Gore Vidal was (until recently) the Grand Old Man of American letters. He died in 2012 at the age of 86. From the 1940s through to the first decade of the 21 century his was the most prolific of literary careers. He is generally considered to be the greatest essayist of his time. In terms of the novel, he saw himself engaged in a two-horse race with that other great writer: Truman Capote.
In his novel Hollywood, Vidal lends an historical flourish which he also applied to novels such as Burr which dealt with the formation of the American Republic. The characters are mostly drawn from real life, with celebrities such asWilliam Randolph Hearst and film stars like silent comedian Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle.
The prose is typical Vidal. Satiric and elegant. As as accomplished screenwriter (Ben Hur, Suddenly Last Summer) Vidal's dialogue is always apt. As a Los Angeles resident he knew how the Hollywood studio system operated in its Golden Age, and this book he distills the core of his knowledge.
The prose is typical Vidal. Satiric and elegant. As as accomplished screenwriter (Ben Hur, Suddenly Last Summer) Vidal's dialogue is always apt. As a Los Angeles resident he knew how the Hollywood studio system operated in its Golden Age, and this book he distills the core of his knowledge.
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