Gore Vidal
Page 107
p. 219: “It is too bad”: Henry Phillips/GV, 9/26/1946. W.
p. 221: “in a picturesque cottage”: Nin, Diary, 157; “It was her idea”: M, 125; “A group of us”: Nin, Diary, 157.
p. 222: “New Orleans,” he soon wrote her: GV/Nin, nd/1946. UC; “A Palace in an ancient city”: GV/Nin, nd/1946. UC; “I was afraid to say”: Nin/GV, nd/1946. W.
p. 223: “This place is growing”: GV/Gene Vidal, 11/nd/1946.
pp. 223–24: “Labor is cheap”: GV/Vidal, 11/nd/1946; “The family patriarch”: M, 118–20; “There’s a delightful”: GV/Vidal, 11/nd/1946.
p. 227: “almost complete”: GV/Nin, 11/nd/1946; “in two weeks … such pretensions”: GV/Vidal, 11/nd/1946.
p. 227: “I can’t seem to stop”: GV/Vidal, 11/nd/1946; “I took my time”: Nicholas Wreden/GV, 5/27/1947. W.
p. 228: “There are large”: GV/Vidal, 11/nd/1946.
pp. 229–30: “with a beautiful”: GV/Nin, 11/nd/1946. UC; “Everyone compliments me”: GV/Vidal, 11/nd/1946; “My plans”: GV/Nin, 11/nd/1946. UC.
pp. 230–31: “under a pepper tree … for yours”: M, 118–20; “a small check”: Nina Kay Gore/GV, 12/21/1946. W; “There are warm springs”: GV/Nin, 11/nd/1946. UC.
pp. 231–32: “Just had a disturbing talk”: Nin/GV, 12/nd/1946. W; “left quite a scar”: Nin/GV, 11/nd/1946. W; “I’ve been a monk”: GV/Nin, 11/nd/1946. UC.
p. 232: “there are a number”: GV/Nin, 11/nd/1946. UC; “The irony of it all … happy and well”: Nin/GV, nd/1946. W.
p. 233: “Are you coming back … a book enough”: Nin/GV, 11/nd/1946. W; “we’ll both be outcasts”: GV/Nin, 11/nd/1946. UC; “He fought for me”: Nin, Diary, 191.
p. 235: “I must construe … before the sun”: GV/Nin, 3/nd/1947. UC.
p. 236: “remember that”: Season of Comfort, 250.
p. 236: “My bitterness toward”: GV/Nin, 6/nd/1947. UC.
pp. 237–38: “There are some intelligent”: GV/Nin, 6/nd/1947. UC; “a better balance”: Nin/GV, nd/1947. W.
pp. 238–39: “The Gores seemed well”: Vidal/GV, nd/1947. W; “Remember,” his father wrote: Vidal/GV, nd/1947.
p. 239: “we have a lousy”: Vidal/GV, nd/1947.
p. 240: “how absurd to feature”: Nin/GV, 6/nd/1947. W; “I should like it if you can”: GV/Nin, 6/nd/1947. UC; “Maybe when I come down”: Nin/GV, 6/nd/1947. W; “we will always have … would love you”: Nin/GV, 6/nd/1947. UC.
Chapter Eight
INTERVIEWS: Joe O’Donohue, 5/25/1997; Judith Jones, 12/1/1995; Robert Giroux, 4/3/1995; Katharine Vidal, 2/15/1996; Johnny Nicholson, 7/3/1997; Graham Watson, 1/19/1996.
