Myra Breckinridge

A Novel (Myra and Myron, Book 1)

By: Gore Vidal, Camille Paglia - introduction

Narrated by: Michelle Hendley, Camille Paglia

Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

The outrageous and immortal, gender-bending and polymorphously perverse, over-the-top, and utterly on-target comic masterpiece from the bestselling author of Burr, Lincoln, and the National Book Award-winning United States.

With a new introduction by Camille Paglia

"I am Myra Breckinridge, whom no man will ever possess."

So begins the irresistible testimony of the luscious instructor of Empathy and Posture at Buck Loner's Academy of Drama and Modeling. Myra has a secret that only her surgeon shares; a passion for classic Hollywood films, which she regards as the supreme achievements of Western culture; and a sacred mission to bring heteronormative civilization to its knees.

Fifty years after its first publication unleashed gales of laughter, delight, and ferocious dissent ("Has literary decency fallen so low?" asked Time), Myra Breckinridge's moment to instruct and delight has once again arrived.

©1968 Gore Vidal (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Introduction © 2019 by Camille Paglia.

Gore Vidal had a bit of fun

Published in 1968, this gender bender of a story undoubtedly caused quite a bit of a stir. Gore Vidal had his fun, putting some wild thoughts and sexual fantasies to paper. Nowadays, and since most people know the secret behind Myra, it isn't much of a kick anymore. It's actually often quite tame and petty. Vidal wrote some monumental novels - very much enjoyed Creation, for example, and looking forward to Burr - but this comparatively little novel doesn't stack up - he apparently wrote the first draft in a month - and I think it shows. Still, in its own way it is a classic and I'm glad I checked it out. Well narrated, by the way!

Better Than I Remembered

It's been decades since I read Myra Breckinridge. I recall having enjoyed it but since reading it I watched the absolutely dreadful movie version with Raquel Welsh and Mae West. The movie was so terrible it clouded my memory of the book, melding the two. The book is as good as the movie was bad. Though I'd love to see someone with talent take another stab at creating a film version it's one of those books that's best part is the language of the inner dialog , here written in diary form. Hard to transfer to a movie. Clever, witty and I'm sure very scandalous for the time, it's got me curious of Vidal's other books. Perfect reader choice for this book.

Wonderful!

Wonderfully written, wonderfully performed. Perfect voice and tone for the character. Great Camille Paglia intro.

A Very Well Read Satirical Novel

First, if you know nothing about this novel, consider skipping the introduction, wherein the end of the story is described in detail. I was offended by the “spoiler” aspect of the introduction. At least warn the customers that you are about to spoil the story….

Now the novel itself is well written by a mature erudite author, Gore Vidal. At times it is hilarious. At times there is a huge cringe factor. The writing is great and vintage Gore Vidal. The narration is outstanding. Just consider skipping the introduction until after you have read / listened to this very well written novel.

Well performed

Really enjoyed this book. Read it when it originally was published and very much enjoyed rediscovering it again in Audible. Hope Myron will follow shorty.

introduction spoils the entire story.

The introduction spoiled the entire story for me, telling what happened in the end. I also did not care for the narrator's voice. After realizing what was going to happen, I never even got through chapter one, I just shut it off.