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Gore Vidal, the man who made a name for himself as an author, politician, playwright and commentator died at the age of 86 in Los Angeles Tuesday evening. Vidal died at 6:45 p.m. from complications from pneumonia, according to nephew Burr Steers. Steers said that Vidal was living by himself and was sick for ‘quite a while.’
Dave Eggers received an honorary citation along with Vidal at the 2009 National Book Awards ceremony. Eggers said that Vidal “meant everything to me when I was learning how to write and learning how to read. His words, his intellect, his activism, his ability and willingness to always speak up and hold his government accountable, especially, has been so inspiring to me I can’t articulate it.”
Some of his most popular work included best-selling novels ‘Lincoln’ and ‘Myra Breckenridge.’ He is also known for his Tony-nominated play ‘The Best Man.’ Vidal did not win many major literary awards and he lost twice when running for office. He originally shot down membership into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Vidal was admitted in 1999.
Vidal befriending many celebrities during his day but one of his most interesting friendships was with that of Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber. Vidal and McVeigh began sending letters back and forth after Vidal wrote an article in Vanity Fair that discussed shredding the Bill of Rights. Edmund White’s play ‘Terre Haute’ was inspired by their friendship.
“He’s very intelligent. He’s not insane,” Vidal said about McVeigh back in 2001 during an interview.
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Vidal criticized the United States Military most of his life, which is ironic because he was born at West Point, New York, the alma mater of his father.
“Because there is no cosmic point to the life that each of us perceives on this distant bit of dust at galaxy’s edge,” Vidal wrote, “all the more reason for us to maintain in proper balance what we have here. Because there is nothing else. No thing. This is it. And quite enough, all in all.”
