Charlotte Square’s finest
MEET THE AUTHOR
GORE VIDAL
Charlotte Square Gardens, 16 Aug, 11.30am; 19 Aug, 3.30pm.
‘I find the ancient kingdom most sympathetic,’ says America’s wise man of letters prior to his Caledonian sojourn. ‘Our enlightenment comes from 18th century Scotland. The current decadence is our very own in its vivid boredom.’ The intellectual’s intellectual (and a hero to this particular dilettante; let’s banish any notion of objectivity forthwith) goes on to cite a Cameron ancestor, though he accepts it’s a tenuous claim to Celtic-ness.
It’s classic Gore Vidal, of course: charming, erudite, pithy and always with purpose. His conversation, in person or prose, is ever fascinating, even when the tone is lowered. Is it true Orson Welles missed one of your parties to get up early and appear in a dog food commercial? ‘So he said. Glorious company. Radiant Irish insincerity.’
Politics are as significant as Vidal’s literary talent and his Wildean way with a one-liner. Deflantly libertarian and leftist, he is perceived by those of a Republican persuasion as un- American. In a 1998 lecture ‘America First? America Last? America . . . ‘, he sought to reclaim words such as ‘liberal’ and ‘radical’ and declared war on the ‘sky-godders’.
But can a realist still truly believe in
the good fight? ‘Yes. But he must identify the bad first.’ That other Gore, the President who never was, is a distant cousin of Wdal’s. But what does he make of the Texan in the White House? ‘Bush Jnr, unless he starts a major war with China (contingency plans exist) will take his place . . . presiding over a catastrophic Depression.’
Time for another left fielder: Truman Capote, Anais Nin and Norman Mailer in a hot air balloon (all are contemporaries with whom Vidal enjoyed a hate-hate relationship). One has to go. Who and why? ‘Surely, the
hot air.’
On learning of Capote’s death, Vidal famously remarked: ‘Good career move.’ Let’s turn to a far more deserving target - the man who put the Doctor into Strangelove. Five minutes alone with Henry Kissinger:
FIRST FICTION
RUARIDH NICOLL
Charlotte Square Gardens, 16 Aug, 2pm.
Stlll awaiting his first bender wlth Damon Albarn
M”
He knows at least two good restaurants in The Hague
what would you say to him? ‘Give yourself up. I know at least two good restaurants in The Hague.’
Feeling philosophical? Roland Barthes said history would be replaced by myth. Does Vidal think there’s room for the past in an increasingly global (for which read corporate) ‘here and now’ culture? ‘How odd that so typical, if amusing, a French writer should so mistake French history, which has always been elegant myth. At least ours is true myth; that is, truly vulgar.’
Shall we close on literature? What makes a writer
‘great’? And who, of your contemporaries, fits that bill?
When the pugnacious columnist and TV pundit Tony Parsons put his career as the UK's highest-paid hack on ice to write Man And Boy. his enemies queued up to watch the novel sink like a stone tablet. only to scurry back into the woodwork when it made millions.
Of course, Parsons made his career move from a privileged position. but what ghostly muse causes less flamboyant journalists to swap their notebooks and trilbys for the creative life? Just ask Puaridh Nicoll. who courageously jacked in his job as The Guardian '8 Southern Africa correspondent to write his masterpiece without so much as a book deal.
‘lt's always important to do what people don't expect. especially in newspapers.‘ he says. 'I knew the time was right to move on, but you don't leave a job at The Guardian lightly; I think a lot of people thought I was mad.‘
Luckily, Nicoll's gamble paid off with
16 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 16-22 Aug 2001
‘The notion of ‘greatness’ in art is determined by a discerning public, not by academics hired to promote an agreed-upon world view. The only writer of my time that l whole-heartedly admired was Calvino.’ (Rodger Evans)
this year's widely acclaimed debut novel. White Male Heart is the dark tale of boyhood buddies Hugh and Aaron, whose relationship is threatened when Hugh falls for a stranger from the city. The novel is set in the fictional town of Huil in the Highlands. an area Nicoll knows well. having grown up in Sutherland. ‘l‘m fascinated by what happens to people who grow up in a place where they can't see anything that's been built and the Highlands seemed the most obvious place to explore that idea.‘ Currently holed up in the Borders preparing his latest novel, Nicoll will be appearing with fellow debutantes Peter Jinks and Charlie Boxer at a List-sponsored event. So, has his life changed now that he's a creative type? ‘Well, I've yet to spend an evening drinking with Damon Albarn. I‘m now on a road. though and currently facing the terrifying prospect of that terrifying second novel.‘ (Allan Radcliffe)
I Joan Smith Dishing the dirt on the state of morality. See preview. 79 Aug, 5.30pm.
I Imprisoned Writers A pick of the festival’s authors will be reading from some writers who have been put away purely for their beliefs. Amnesty, PEN and Index on Censorship are supporting the events. Until 26 Aug, 5.30pm.
I Irvine Welsh See lrvo’s blistering performance of his own work. 20 Aug, 8pm.
I P.D. James with Ian Rankin Two of our finest, yet very different, crime scribes team up for a thoroughly entertaining trawl through the genre. See preview. 22 Aug,
7 7.30am.
I Gore Vidal See preview, left. 76 Aug, 77.303m; 79 Aug, 3.30pm.
I Hanif Kurelshi So, what does Hanif think of the filthy movie version of his Intimacy? Dare you to ask. See preview. 22 Aug, 7pm.
I Mark Steel Socialism’s funniest stand—up (unless you count Mark Thomas) brings his coruscating wit and genial wisdom to the sedate surroundings of Charlotte Square. See feature. 79 Aug, 6.45pm.
I Louis de Bernleres He didn’t just write Captain Core/Ii’s Mandolin, you know. Find out what else. See preview. 19 Aug, 77.30am.
I Naomi Klein No Logo author joins Will Hutton for a chat about nasty globalists. 20 Aug, 5.30pm.
I Charlie Boxer, Peter Jinks 8r Ruaridh Nicoll See preview, left. 76 Aug, 2pm.