The Associated Press is reporting that the lights on Broadway will be dimmed Friday night to honor the memory of Gore Vidal, whose play “The Best Man” is in the midst of a successful run at the Schoenfield Theatre.
At 86, Mr Vidal passed away from us at his home of pneumonia. Gore Vidal is the author of twenty-four novels, five plays, many screenplays, more than two hundred essays, and a political commentator, an educator and a patriot. I admired his mind and his ability to speak his mind irregardless of others reaction. He was one of my heroes. I can’t say I always agreed with him, although I often did or always applauded his behavior. In 1968, I happened to watch the ill-fated exchanges on television between himself and William F. Buckley, Jr.- two powerful men with opposing opinions on just about everything. This may be when the phrase socially appropriate speech was born.
He wrote his first novel at 19 while in the army. The year I was born, 1948 he wrote “The City and the Pillar” which caused a furor for its dispassionate presentation of homosexuality. Mr.Vidal is often seen as an early champion of sexual liberation. The man was unappologetic about being gay but I hope he will be remembered for his novels about history,or his mystery novels or essays on the nature of national politics and critiques of american expansionism / imperialism. He was passionately political , ran for Congress himself and actively supported others over the years. He helped me to formulate my own opinions on politics, free speech, and the direction of this nation.
Two of my favorite quotes attributed to him :
”Fifty percent of people won’t vote, and fifty percent don’t read newspapers. I hope it’s the same fifty percent.”
“There is no human problem which could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise.”
references: http://www.gorevidalnow.com/ , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gore_Vidal , http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19074230
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Gore_Vidal , http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/aug/01/gore-vidal-dies , http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/aug/01/gore-vidal-best-quotes
Heya i’m for the primary time here. I found this board and I to find It truly helpful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to provide something again and aid others like you aided me.
Thanks for stopping by- hope you will find something interesting in blogs to come.
He was a character. They don’t make people like that anymore.
If there are people like he and others of his generation that are passing are around I have not seen them. I wonder why that is.
I didn’t know much about Gore Vidal, I’m embarassed to say. Thanks for the interesting summary.
There is so much to know – one of the reasons we need each other. Thanks for commenting.
I was sad to hear this news yesterday. I really enjoyed his American historical fiction novels. He seemed like a character who liked to push people’s buttons.
I wonder if his motivation was more expressing himself that overtly trying to push others. He did not mince his words. Perhaps this social correctness has actually decreased the communication between people. It feels to me like a loss of freedom.
I can see that point, especially in today’s politics. People pretty much stick to party lines and don’t push the boundaries.