ENDNOTES
p. 244: “We met,” Vidal wrote: “The Dancer,” unpub. ms. 3. W.
p. 245: “It began then”: “The Dancer,” 7–8. W
p. 246: “who was quite intrigued”: GV/Pat Crocker, 10/nd/1947. W; “We stayed at home … he’d try anything”: “The Dancer,” 10. W.
p. 247: “My life is completely governed … I guess”: GV/Crocker, 10/nd/1947. W.
p. 249: “My dear Harold”: GV/Harold Lang, 10/7/1947. W.
p. 249–50: “But I find the theme”: GV/Lang, 10/7/1947. W; “I seem submerged”: GV/Crocker, 1/nd/1948. W; “the dancer affair”: GV/Crocker, 1/nd/1948. W; “on the usual sharing basis”: GV/Crocker, 1/nd/1948. W.
p. 250: “I very much want you”: Frederic Prokosch/GV, 2/nd/1947. W.
p. 251: “Having spent … yes”: John Kelly/GV, 4/3/1947, 6/7/1947, 6/15/1947. W.
p. 252: “I don’t need”: Cornelia Claiborne/GV, nd/1947. W; “You have a Christ complex … a great deal”: Claiborne/GV, nd/1947. W.
p. 253: “I would be glad to serve”: Orville Prescott/GV, 10/28/1947. W.
p. 254: “Will you just look”: US, 855; “for Cecil Beaton … photographer”: GV/Pat Crocker, nd/1947. W.
pp. 254–55: “a difficult man … Hemingway once”: US, 343; “topolini”: John Horne Burns/GV, 3/15/1948. W; “if I get a Hollywood job”: GV/Anaïs Nin, 6/nd/1947. UC.
p. 255: “A short to the point story”: Felix Ferry/GV, 12/16/1947. W.
pp. 256–57: “Thank you for what”: Christopher Isherwood/GV, 1/6/1948. W; “with your personal”: Thomas Mann/GV, 1/3/1948. W; “Already I’d heard”: Nin/GV, nd/1948. W; “in the least”: Prokosch/GV, nd/1948. W.
pp. 257–58: “The fan mail”: GV/Crocker, 1/nd/1948. W; “The book sells”: GV/Crocker, 2/nd/1948. W; “flatteringly violent”: GV/Crocker, 1/nd/1948. W.
p. 260: “gray-faced man”: M, 102.
p. 262: “I am writing this”: Tennessee Williams/Donald Windham, 1/17/1945, Tennessee Williams’ Letters to Donald Windham, 1940–1965, NY: 1976, 205.
p. 262: “First impressions”: US, 476; “In Rome whenever”: TS, 191–203.
p. 263: “I’m happy to know”: Burns/GV, 3/15/1948. W; “Honey, you would love”: Williams/Windham, 2/20/1948, 207.
p. 264: “I had actually seen”: M, 155.
pp. 264–65: “I particularly like”: US, 1131–33; “Williams is not at all”: TS, 271.
p. 265: “Dear Blood and Gore”: Williams/GV, 3/nd/1948. W.
pp. 266–67: “That happy picture”: Judith Jones/GV, 3/nd/1948. W; “Write me in care”: GV/Nin, nd/1948. UC; “Tennessee Williams and me”: GV/Nina Gore, 3/nd/1948. W; “I don’t think you realize … alike”: M, 152.
pp. 267–68: “like some large pale fish”: US, 1131–32; “our barbarous presence”: US, 476; “were told the communists”: US, 467; “This country is all wrought”: T. P. Gore/GV, 2/23/1948. W; “You must be wading”: Gene Vidal/GV, 4/nd/1948. W; “are not a predatory people”: TS, 42–43.
p. 268: “the impression that”: US, 419; “Santayana looked”: US, 423; “He wore a dressing gown”: US, 476–77.
p. 269: “at the old man”: US, 1139; “He gave a sort … present”: M, 157–64.
p. 270: “Like a mafia don … novels”: M, 168–69.
pp. 270–71: “I am glad you did”: Williams/GV, nd/1948. W; “powerful play”: M, 169; “thrilled over the play”: Nina Gore/GV, 4/16/1948; “Bright eyes”: Williams/GV, nd/1948. W.
pp. 271–72: “I close now with”: Williams/GV, nd/1948; “ferocious … we have”: TS, 247; “as the train moved”: Cameron Kay, Thieves Fall Out, NY: 1953, 39.
