Status Updates From United States: Essays 1952-...

Really enjoyed the Susan Sontag reference (I was already excited to see her name in the TOC in a later essay), the “dread ethel Kennedy”, and education on Goethe. Man is bound to earth and drawn to sky!

i'm having to record my progress through this out of order by adding up total number of pages read because i honestly could not gaf about some of the stuff he writes about between the interesting essays

We need a Gore Vidal revival in 2026 pronto

i aspire to dislike something as much as vidal dislikes almost everyone and everything

A DAZZLING essayist, criminally forgotten or under-discussed today

Writing Plays for Television: (3/52): I've added one more essay from this collection to read list. Published in 1956, Vidal writes about societal rejection of the novel in the face of TV. I have also learned that my favorite quote of all time comes from this piece: "I am at heart a propagandist, a tremendous hater. . .positive that there is no. . .problem that could not be solved if people would. . .do as I advise."

Political Melodramas (2/51): This one was of particular interest as I've recently seen Vidal's film The Best Man. This essay is viciously sardonic. Labeled an alarmist and exaggerator for his pessimistic view of American politics, Vidal takes great pleasure in saying "I told you so" in the face of Watergate and it is deeply entertaining. Less witty and more raw yet enjoyable all the same.

I've selected 51 of these essays to read in no particular order. The first is titled "Theodore Roosevelt: An American Sissy." Vidal's characteristic tendency to prod and provoke challenges the reader before you even begin. One of America's most celebrated and memorable presidents is rightfully, however, criticized in aggressive fashion for his imperialism and the macho personality Vidal determines is a façade. Fun.