
On Myra Breckinridge and the Life of Gore Vidal - chat
https://lithub.com/on-myra-breckinridge-and-the-life-of-gore-vidal/
======
mturmon
His essays from four decades of writing are collected in a massive book titled
_United States_ , which I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend - it is huge, but
you can browse. He's delightfully readable, and he has known _so_ many people
- the Kennedys, Norman Mailer, Tennessee Williams, Italo Calvino, Al Gore,
Christopher Hitchens, ....

As Paglia says, what an original mind. Kind of determinedly outrageous and
transgressive, but also smart, bold, and often correct. I still think about
his notions that authoritarians always keep shit lists, monotheism inherently
provokes religious conflict, and there is no clear classification of sexual
preference for individuals. It it all true? He will convince you.

~~~
AndyMcConachie
And also a rabid anti-imperialist and fond of comparing the United States to
ancient Rome. One of the most outspoken aspects of his life was criticizing
the United States whenever the gears of war began to turn, and not just the
government, but the press, the people, and the culture.

He had a complete falling out with Christopher Hitchens later in life over
Bush's 2nd Iraq War. At one point he saw Hitchens as his intellectual equal,
and someone who he believed would carry on fighting against American
imperialism after Vidal's death. But once Hitchens started writing apologetics
for Bush's 2nd Iraq War the two of them completely fell out.

~~~
PhasmaFelis
> _But once Hitchens started writing apologetics for Bush 's 2nd Iraq War the
> two of them completely fell out._

I'm so tired of major atheist figures acting like religion is the only evil in
the world. From Hitchens cheerleading a pointless, unjustified war because
it's nominally against unpleasant religious people, to Dawkins
([https://www.patheos.com/blogs/daylightatheism/2011/07/atheis...](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/daylightatheism/2011/07/atheists-
dont-be-that-guy/),
[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/18/richar...](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/18/richard-
dawkins-sexist-atheists-bad-name)) actually telling a woman in public that
only women who live under religious oppression are allowed to complain about
sexual harassment.

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clivestaples
I taught Gore Vidal how to use a PowerBook in 1995 while he was in California
to film his A&E biography. The ticket said "George Vidal" and he said he was a
writer. I asked what he had written and he replied, "Check your local
library." At the moment I knew it was the only and only Gore not George.

He hated the computer and said he was going back to writing longhand on legal
pads. Still not sure if that was a joke or not.

~~~
plink
..."I asked what he had written"...

the quintessence of clay-footed STEM.

~~~
chrisdhoover
Yet here on HN we find an article by Camila Paglia on Gore Vidal. Very
interesting to see literati here. Is is a shame not to see more discussion. Oh
well on to the next google AMP sux post

~~~
tomcam
It is apparent to me that someone at HN is putting a thumb on the scale,
probably dang, who as I recall has a degree in the liberal arts. I am totally
fine with these bonus posts, many of which I ignore. I really love the
curation of Hacker News.

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billfruit
His historical novels are great reads, for their irreverent take on American
history, esp the novels 1876 and Burr. Burr esp, in the wake of recent
Hamilton-mania, should be interesting, and also for the very swift manner in
which revolutionary idealism gave way to political expediancy after the
establishment of the republic, none of the major figures including Washington
and Jefferson, Hamilton come across as good human beings in the final
analysis.

~~~
rsj_hn
FYI, Burr just came out on Audiobook:

[https://www.audible.com/pd/Burr-
Audiobook/1543696597](https://www.audible.com/pd/Burr-Audiobook/1543696597)

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discardedaway
Gore Vidal had some pretty horrific commentary about the Polanski rape case if
you check his wikipedia page:

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gore_Vidal#Interview_on_his_th...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gore_Vidal#Interview_on_his_thought_on_the_Polanski_rape_case)

~~~
s4n1ty
Huffington Post, as recently as 4 or 5 years ago, were writing articles
downplaying Polanski's rape of that girl. There is a surprising strain of
Polanski apologism among those who are the first to claim the mantle of
feminism.

It's a wired hypocrisy.

~~~
rhizome
I don't think it's an hypocrisy so much as a conservatism to avoid what
happened to, oh, Fatty Arbuckle. Or HUAC'ers. This has waned a bit in the wake
of Bill Cosby, but I always felt there was a desire to hold onto the greatness
of these peoples' art for as long as possible before their reputations were
sullied forever. Then again, The Cosby Show is back on TV in reruns, so what
do I know.