pp. 272–73: “There were a bunch … macabre”: M, 176–78, US, 1133–34; “pronounced it the worst”: M, 169–70.
pp. 273–74: “forever summer”: TS, 91; “I am American literature”: M, 185–87; “a big husky boy … started to wag”: Christopher Isherwood Diaries, Volume One, 1939–1960, NY: 1996, 401.
pp. 274–75: “I do think”: Isherwood Diaries, 401; “I don’t know when”: GV/John Lehmann, 5/21/1948. P; “very interesting and even”: Isherwood/GV, 5/6/1948. W; “If you see Truman”: GV/Lehmann, 5/nd/1948. P.
pp. 275–76: “with mischievous fantasies”: US, 1143–44; “The instant lie”: M, 184–85; “All the writers are”: GV/John Aldridge, 5/1/1948.
p. 276: “insincere, extremely mannered”: Calder Willingham/GV, 5/9/1948, W; “talked about Truman”: Donald Windham, Lost Friendships, A Memoir of Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, and Others, NY: 1983, 30, 44; “that you and Tennessee”: Lehmann/GV, 2/25/1948. W; “I don’t think I need”: Lehmann/GV, 5/1/1948. W.
p. 277: “I’m very much interested”: Lehmann/GV, 5/18/1948. W; “Christopher came”: Lehmann/GV, 5/18/1948. W; “not very happy … practical”: GV/Lehmann, 5/12/1948. P.
pp. 277–78: “to capture as many”: Lehmann, In My Own Time, Memoirs of a Literary Life, Boston: 1969, 452; “short-legged”: M, 182–84.
p. 279: “pornographic novel … Mind the step”: M, 183–85.
p. 279: “down an empty street”: M, 185; “a clever, talented”: US, 32; “another one of those”: GV/Lehmann, 10/9/1948. P.
p. 280: “nocturnal Proustian life”: Isherwood Diaries, 400; “Marais looked … accent”: US, 1143–44.
p. 281: “one of the guests … all of us”: TS, 27;
M, 169–70.
p. 282: “Why not come …”: Isherwood/GV, 5/17/1948. W.
pp. 282–84: “V. S. Pritchett was … plain view”: M, 190–92; “very excited at”: Stanton, 177–78; “But we have to … disheartening”: M, 190–91.
p. 284: “Everyone mocked … queen of Spain”: M, 195–97.
p. 286: “the streets, empty … the walls”: M, 178–79.
p. 287: “I used him”: GV/Lehmann, 7/30/1948. P; “Now I think”: Lehmann/GV, 7/14/1948. W; “A note to tell you”: GV/Lehmann, 8/14/1948. P.
Chapter Nine
INTERVIEWS: John Galliher, 4/29/1996; Jason Epstein, 4/25/1995, 3/6/1997; Sam Lurie, 4/1/1996; Joe O’Donohue,. 5/24/1997; Johnny Nicholson, 7/4/1997; Graham Watson, 1/19/1996; Roy Thompson, 11/28/1995, 1/8/1996; Speed Lamkin, 2/11/1997; Ned Rorem, 12/3/1996; Romana McEwen, 1/23/1966; J. Winter Thorington, 1/14/1998; Geoffrey Moore, 5/28/1997.
ENDNOTES
pp. 289–90: “Dad will never … to see you”: Nina Gore/GV, 6/23/1948. W; “mental health … Love, Bommy”: Nina Gore Olds/GV, nd/1949. W.
p. 291: “considering that … treated”: John Lehmann/GV, 9/30/1948. W; “in the midst of my”: GV/Lehmann, 8/14/1948. P; “Good God”: Lehmann/GV, 8/19/1948. W.
p. 291: “getting the two”: GV/Lehmann, 10/2/1948. P; “Not much news”: GV/Pat Crocker, 11/nd/1948. W.
