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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Gore Vidal Dead at Age 86

    Gore Vidal was an extraordinarily versatile writer, who wrote 25 novels, two memoirs, and several volumes of essays. He also wrote for TV and the stage. An outspoken political activist and occasional actor, he ran for Congress in New York State and for the US Senate in California.

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    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    Gore Vidal was an extraordinarily versatile writer, who wrote 25 novels, two memoirs, and several volumes of essays. He also wrote for TV and the stage. An outspoken political activist and occasional actor, he ran for Congress in New York State and for the US Senate in California. Vidal died last night at the age of 86, from complications of pneumonia. In 2007, he disparaged America's popular culture in an exchange with Michael Silverblatt, host of Bookworm on KCRW radio. Former Los Angeles Times book critic and columnist, Tim Rutten was a friend of Gore Vidal.

    The full episode

    3 of 3
    The Olympics and the Twitterverse
    1. 0:00Ted Cruz Wins Texas Senate Primary
    2. 7:22Competition: In the Olympic Games and in the Media
    3. 43:19Gore Vidal Dead at Age 86You’re reading this
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Frances Anderton

      architecture critic and author

    • KCRW placeholder

      Katie Cooper

      Producer, 'One year Later'

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Caitlin Shamberg

      KCRW

    • KCRW placeholder

      Tim Rutten

      Los Angeles Daily News

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    3 of 3
    The Olympics and the Twitterverse
    1. 0:00Ted Cruz Wins Texas Senate Primary
    2. 7:22Competition: In the Olympic Games and in the Media
    3. 43:19Gore Vidal Dead at Age 86You’re reading this
    Back to To the Point