Gore Vidal, celebrated author, playwright, dies

Gore Vidal, celebrated author, playwright, dies

I try to mark the passing of a giant in our industry and there are few giants as large as Gore Vidal.

Brilliant and opinionated, Vidal was a thinking man's writer who was always willing -- quite willing, in fact -- to talk truth to stupid. (And he was the sole judge of what was stupid.)

I don't write like he did. I am not as willing to write or opinionate -- is that actually a word? -- to the edge. And I try not to criticize other writers in public.

But I have to admire a people who stands up for their beliefs and battle publicly for them. In a way, he could afford to do that. His was a life of privilege and breeding. Any fall from grace would be cushioned. Yet he didn't let that stop him from saying what he thought.

Like it or not, there aren't a lot of public people like he. And that will be missed with Vidal's passing.