p. 292: “Truman is everywhere”: GV/Lehmann, 10/2/1948. P; “with much fanfare”: GV/Lehmann, 11/nd/1948. P; “the way Truman would”: GV/Lehmann, 12/18/1949. P.
pp. 292–93: “I think you judge”: Tennessee Williams/Donald Windham, 4/8/1949, 237; “By the time we arrived”: US, 1143–44; “uncomplimentary remarks … the ploy”: Paul Bowles, Without Stopping, An Autobiography, NY: 1972, 288.
p. 294: “You’re not a poet”: M, 250; “perhaps the first”: Annette Tapert and Diana Edkins, The Power of Style, NY: 1994, 112.
p. 295: “received, for the most”: GV/Lehmann, 10/9/1948. P.
p. 295: “You’ll like … mouth”: Cecilia Sternberg, The Journey, An Autobiography, London: 1977, 313–14.
p. 298: “a sort of preface to Sondheim”: Ned Rorem, Knowing When to Stop, NY: 1994, 253; “the most irresistibly quick”: The Later Diaries of Ned Rorem, 1961–1972, San Francisco: 1983, 71.
pp. 299–300: “Serene and working”: GV/Lehmann, 1/nd/1949. P; “I have such a high”: Lehmann/GV, 1/17/1949. W; “break with John”: Christopher Isherwood/GV, nd/1949. W.
pp. 300–01: “as to The Season”: GV/Lehmann, 4/11/1949. P; “Did I tell you”: GV/Crocker, 2/nd/1949. W; “Your disease is”: Crocker/GV, 5/17/1949. W; “The mice and”: GV/Lehmann, 4/11/1949. P.
p. 301: “I freely admit”: GV/Lehmann 7/30/1948. P; “wept quietly”: M, 71–72.
p. 304: “I’d like to talk”: GV/John Aldridge, 5/1/1948.
pp. 304–5: “bejewelled epigrams”: GV/Lehmann, 1/20/1950. P; “Thus do I”: GV/Lehmann, 1/nd/1949. P; “The critics still regard”: GV/Crocker, nd/1948. W.
p. 306: “I liked [your lecture]”: George F. Kneller/GV, 5/2/1949. W.
p. 306: “new comets about”: GV/Lehmann, 9/17/1949. P.
p. 307: “Suggest you both”: Lehmann/GV, 5/18/1949. W; “BOTH ARRIVING”: GV/Lehmann, 5/22/1949. P.
p. 308: “She detests London”: Williams/Windham, 5/8/1949, 241.
pp. 309: “examining the literary”: Bowles, Without Stopping, 291; “I have absolutely”: Bowles/GV, 5/18/1949. W; “I must admit”: Bowles/GV, 5/18/1949. W; “Morocco isn’t at all”: Bowles/GV, 5/18/1949. W.
p. 310: “frozen … nothing to worry about”: Kelly/GV, 6/3/1949. W; “a lovely journey”: GV/Latouche, 6/nd/1949. C.
p. 310: “unofficial … a sort of lighthouse”: Bowles/GV, 8/13/1949. W.
pp. 311–12: “he did a little … waving”: Bowles, Without Stopping, 292; “Truman gave”: Bowles/GV, 8/26/1949. W.
pp. 312–13: “receiving the homage”: M, 130–32; “I was, during”: GV/Lehmann, 9/17/1949. P; “I agree, of course”: GV/Lehmann, 9/17/1949. P.
p. 313: “A great deal”: GV/Lehmann, 11/4/1949. P.
p. 314: “All my literary friends … built”: GV/Crocker, 11/nd/1948. W; “Very intrigued with”: Anaïs Nin/GV, 7/nd/1949. W.
p. 315: “I have to sneak”: John Macrae [signed “old Uncle Jack”]/GV, nd/1959. W; “professional writers”: Virginia Creed/Katherine Everard, 4/8/1950. W.
p. 319: “I spent a weekend”: GV/Lehmann, 11/4/1949. P.
p. 320: “the delicately irregular line”: GV/1876, NY: 1976, 239–4.
