Gore Vidal, probably the last prominent literary figure of the generation that fought World War II, died yesterday. He had had pneumonia.
Vidal was well known for his written works, which included works of fiction, as well as political essays, short stories, and playwrights. He was also very well known for writing historical fiction, giving his take on important elements of American history. His first novel was published when he was still only nineteen years of age!
Recently, his work "The Best Man" became a star-studded Broadway hit, with such heavyweights as James Earl Jones, Candice Bergen, John Larroquette, and Angela Lansbury taking part. These tickets have been some of the hottest around this year, and that serves as proof that his work still holds resonance presently, and is not relegated to the past.
I got a chance to see him a few years ago at the 92nd Street Y! in New York City. As usual, he was witty and engaging, displaying his trademark wit and intellect. I believe that he was promoting his recent book of the time, which was "The Selected Essays of Gore Vidal".
He was the last of the writing elites of his generation that I got to see, as well. I had seen Kurt Vonnegut a couple of times, and also got to see Norman Mailer, with his son John Buffalo Mailer, as well. Vidal and Mailer had a rivalry going for a while in the past, although they began to reconcile and be on decent terms as they both grew older.
Vidal also had a kind of rivalry with another prominent writer and figure from that generation, the late William F. Buckley, who was a political staunch conservative. Buckley did in 2008. Vidal, who tended to have liberal leaning politics, engaged Buckley in a battle of wits on television. The two men also had a rather public feud for some time. Unlike with Norman Mailer, the two did not reconcile. After Buckley's passing, Vidal answered a question by New York Times writer Deborah Solomon by claiming that Hell would be a livelier place with Buckley there, serving those he had "served in life, applauding their prejudices and fanning their hatred."
Throughout his life, Gore Vidal was a critic of politics, and often wrote scathing pieces against Presidential Administrations. That included the Reagan Administration in the 1980's and, more recently, he showed vehement opposition to George W. Bush and his policies, more or less continually labeling that Administration as a bundling bunch of idiots. He advocated charging the administration for war crimes.
He was always outspoken, and was not afraid of controversy. Following the death of Truman Capote, he referred to Capote's passing as a "good career move".
He certainly could not be accused of holding back, or not revealing how he truly feels.
It is important to note that Vidal was one of the first homosexuals to be openly gay, and even wrote about it in an early novel, The City and the Pillar, published in 1948. Given that this was before the whole conformism of the 1950's, that was a rather daring, bold maneuver. Thus, Vidal is often credited with being among the very first, and most vocal, promoters of sexual liberation, which would really begin to see the light of day in popular culture in the 1960's, and has largely gained momentum since, although certainly many still view homosexuality as a sin, or unnatural. Gore Vidal specified that history shows in abundance that homosexuality is common throughout the ages. He believed that everyone is born bisexual, and that we learn to discriminate as we grow older, conditioned by our society.
Vidal also believed that the American society was a sick one, and had been sick since 1968. He essentially predicted the end of the American empire, for that matter. Just another subject that he did not shy away from, and for which he received some controversy.
He had a very witty, intellectual mind, and a great command of the English language. His contributions, literary and otherwise, will be missed.
http://news.yahoo.com/gore-vidal-among-last-great-entitled-writers-214725159.html
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/168621-Gore-Vidal-Prolific-American-Writer-Dead-at-86-His-The-Best-Man-Continues-on-Broadway
http://screencrush.com/gore-vidal-rip/
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