America's Greatest Man Of Letters

I have variously loved Vidal and been bored by him. I don't see that a single author could be realistically dubbed "greatest".

my list of "Greatest" has about 10 authors on it that varies by my mood, age, temperment and life circumstances.

Fair enough, Dyslexia. But "man of letters" is a different category from "writer." I am proposing that Vidal is our greatest man of letters because he shines in so many categories of literature.

Larry, as a matter of curiosity, how would you fit John Updike into the man of letters picture?

I know Vidal only by having read a handful of his essays. All of which I enjoyed.

Greatest man of letters? Hmm, I know some-one with ONE letter....



I seem to remember it was 'C'

Hazlitt, I dislike Updike's writing so perhaps I am not a fair judge. He is not a bad short story writer. His novels have usually left me unimpressed. I don't think he is a good literary critic or essayist. In general I find that Updike overwrites, calling attention to his own style in a way that I find irritating. He is not, to me, a first-rate writer.

Hazlitt, I dislike Updike's writing so perhaps I am not a fair judge. He is not a bad short story writer. His novels have usually left me unimpressed. I don't think he is a good literary critic or essayist. In general I find that Updike overwrites, calling attention to his own style in a way that I find irritating. He is not, to me, a first-rate writer.