p. 321: “We looked and saw”: GV/1876, 239–44.
p. 322: “I think Paul Bowles”: GV/Lehmann, 9/17/1949. P.
pp. 322–23: “I still have a mad”: Bowles/GV, 10/14/1949. W; “on the dock … before me”: Bowles/GV, 12/5/1949. W; “I may also do”: GV/Lehmann, 12/18/1949. P; “She even wants”: M, 215.
pp. 323–24: “Is it true that?”: Bowles/GV, 1/16/1950. W; “What nonsense”: Bowles/GV, 2/22/1950. W; “You never would have done”: Bowles/GV, 2/22/1950. W; “in a few. days”: GV/Lehmann, 11/4/1949. P; “after writing me”: Williams/Windham, 1/18/1950, 252; “among the husks”: GV/Lehmann, 1/20/1950. P; “I now think that”: GV/Lehmann, 2/5/1950. P.
pp. 324–25: “I am working”: GV/Lehmann, 1/20/1950. P; “Vidal has departed”: Williams/Windham, 2/2/1950, 254; “the Endless Quest”: GV/Lehmann, 2/5/1950. P.
p. 325: “Haven’t seen”: GV/Lehmann, 2/5/1950. P.
p. 326: “Houston is all very”: GV/Lehmann, 3/14/1950. P; “a piece of total”: GV/Lehmann, 3/14/1950. P.
p. 328: “I may do a short”: GV/Lehmann, 3/14/1950. P; “It’s one of the serious”: GV/James Laughlin, nd/1950; “the monster which”: GV/Lehmann, 2/10/1950. P.
p. 329: “I’ve had to learn”: GV/Lehmann, 3/14/1950. P.
p. 329–30: “I am designing … prose”: GV/Lehmann, 4/14/1950. P; “As a matter of fact”: GV, “Pederasty and Mr. Barrett,” unpub. ms., W.
p. 330: “in the throes”: GV/Crocker, 6/nd/1950. W; “This city depresses”: GV/Laughlin, nd/1950; “hardly think of”: GV/Carl Van Vechten, 6/nd/1950. Y.
Chapter Ten
INTERVIEWS: Miles White, 3/25/1998; Howard Austen, 1/17/1996, 1/20/1996, 7/9/1996, 7/11/1996, 7/12/1996, 7/24/1996; Joseph O’Donohue, 5/24/1997; Johnny Nicholson, 7/4/1997; Tommy Auchincloss, 6/8/1995; Joe Ryle, 4/30/1996; Jason Epstein, 3/6/1997; Sam Lurie, 4/1/1996; Romana McEwen, 1/23/1996; Ted Weiss, 3/14/1998; Richard Poirier, 7/1/1996; John Aldridge, 9/16/1996; Vance Bourjaily, 9/11/1995; John Bowen, 1/22/1996; Tina Bourjaily, 10/19/1996; Louis Auchincloss, 10/21/1994; Norman Mailer, 3/15/1996, 3/16/1996, 3/17/1996; George Plimpton, 2/9/1996; Owen Laster, 2/25/1996, 3/5/1996, 3/22/1996; Theresa Baxter, 3/29/1997.
ENDNOTES
pp. 333–34: “One of those shows”: GV/John Lehmann, 10/nd/1950. P; “there are no places”: GV/Lehmann, 10/nd/1950. P; “I’ve bought an 1820”: GV/Lehmann, 8/15/1950. P.
p. 334: “Meredithean comedy”: GV/Lehmann, 10/nd/1950. P; “Life in the mansion”: GV/Pat Crocker, 9/nd/1950. W.
p. 335: “My dear Carlo”: GV/Carl Van Vechten, 9/nd/1950. Y; “I am not a naturalistic … pleasure”: GV/Lehmann, 4/14/1950. P.
p. 336: “My place is”: GV/Lehmann, 9/nd/1950. P.
p. 351: “I raced beside him”: M, 251.
