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11/13/13 For Gore Vidal, a Final Plot Twist - NYTimes.com The Houghton Library at Harvard took possession of Mr. Vidal’s papers in 2002, and “has done a great job of organizing his manuscripts, letters and correspondence,” Mr. Parini said. Today Mr. Vidal’s archive and works are housed alongside celebrated writers like Henry James and Louisa May Alcott. At the time, Harvard said the acquisition had been precipitated by a chance meeting between James Walsh, Houghton’s retired keeper of printed books, and Mr. Vidal, according to a 2002 article in the Harvard University Gazette. “Walsh took a trip sponsored by the Boston Athenaeum to Italy,” the article stated. “Author and bibliophile spent the afternoon conversing and an idea was born. According to Vidal, he was already seriously considering Harvard as a repository for his papers as a result of conversations about the nature of his work with former Harvard professor and Lincoln scholar David Herbert Donald. Houghton Library has long been regarded as a major repository for 19th and 20th century literary papers, and Mr. Vidal felt it was an appropriate place for his collection.” Opinion is divided over how Mr. Vidal perceived his legacy. To Mr. Wrathall, Mr. Vidal said he couldn’t care less about it. Ms. Straight recalled that after they had seen a Shakespeare production, she said, “Wouldn’t it be fabulous for Shakespeare to somehow see his works still being performed?” Mr. Vidal replied, “Do you think Shakespeare gives a damn, up there tonight, saying ‘Oh my, what a great revival?’ It’s the here and now, that’s all there is. No one’s keeping score.” Ms. Straight added, “There was only the ‘Gore Vidal’ in his own mind and after that, nothing.” As for his works, “He didn’t give a damn,” she said. “He cared that his books carried on selling, but didn’t live his life thinking about leaving a legacy.” But Mr. Tyrnauer recalled Mr. Vidal saying he would like to set up a foundation to safeguard the Bill of Rights. Mr. Steers said, “He would have cared about being kept in the public consciousness and being deemed to be important.” In his prime, Mr. Vidal spoke to Mr. Parini about turning La Rondinaia into a writers’ retreat. “It would be great to use his legacy to promote younger writers,” Mr. Parini said, “to set up a Gore Vidal Foundation. He was also an immense supporter of left-wing causes, so perhaps a Gore Vidal prize in that spirit. Gore was never afraid and that kind of boldness is such a scarce commodity today. That was Gore’s greatest quality: his ferocity, his refusal to lie down.” www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/fashion/In-a-final-plot-twist-Gore-Vidal-leaves-his-estate-to-Harvard-Universtity.html?_r=1&&pagewanted=print 6/8
11/13/13 For Gore Vidal, a Final Plot Twist - NYTimes.com Arlyne Reingold, Mr. Austen’s sister, would like Harvard to allow her access to some of Mr. Austen’s possessions: a ruby ring he wore, a belt buckle, some of his singing recordings and pictures of her family, particularly a collage Mr. Austen made of their father’s old driving licenses. “Why would they want that?” she said. The most hurtful omission in Mr. Vidal’s will, his family and friends agreed, regards Norberto Nierras, his housekeeper and chef. “Norberto is not getting anything, and he was devoted to Gore,” Mr. Steers said. Mr. Nierras said recently: “I’m 60 years old and had planned to stay with Mr. Vidal until I retired. I will have to go back to the Philippines, I cannot afford to stay in America. I didn’t expect he’d leave me anything, other people are surprised he didn’t. If Mr. Vidal did leave me something, I would be very, very grateful as it would help with my retirement in the Philippines, as I have a small pension.” After being held by Mr. Tyrnauer and later Mr. Parini, the literary executorship of Mr. Vidal’s estate will be shared among several people, Mr. Parini said, while the estate “is keen to move forward with Gore’s work.” He said that Mr. Auchincloss and Richard Morris, Mr. Vidal’s agent, were working on ways to to repackage and republish Mr. Vidal’s work. “There will be a major relaunch of his work as soon as possible after the dust settles,” Mr. Parini said. “There is so much great work, lying in publishing limbo.” As we sat in Mr. Vidal’s living room, Mr. Steers said the house felt “depressing. There’s very little light. Nothing’s changed since the 1970s. Would I turn it down if it was left to me? No, of course not, but I am not going to passionately pursue it. I am repulsed by the whole situation.” He said he was busy doing other things, prime among them directing the film of the Jane Austen parody, “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” adapted from Seth Grahame-Smith’s novel. “You still feel him here,” said Mr. Steers, smiling, of Mr. Vidal. “He was such a presence. This house is so full of memories, I can’t imagine ever being able to come in here and not be overcome by them.” Tim Teeman is the author of “In Bed With Gore Vidal: Hustlers, Hollywood and the Private World of an American Master,” (Riverdale Avenue Books/Magnus). www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/fashion/In-a-final-plot-twist-Gore-Vidal-leaves-his-estate-to-Harvard-Universtity.html?_r=1&&pagewanted=print 7/8
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