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If you know me you know I am Gore Vidalâs number one fan but for somebody who was known for being so coldly and precisely self-aware, he was often simultaneously totally lacking in self awareness. He created elaborate copium narratives about himself just as much as if not more than the people he accused of doing so and seemed to exist in a perpetual and unyielding state of self-deception and repression, with a very interesting definition of what it means to be truthful. Thatâs a major part of what makes him so fascinating to me.
I love his hateration towards Henry Miller because half of it is real and accurate and half of it reads like narcissistic projectionâcritiquing Miller for his arrogance and elaborate self-mythologizing when his own biography ended up being entitled Empire of the Selfâand all of it is hilarious and cutting in his typical fashion.
âYet Henry never seems to do anything for anyone, other than to provide moments of sexual glory which we must take on faith. He does, however, talk a lot and the people he knows are addicted to his conversation. âDonât stop talking nowâŚplease,â begs a woman whose life is being changed, as Henry in a manic mood tells her all sorts of liberating things like âNothing would be bad or ugly or evilâ if we really let ourselves go. But itâs hard to make people understand that.â To which the only answer is that of another straight man in the text who says, âYou said it, Henry. Jesus, having you around is like getting a shot in the arm.â For a man who boasts of writing nothing but the truth, I find it more than odd that not once in the course of a long narrative does anyone say, âHenry, youâre full of shit.â It is possible, of course, that no one ever did, but I doubt it.â
I love his hateration towards Henry Miller because half of it is real and accurate and half of it reads like narcissistic projectionâcritiquing Miller for his arrogance and elaborate self-mythologizing when his own biography ended up being entitled Empire of the Selfâand all of it is hilarious and cutting in his typical fashion.
âYet Henry never seems to do anything for anyone, other than to provide moments of sexual glory which we must take on faith. He does, however, talk a lot and the people he knows are addicted to his conversation. âDonât stop talking nowâŚplease,â begs a woman whose life is being changed, as Henry in a manic mood tells her all sorts of liberating things like âNothing would be bad or ugly or evilâ if we really let ourselves go. But itâs hard to make people understand that.â To which the only answer is that of another straight man in the text who says, âYou said it, Henry. Jesus, having you around is like getting a shot in the arm.â For a man who boasts of writing nothing but the truth, I find it more than odd that not once in the course of a long narrative does anyone say, âHenry, youâre full of shit.â It is possible, of course, that no one ever did, but I doubt it.â
Feb 12, 2025
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I love the synergy of seeing this Rec while Live from Golgotha is literally laying on my chest waiting for me to get off my phone and finish reading it.
Feb 12, 2025
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đŠ¸Timothy McVeigh wrote to Gore Vidal after reading his 1998 Vanity Fair essay on the erosion of American civil liberties; they engaged in ongoing written correspondence for three years and Vidal was one of three âfriend witnessesâ invited by McVeigh to attend his execution.
I was asked for a recommendation of an exemplary Gore Vidal essay for someone whoâs never read his work. I feel obliged to share this piece he wrote for Vanity Fair about Timothy McVeigh with everyone as it would be the perfect starting point to get a sense of his beliefs + his inimitable style, wit and wisdom⌠đ
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