pp. 352–53: “since I plan”: GV/Theodore Weiss, nd/1953; “three British poets”: GV/Lehmann, nd/1951. P.
p. 353: “As for Tennessee”: GV/Weiss, nd/1953.
p. 354: “My life has been”: GV/Lehmann, 11/23/1951. P.
p. 355: “I am in physical”: GV/Lehmann, 11/23/1951. P; “characteristically … dumb”: Raymond Washburn/GV, 5/11/1951. W.
p. 356: “a perfect summer”: GV/Anaïs Nin, 8/nd/1951. UC; “My mother, her twelve”: GV/Nin, summer/nd/1951. UC.
p. 358: “I went to Vermont”: GV/Nin, 8/nd/1952. UC.
p. 359: “Material is being collected”: GV/Lehmann, 11/23/1951. P.
p. 360: “I am going out … best writers”: GV/Lehman
n, 11/23/1951. P; “triumphant, in advance”: GV/Lehmann, nd/1951. P.
p. 361: “I have been busy”: GV/John Aldridge, 5/nd/1952.
pp. 364–65: “I am in the throes … New York”: GV/Arabel Porter, 1/nd/1953. Y; “We made our way”: US, 449.
p. 367: “startlingly excellent”: GV/F. M. Markoe, nd/1953. Y.
p. 368: “satiric queer … sophomoric imitations”: Jack Kerouac/Allen Ginsberg, 5/18/1952, Selected Letters, Jack Kerouac, 1940–1956, ed. Ann Charters, NY: 1995, 357; “recognised him from”: Kerouac, The Subterraneans, NY: 1958, 52–53.
p. 369: “stared at me”: M, 233.
p. 370: “You sneak”: Inez Salinger/GV, 4/22/1953. W.
p. 371: “worry about”: Henry Volkening/GV, 5/14/1948. W; “a good technician … generally”: Audrey Wood/GV, 5/21/1948. W. “I think that rightly”: Wood/GV, 2/21/1950. W.
pp. 371–72: “Mrs. Goldwyn thought”: Wood/GV, 5/2/1950. W; “a happy honeymoon … picture”: Wood/GV, 6/21/1950, 7/7/1950. W; “I am trying to buy”: GV/Robert Halsband, nd/1950. W; “it is very difficult”: Wood/GV, 7/18/1952. W.
Chapter Eleven
INTERVIEWS: Martin Manulis, 4/1/1996; Dominick Dunne, 6/19/1996; George Axelrod, 5/8/1997; Howard Austen, 1/17/1996, 1/20/1996, 7/9/1996, 7/11/1996, 7/12/1996, 7/24/1996; Joanne Woodward, 2/8/1996; Paul Newman, 2/8/1996; Don Bachardy, 12/28/1995, 4/3/1996; Elaine Dundy, 3/30/1996; Romana McEwen, 1/23/1996; Joe O’Donohue, 5/24/1997; Conrad Janis, 4/12/1997; Sarah Marshall, 4/16/1997; John Galliher, 4/29/1996; Sally Vidal, 3/28/1996; Oatsie Leiter [Mrs. Robert Charles], 5/14/1997; Louis Auchincloss, 10/21/1994; Nini Auchincloss, 11/28/1994, 7/19/1995.
ENDNOTES
p. 376: “You have no idea”: GV/Kimon Friar, 8/nd/1954. P.
pp. 376–77: “My own days are”: GV/Friar, 8/nd/1954. P; “The day after”: US, 1157–59.
p. 377: “still smiling … think why”: GV/Helen Harvey, 7/14/1954. W.
p. 379: “GET WRITING, PUSS”: Martin Manulis/GV, 5/30/1955. W; “the role of”: GV, Devil’s Theater proposal, unpub. ms. nd, W.
p. 380: “Yes, I am television’s … gold”: GV/John Aldridge, 3/nd/1955.
pp. 380–81: “immense practical problem”: Felix Jackson/GV, 3/2/1955. W.