RIP Gore Vidal

[Lefty]

He was a great writer and a very quotable man, whom I often found myself agreeing with and inspired by his words. I'm sorry to hear of his passing this past Tuesday.

Vidal's novels fell into two distinct camps: social and historical. His best known social novel was Myra Breckenridge; his best known historical novels includedJulian, Burr and Lincoln . His third novel, The City and the Pillar (1948), outraged conservative critics as one of the first major American novels to feature unambiguous homosexuality. Vidal always rejected the terms of "homosexual" and "heterosexual" as inherently false, claiming that the vast majority of individuals had the potential to be pansexual. His screenwriting credits included Ben Hur, which he conceived of as a subliminal gay love story. The remark about pansexuality should hit home with any ladyboy lover, because if you read the definition it describes us much more accurately than bisexual does.

At the time of his death he was the last of a generation of American writers who had served during World War II, including J D Salinger, Kurt Vonnegut, Norman Mailer and Joseph Heller. Perhaps best remembered for his caustic wit, he referred to himself as a "gentleman bitch" and has been described as the 20th century's answer to Oscar Wilde

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gore_Vidal

Here is an excellent quote from Gore, that echoes my sentiments pretty much exactly:

"The great unmentionable evil at the center of our culture is monotheism. From a barbaric Bronze Age text known as the Old Testament, three anti-human religions evolved; Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These are sky-god religions. They are, literally, patriarchal. God is the Omnipotent Father, hence the loathing of women for 2,000 years in those countries afflicted by the sky-god and his earthly male delegates." ~ Gore Vidal

[KenW]

Yes, I agree with every word you say Lefty. Great writer, great American, significant world citizen.

And that quote, what a beauty; I had not read that before.

[Lefty]

Thank you Ken. That quote is new to me too. Just saw it earlier today on Facebook. Gore's quotes will have a valued place in my quotes collection alongside those of other great minds who's words speak to me, such as Robert Ingersoll Thomas Paine, Mark Twain, and Bertrand Russell.

[changnoiorchid]

One of the literary giants, but he will live on through his work .

RIP

[Jimslim]

Also broadly speaking he could be described as a man of the left .

That's good enough for me .

[strocube]

He will be sorely missed. I always admired his writing, but especially his scathing critiques of U.S. imperialism and the insanity of what passes for political discourse in the U.S.

The man had a truly amazing life. Did you guys know he once got a blow job from Jack Kerouac? He also used to cruise for dudes with Tennisie Williams.

I many ways, he was a dandy of the old-school, European tradition. He sacred the shit out of "middle America," for that alone, he'll always hold a special place in my mythology.

Indeed, RIP, Dear Gore.

[williethepimp]

A great man ,a great wit.His contempt for the recent American administrations oozed from his every pore.Pansexual eh Lefty...yeah,I like that....great quote on Religion also

[Hefe]

A great mind, a provocative thinker & a great writer... after his & Chris Hitchens' deaths who is left to make us think about who we are & what we should treasure?

[farangbah]

'Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn'. -- Gore Vidal.

I read every word of his "Narratives of Empire" series and they are among my all-time favorite books, and have had a large impact on me. Amazing shit. Anyone who hasn't, pick up "Burr" and get started -- joy awaits!

Gore's quotes will have a valued place in my quotes collection alongside those of other great minds who's words speak to me, such as ... Mark Twain...

Mayhaps you are unawares of Gore's take on him, ol' Lefters...

Did you guys know he once got a blow job from Jack Kerouac?

Any actual evidence to support this claim, smoker?

[strocube]

Here ya go, FB:

http://lastbohemians.blogspot.com/2011/08/jack-kerouac-and-gore-vidal-hook-up-in.html

I had also heard this from other sources; perhaps the radio station KPFK in LA, dunno.

[Lefty]

'Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn'. -- Gore Vidal.

I read every word of his "Narratives of Empire" series and they are among my all-time favorite books, and have had a large impact on me. Amazing shit. Anyone who hasn't, pick up "Burr" and get started -- joy awaits!

Mayhaps you are unawares of Gore's take on him, ol' Lefters...

Any actual evidence to support this claim, smoker?

Whether he liked Twain or not is no reason I cannot like both. Twain also had especially good quotes on religion such as these. How could I dislike him? Also consider I was a big fan of Tom Sawyer when I was a lad:

"Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion - several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbour as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn't straight. He has made a graveyard of the globe in trying his honest best to smooth his brother's path to happiness and heaven." - Mark Twain

"Strange...a God who could make good children as easily as bad, yet preferred to make bad ones; mouths Golden Rules and forgiveness multiplied seventy times seven and invented Hell; then tries to shuffle the responsibility for man's acts upon man, instead of honorably placing it where it belongs, upon himself; and finally with altogether divine obtuseness, invites this poor, abused slave to worship him!" - Mark Twain

[Vee]

I saw a qoute recently that Gore could have inspired. "And on the first day man created God."

[Lefty]

I saw a qoute recently that Gore could have inspired. "And on the first day man created God."

Man created God in his own image when they wrote things like the books of the Christian bible. Anyone with an ounce of sense and a grasp on reality knows that. If there is some supreme deity that created everything from the beginning of time until forever, he sure isn't the God described in any of the holy books of the Abrahamic religions.