Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal
Gore Vidalwas an American writerand a public intellectual known for his patrician manner, epigrammatic wit, and polished style of writing...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPlaywright
Date of Birth3 October 1925
CityWest Point, NY
CountryUnited States of America
effects himself kept magician matter public until view
Until very recently, the artist was a magician who did his magic in public view but kept himself and his effects a matter of mystery.
prevent shut
To prevent the theft of 'Ben-Hur's sets, guards were prowling the back lot long after production had been shut down.
fourteen
Between fourteen and nineteen, I must have begun and abandoned six novels.
fervent foe hudson tap whether
I'm a fervent foe of water pollution, whether it is our own Hudson River or Philadelphia's tap water.
elderly life man meet odd rather slight
It's odd to meet a rather elderly man who says, 'I've been reading you all my life.' It makes you feel a slight chill.
served veteran war
For the record, I'm a Second World War veteran and served in the Pacific.
prisoners unless war
I don't know how prisoners of war are ever heroes unless they escape.
west
Remember, I'm West Point, where I was born. My father went there.
scandinavia deals
We have a great deal to learn from Scandinavia and a great deal to be alarmed at from the Mediterranean.
vices explanation
The American vice is explanation.
abandonment attainment absolutes
The only absolute attainment is absolute abandonment.
invention process equal
Nothing that Shakespeare ever invented was to equal Lincoln's invention of himself and, in the process, us.
like-being-alone guests host
I'm a much worse guest than I am a host, and I'm not an awfully good host either. I really like being alone.
savages
Vitriolic really is personal. I am vitriolic. I am savage.