An American literary icon. He has led an eclectic public life since publishing his first novel at the age of 21. Aside from his numerous best-selling novels and essays, Gore Vidal has worked as an actor and writer for film, TV, and the stage. He received a Tony nomination for his Broadway play The Best Man and won the National Book Award for United States Essays: 1952-1992. He recently sold his renowned hillside estate in Ravello, Italy, where he lived since the 1960s. He now makes his home in Los Angeles, California.