Jay Parini to Pen New Gore Vidal Biography

Novelist and scholar Jay Parini is writing a new biography of literary powerhouse Gore Vidal, to be published by Doubleday in 2015, according to The New York Times.

Parini previously edited a collection of essays about Vidal in the 1992 book, Gore Vidal: Writer Against the Grain. Parini is perhaps best known for his novel The Last Station, which was adapted for a major motion picture. He has also written biographies of such literary figures as William Faulkner, Robert Frost, and John Steinbeck.

Vidal, who passed away on July 31, received a 1960 Tony nomination for The Best Man, which is currently being revived on Broadway at the Schoenfeld Theatre. His other Broadway-produced plays include A Visit to a Small Planet, Weekend, and An Evening With Richard Nixon. He also adapted Friedrich Duerrenmatt’s Romulus for the Broadway stage.

As previously reported, a public celebration to honor the literary and theatrical career of Gore Vidal will be held August 23 from Noon to 1pm at the Schoenfeld Theatre.