Author Gore Vidal Dies

Author, playwright, and commentator Gore Vidal died on Tuesday from pneumonia, his nephew confirmed. Vidal was 86. The controversial author began his writing career at the age of 19 and wrote 25 novels, including Lincoln, Burr, and Myra Breckinridge, as well as several essays. The winner of the National Book Award in 1993, Vidal was famously rebellious and caused a stir with 1948’s The City and the Pillar, which featured openly gay characters. The New York Times even refused to review Vidal’s next few books. Vidal occasionally popped up in films and twice ran unsuccessfully for office.