Gore Vidal: Novelist, Essayist and Playwright Dies at 86

Gore Vidal was an American author. Born on October 3, 1925, in West Point, New York, he was the grandson of Senator Thomas Gore.

He wrote the novels Myra Breckinridge, Burr and Lincoln and plays such as The Best Man. He won the National Book Award for nonfiction in 1993 for United States: Essays 1952-1992. He ran for Congress and the Senate unsuccessfully.

He was known for his sharp wit and for feuds with William F. Buckley Jr. and Norman Mailer. Vidal died of pneumonia in Los Angeles on July 31, 2012, at age 86.

Achievements: National Book Award (1993).

Birth: October 3, 1925 - West Point, New York.

Profession: Author.

Interesting Facts: He appeared in several films as an actor.