“Europe began as the relatively empty, uncivilized Wild West of Asia; then the Western Hemisphere became the Wild West of Europe. Now the sun has set in our West and risen once more in the East.”

American writer and public intellectual

Gore Vidal was an American writer and public intellectual, known for his sharp, epigrammatic wit. He is remembered for fiction and essays that challenged the social and sexual norms he saw shaping American life. His work often took aim at public morality, politics, and the habits of American society. He was also deeply involved in politics and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Democratic Party candidate, first for the United States House of Representatives in 1960 and later for the United States Senate in 1982.