Gore Vidal who wrote 24 novels, 5 plays, and many essays, died yesterday at 86-yeard-old. Click below for more information.
Literary lion Gore Vidal, whose acerbic wit could be found in his 24 novels, five plays and countless essays, died Tuesday in Los Angeles, his family said in a statement. He was 86.
He died in his Hollywood Hills home from complications related to pneumonia, according to nephew Burr Steers.
Vidal, born in West Point, N.Y., became recognized for his early works of unabashed sexual themes, including the novel, “The City and the Pillar†and the transsexual satire, “Myra Breckinridge.â€
In 1993, he won a National Book Award for “United States Essays, 1952-1992,†featuring his take on post-World War II America.
A Broadway revival of his 1960 play, “The Best Man,†opened in April and snagged two Tony nominations.
Vidal said he had affairs with both men and women, and told The Independent in 2008 that he may have fathered a daughter with a woman in Florida.
He was briefly engaged to actress Joanne Woodward before she married Paul Newman in 1958. His long-time partner, Howard Austen, died of cancer in November 2003.
Vidal, a cousin of former Vice President Al Gore, was enthusiastic about politics and was linked to Democratic power players. He also was a shameless namedropper and even shared letters with Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.
Still, it was his satirical observations that won him fans. After he learned about the death of author Truman Capote in 1984, he reportedly replied: “Good career move.â€
