Gore Vidal 1925-2012, RIP Options

[duxk]

A great writer and a great loss:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/aug/0...d-86?intcmp=122

he'll be sadly missed

[stulancs]

He wrote Caligula and had his name removed from the credits.

[AdrienAsche]

He wrote Caligula and had his name removed from the credits.

AND Myra Breckinridge, which strangely kept his name attached.

Rest in peace, at any rate.

[Nosferatu]

He was a great writer and a great man. I think I'll now re-read his seminal gay-themed novel "The City and The Pillar".

[4Stone]

In 1948, over twenty years before Stonewall and other movements for the rights of gays to even legally exist, Vidal published The City and the Pillar. As a novel looking at the struggle of being gay, it is still considered by many to me masterful and garnished all sorts of negative press at the time. Vidal was never one to let controversy stand in his way. The book is worth reading, sad but not self-loathing as much of gay lit would remain for years. Though it will seem tame today, some scenes, particularly one of playful wrestling, are memorable. It was dedicated to one of Vidal's early young school loves, listed only as J.T.

Even though I agreed with much of Vidal's politics, at times he could be a pompous ass, but in the end, many of us respected him for his stands. I loved to watch him argue with conservative writer William F. Buckley, Jr.--pompous ass vs. pompous ass.




This post has been edited by 4Stone: Aug 1 2012, 15:57

[Rustythedog]

The opening chapter of Lincoln, which describes Washington DC in the mid 19th century, is great writing. And I've always derived great pleasure reading Creation. And Duluth, come to that.

But overall (having reading all his novels), I recommend to anyone Julian, for me Vidal's greatest novelistic achievement, and Palimpsest, which stands as a fine example of how to write a memoir.

[PUllio]

That man sure could write, some of the lines in his essays are pure gold. I have read about 10 of his novels too and they are very readable, haven't read The City and the Pillar yet. Lincoln and Burr are my favourites.

And of course the Vidal-Buckley catfight was second only to Alexis and Krystle in the lily pond in Dynasty.

[BillyBuddSailor]

I read The City and the Pillar years ago. Loved it. At some stage I saw myself reflected on Jim Willard.

[KernowKid]

Gore Vidal interviewed by David Dimbleby after Obama's Victory in 2008. Most unusually Dimbleby gets lost for words.

[sanitynotincluded]

I didn't have a lot of time for him, but should an afterlife exist then good luck to him in it.

[Kev]

He was a good writer but he sure could be a bitch.