Myra Breckinridge (Vintage International)

“Myra Breckinridge” is a very unusual novel authored by a very accomplished, brilliant author, Gore Vidal. There are times that I felt that I was reading one of the best novels that I have ever read. The author integrates parts of Hollywood History and Stars into the described thought process of the protagonist. I felt this was hilarious. There were other times that I was equally appalled by the subject matter. I do NOT want to spoil anything for a perspective reader. Therefore I need to make a temporary digression…If one knows nothing about this novel, consider delaying reading or listening to the introduction of this particular edition. The introduction contains a detailed summary of the entire story that is known on these Amazon reviews as “spoilers”. I was offended that the writer of the introduction felt free to spoil the story with no advanced warning and the publishers did the same. I first discovered these spoilers while reading the introduction wherein basically the entire story was laid out in advance…. I resented this liberty that was taken. It is not that the introduction is not well written. It is. I read it a second time after completing the novel. It is a satisfactory and interesting SUMMARY AFTER THE FACT, NOT BEFORE…. If you are like me you know some things about the story. Nonetheless the introduction did contain numerous spoilers for a person, me, who was already familiar with some aspects of the novel. AT LEAST WARN THE CUSTOMER…. NO MATTER HOW LITTLE YOU RESPECT OUR INTELLECTS AND LEARNING, WE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO PAY THE BILLS…. PLEASE GIVE US THE CHOICE….Sorry, I am done with that…Now, I have been reading many, but not all, Gore Vidal novels in their order of publication. As is common for me, I read one every few months with a multi month break in between. I have found that Gore Vidal has greatly evolved and matured as an author by the time of this novel. I find his writing very readable, but at that the same time, very sophisticated. He is without question one of my favorite male authors. At the same time there were moments that made me cringe. As a parent I would not even consider allowing any child to read this novel. I would also wish to have a serious conversation with my children as young adults about this novel.***** I intend to remain vague, but this part of the review will allude to certain parts of the story. Consider skipping this part of the review until after reading this excellent novel. *****There is a part of this story wherein the violent conduct of protagonist is similar to the protagonist in an earlier, less mature, third novel of the same author, “The City and The Pillar”. That novel was published in 1948. The novel being reviewed was published in 1968. Actually parts of the 1948 novel were rewritten and there exists two versions. Both as a reader and as a retired police officer who investigated hundreds of violent felonies I was fascinated by this aspect of these two novels. I find these two novels very interesting to compare and contrast both in subject matter and evolving maturity of authorship. I assure you I assume that Mister Vidal was a completely law abiding citizen. If otherwise I would have found him a formidable opponent. And I could never consider him one of my favorite authors.*****. End of detailed discussion…. *****As far as novels by Gore Vidal that this novel under review put me in mind of, they are “The City and The Pillar”. 1948, and “The Judgement Of Paris”, 1953. Also, Gore Vidal wrote numerous novels that are widely varied in subject matter. Thus far my favorites are The Empire Books, also “Julian” and “Messiah”.I purchased this novel on Kindle with the accompanying audiobook. In addition to enjoying the reading, I found the audiobook narration to be excellent and really added to my reading enjoyment by the professional appropriate emotional reading and comedic timing of the narration. Just consider skipping the introduction and then reading it later. I found it a very well written and interesting summary after the fact.In summary I really enjoyed both this novel and the audiobook narration. There are both moments of hilarity and moments of appalling conduct and a significant cringe factor. This is an adult book. Thank You for taking the time to read this review.

Against my better judgement...I like this absolute mess. Gore Vidal's wit drips like acid into a public swimming pool. And his accomplice, Myra Breckinridge, is a beast of kinetic energy and a uniquely American antihero. She is fueled by pure chutzpah, sexually liberated and puritanical, and convinced she can change the world by her willpower. And by the end, she's latched her jaws on and tears apart Buck Loner, Mary Ann, Hollywood, and poor Rusty to bloody pieces.However, the only way to really enjoy this book is to accept, and repeatedly reaffirm to yourself, that Myra is an awful, awful person. It's tempting to sympathize with her, but then she says something racist. Then she does something humiliating. And then there's a truly upsetting and prolonged rape scene that feels like it's being played up for hyucks. She's meant to unsettle the reader, but I had a hard time personally switching gears between funny Machiavellian sex hi-jinks to an out-and-out crime.So if you have trouble with Nabokov's Lolita, I highly suggest you don't bother with this and I don't blame you. Vidal created a character that brings out the worst of 60's America -- a dazzling spectacle with personality warts large enough to smother all those huddled masses. In other words: It's fun until it's not. And I don't think a book has made me think more in recent memory than this.(Oh, shout out to the amazing narrator Michelle Hendley. I can forgive the indiscretion of the introduction spoiling the book, because Hendley has a real talent for embodying each character and is the only person I'd ever want to hear voice Myra Breckinridge. It would be a bona fide crime if this is the only book she narrates).

I bought this as a present - not fore me. But I loved Gore Vidal & this has the coolest cover!

I am a very big Gore Vidal fan. I have read many novels and both of the available books of essays (over two thousand pages of them!) and both memoirs. I received my copy with enthusiasm. My problem with it is that, despite the satire, which is OK (Hollywood is already a self-satire, so .... it's OK) it is really mean spirited. I don't care about the sex--what there is of it here is certainly not pornographic, as I cannot imagine anyone getting titillated by any of it, as it is creepy and repellant. And I am hardly a prude, as I have a book about exploitation that has some graphic stuff. My problem is that the line between satire and toxicity is blurred. And there is an undercurrent in there that really bothers me. I don't think it is particularly amusing that part of the subtext appears to be that rape victims secretly want it. That part is not in the context of any satire I could discern. I won't go into this but I kind of had the same gut repugnance I had when I went back and re read Gulliver's Travels. Kind of sickened by the mean spiritedness.. ( used Swift for a class of college students and they asked me point blank: "Why are we reading this?" -- which is the same feeling I had reading Myra Breckenridge. I was depressed, because I love Vida's work. Read Creation and Julian. And Burr is really fine as well. I would pass on this.

Love Gore Vidal !

Ok it’s dated. But it is still a fun and relevant read

Time has passed this former gem by.

It's a brilliant book extremely interesting to read. Myra has the mission to overturn the gender stereotypes and the book makes it clear

First read 30 years ago. Seems to have improved with age. One of those books that you cannot put down..well worth a read.