Myra Breckenridge

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 12/2/11 at 9:46pm

"Darling Randolph, why don't you go fvck yourself? It would be an act of some mercy, and therapeutic, too." Ever other line of this book is an instant memorable quotation!

I actually just read this for the first time not knowing anything about the plot. I only have heard that the movie is a cult camp classic with Mae West and Raquel Welch, and now obviously I need to watch it.

I was pretty much on board with rooting for Myra to conquer everyone until I thought she went too far with Rusty. Was anyone else disturbed/disappointed with our heroine during the scene in the infirmary? I actually couldn't stop thinking about the recent scandals at Penn St and Syracuse while reading it. (I'm aware there is much more to take from this story than the literal, but I just didn't feel I could support her actions here.)

That said I couldn't believe this was written in the 60s; it still felt so relevant in relation to our society's views on sexuality, and of course the critiques of show biz are hysterical.

Mostly I was in awe of Vidal's writing. Where have I been that I haven't read any of his stuff before?? I just picked up Myron, but what other Vidal novels do the rest of you recommend?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 12/2/11 at 9:50pm

Put Myron down.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 12/2/11 at 9:57pm

Oh no! Is it that bad? I'm curious as to where a sequel can possibly go with the story (Myron and Mary-Ann raising puppies in loveland?).

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 12/2/11 at 10:03pm

Glad you finally read it and appreciated its brilliance

I for one loved Myron, but it definitely is a different book. It flopped, partly due to the fact that by then the controversy (even if the book in some ways is even more outrageous) just wasn't an issue in 1974 that it was in 1968--so much had changed--its release was such a non event--partly blundered by the bad taste the movie had given the public ofr the first book--that I see it's not even on Gore's wikipedia entry. It also is perhaps overtly cynical about the film industry due to Gore's time spent on the film of Myra and his upset with it (starting with giving it to a director who found the book repulsive and morally perverse lol--and yes the film is brilliant camp but for completely different reasons than the book). And I think some might not have liked that the book goes in for full on fantasy. Still, I think it's a worthy sequel.

My one real annoyance is how Gore replaces the naughty words with names of politicians who were pro censorhip at the time--I'm not sure if modern editions have changed them back or not, but reading it as I did in the late 90s--and as a Canadian, I had no idea who any of the names were anymore so it went completely beyond me. It's not hard of course to figure out what the words are.

Vidal's stuff is so different in style and subject matter from book to book that it's hard to say what to read next. I know many love his historical American novels, but they don't hold much interest for me (perhaps because I don't live in the land of the brave and free ). I LOVE The City and the Pillar which was his first scandal causing book from the forties due to its very graphic (for the time) homosexuality. It has elements of satire--of the closeted gay set--but is very much a heartfelt romance/tragedy, and a quick read. (the version that's easiest to find now wa revised by Gore in the 60s with a vastly different ending I won't give away, but it is interesting to comare the two endings and see why one was done in one decade and one in another).

I also love The Ju8dgement of Paris which is *not* one of his better known novels at all, so I may be in the minority. (it's interesting too because it has a great several chapters long cameo/postcript for the main character from City and the Pillar). Honestly after that what I've found most interesting have been his essays on sexuality (even if I think hsi insi9tence on every human being bisexual is exagerated--he certainly comes off as never having even the slightest sexual interest in women). And the first volume of his memoirs, Palimpsest is one of the best memoirs out there.

It's too bad that Gore, who seemed to be aging well for so long, has in the past few years turned into something of a grumpy, old, cynical man.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 12/3/11 at 4:32pm

Phyllis--this is meant out of all curiousity and not as an insult--what did you dislike about Myron? Did you not at least get a giggle out of the whole ribbon/cock ring subplot?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 12/3/11 at 7:06pm

In all honesty, I can't even remember what it was about it because it was a good 15+ years ago that I read it. I just remember it infuriating me.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 12/4/11 at 1:01am

It's pretty different. I really respect your opinion which is why I'm curious but I know when I read it in the pre "easy to find" review days as a teen I was surprised that when it was covered it was kinda hated. I need to read both books, but at the time--and so still now--I think it's a brilliant satire of film and camp worship with a great protagonist (when she's in her Myron phase anyway).

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/4/11 at 7:34pm

I read Myra back when I was coming out at age 15 in my all-male high school in the early 1970s and loved it. Then I read "The City and the Pillar" and was deeply disturbed. I didn't read anything of his again until Lincoln, which I read only after seeing and loving the TV miniseries with Sam Waterston as Lincoln and Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Todd Lincoln.

I would recommend reading some of his essays--they are brilliant and sometimes infuriating. They are collected in a 1000-page book called (modestly) "United States."

As for his fiction, his political novels are sometimes perfect (Lincoln. Burr, Empire) and sometimes overwrought with melodrama and his own particular politics (Hollywood, The Golden Age).

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 12/5/11 at 4:30pm

PJ what disturbed you about City and the pillar? I'd be curious to know which ending you read as well (ie rape vs murder).