The City and the Pillar: A Novel
A literary cause célèbre when first published in 1948, Gore Vidal's now-classic The City and the Pillar stands as a landmark novel of the gay experience. Jim, a handsome, all-American athlete, has always been shy around girls. But when he and his best friend, Bob, partake in "awful kid stuff," the experience forms Jim's ideal of spiritual completion. Defying his parents' expectations, Jim strikes out on his own, hoping to find Bob and rekindle their amorous friendship. Along the way he struggles with what he feels is his unique bond with Bob and with his persistent attraction to other men. Upon finally encountering Bob years later, the force of his hopes for a life together leads to a devastating climax. The first novel of its kind to appear on the American literary landscape, The City and the Pillar remains a forthright and uncompromising portrayal of sexual relationships between men.
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Community Reviews
"Nothing that ever was changes. Yet nothing that is can ever be the same as what went before."
I have mixed feelings on The City and the Pillar. On one hand, it has such genuinely beautiful language and an emotional plot. On the other, Vidal's editorializing gets in the way of the enjoyment quite a bit. However, I still recommend that you read it; truly a gay classic, in the best and worst sense.
I have mixed feelings on The City and the Pillar. On one hand, it has such genuinely beautiful language and an emotional plot. On the other, Vidal's editorializing gets in the way of the enjoyment quite a bit. However, I still recommend that you read it; truly a gay classic, in the best and worst sense.
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