What do you think of Gore Vidal?

[BurtWorm]

Answer the poll question, then read this review of Vidal's latest book in the NYRB and see if it doesn't change your opinion.

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/16833

[terrya]

1. The 5th choice.

A brilliant essayist, novelist, playwright ("The Best Man" is one of the most astute works about politics ever)

Looking forward to reading his latest.

[montanacowboy]

2. I am looking forward

to seeing him in Seattle in 2004 for a speaking tour

[MUAD_DIB]

14. I had a chance to see him at Harvard U a few weeks ago,

and although appearing a bit older (sporting a cane) he was as sharp as ever.

It's a pity that modern politics doesn't employ the model of intelligent and enlightened discourse of G.V., but as we well know most of the peasants that call themselves Murkins are very distrustful of the educated. They would rather support an idiot-bumpkin (that they identify with but know to be dishonest) than a educated statesman (who they know is smarter but resent them for it).

Hope you enjoy the tour. Get there early.

[RichM]

3. He has pluses and minuses. His pluses greatly overshadow his

negatives in the current context, because one of his strong points is being able to say just what he thinks. He's not tethered to being popular with the American oligarchy. In fact, he rather enjoys being hated by them. That makes him a very useful figure for truth-telling in the current environment.

[BurtWorm]

7. Very well said, RichM.

I agree with you. I've been sort of pissed at Vidal since the last election when he casually threw out a dismissive line about how Gore and Bush were essentially identical. Then his embrace of Timothy McVeigh made me almost write him off for good. But the essay I linked to above has made me rethink him again, and he's gone way up in my estimation on the basis of it.

[wuushew]

4. Extremely knowledgable

but he gives far to much consideration to conspiracy theories.

5. our Henry Adams

[demnan]

6. Imperial Family

I had to choose that one even though I've loved Gore Vidal for years in all his many literary manifestations.

See, as a cousin to Al Gore I think Al would truly think him the black sheep of the family.

I was so looking forward to Al winning so the "Vice Cousin" could become the "First Cousin".

On edit some "Must Reads"
Lincoln - a definitive portrait of our greatest President
Julian - The last Pagan Emperor of Rome
Myra Breckenridge - humorous novel about sexuality
Myron - the sequel to the above - all the bad "cuss words" take on the names of the Supreme Court Justices of the time.
Burr - a true black sheep of the Imperial family

[terrya]

8. Some other books as must reads:

"The City and the Pillar". One of the first novels to deal honestly with homosexuality. Vidal was ostracized for years after writing it.

"1876", VERY relevant today.

"United States" A collection of Vidal's essays over the years.

[Jerseycoa]

9. Burr's the best, I think (eom)

[bread_and_roses]

10. Not a US political novel

but my very favorite is "Creation."

[monkeyboy]

11. My wife met Gore Vidal years ago and spoke with him at length

She was working for a T.V. station in L.A. as an intern and picked him up at the airport and drove him to the station. Said he was very personable, talkative, and brilliant.

[mitchum]

12. America's great living essayist...

(now that Pauline Kael is dead)

spotty as a novelist, though...

[Michael Harrington]

13. A big fave...

One of the best and most underrated American novelists of the latter half of the 20th century (infinitely superior to the tiresome and boring Updike and more consistent than the brilliant but mercurial Mailer), greatest essayist of that period, one of the most ascerbic and funniest men of that time. Political ideas are very idiosyncratic and all over the place, so it's hard to really agree w/ him 100%