—and to throw in time travel and trips through a colorful multiverse in the bargain. This earns him a summoning to the venerable Smithsonian, where the exhibits come to life after hours and T. crosses paths with everyone from Grover Cleveland to Native Americans who dub him “Veal” and want to eat him.
This is an amusing and engaging story, but it’s purely intellectual. The plot exists as a framework for Vidal to muse on all things American. If you’re not versed in, say, lesser-known U.S. presidents and K Street politics, the humor might fall flat. This is Night at the Museum for history nerds—fun and intelligent, but at times dry and a little arcane.