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{{Short description|1974 novel by Gore Vidal}}
{{other uses|Myron (disambiguation)}}
{{other uses|Myron (disambiguation)}}
⚫
{{all plot|date=February 2011}}


{{Infobox book | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
{{Infobox book | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
| name = Myron
| name = Myron
| orig title =
| translator =
| image = Image:Myron.JPG
| image = Image:Myron.JPG
| border = yes
| border = yes
| caption = First edition
| caption = Cover of the first edition
| author = [[Gore Vidal]]
| author = [[Gore Vidal]]
| cover_artist =
| cover_artist =
| country = [[United States]]
| country = United States
| language = [[English language|English]]
| language = English
| series =
| series =
| genre = [[Science fiction novel]]
| genre = [[Science fiction]]
| publisher = [[Random House]]
| publisher = [[Random House]]
| release_date = [[1974 in literature|1974]]
| release_date = [[1974 in literature|1974]]
Line 25: Line 25:
| followed_by =
| followed_by =
}}
}}

⚫
{{all plot|date=February 2011}}
'''''Myron''''' is the name of a [[1974 in literature|1974]] novel by [[Gore Vidal]]. It was written as a [[sequel]] to his [[1968 in literature|1968]] bestseller ''[[Myra Breckinridge]]''. The novel was published shortly after an anti-pornography ruling by the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]]; Vidal responded by replacing the profanity in his novel with the names of the Justices involved (e.g., "He thrust his enormous [[Rehnquist]] deep within her [[Byron White|Whizzer White]]", etc.)
'''''Myron''''' is a novel by American author [[Gore Vidal]], published in 1974. It was written as a [[sequel]] to his 1968 bestseller ''[[Myra Breckinridge]]''. The novel was published shortly after an anti-pornography ruling by the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]]; Vidal responded by replacing the profanity in his novel with the names of the Justices involved (e.g., "He thrust his enormous [[Rehnquist]] deep within her [[Byron White|Whizzer White]]", etc.)


==Plot summary==
==Plot summary==
Line 32: Line 32:
Myra Breckinridge, the transsexual who terrorized Hollywood with dildo-rape and lesbianism, has transformed back into her former self, the literally and figuratively castrated Myron.
Myra Breckinridge, the transsexual who terrorized Hollywood with dildo-rape and lesbianism, has transformed back into her former self, the literally and figuratively castrated Myron.


One night, while watching the movie "Siren of Babylon" on the late show, he/she is transported to the set of the 1948 film through the television. It's Myra's dream come true, and Myron's nightmare. As Myron tries to adapt to life inside an endlessly repeating [[B-movie]], Myra slowly starts creeping her way back into Myron's head, making a connection with a gay member of the community to obtain dresses and wigs. Her lapses back into Myron's personality are strongly encouraged by a character slyly based on [[Norman Mailer]] (though at one point he drunkenly hits on Myra), while most of the others on the set seem to prefer Myra to Myron. She attempts to castrate a crew member, then tries to castrate herself and partially succeeds in acquiring silicone implants. While Myron desperately searches for a way off the set (running into [[Richard Nixon]] along the way, who is considering taking up residence in "Siren of Babylon" in order to escape the [[Watergate]] hearings), Myra wants to stay permanently.
One night, while watching the movie ''Siren of Babylon'' on the late show, he/she is transported to the set of the 1948 film through the television. It's Myra's dream come true, and Myron's nightmare. As Myron tries to adapt to life inside an endlessly repeating [[B-movie]], Myra slowly starts creeping her way back into Myron's head, making a connection with a gay member of the community to obtain dresses and wigs. Her lapses back into Myron's personality are strongly encouraged by a character slyly based on [[Norman Mailer]] (though at one point he drunkenly hits on Myra), while most of the others on the set seem to prefer Myra to Myron. She attempts to castrate a crew member, then tries to castrate herself and partially succeeds in acquiring silicone implants. While Myron desperately searches for a way off the set (running into [[Richard Nixon]] along the way, who is considering taking up residence in ''Siren of Babylon'' in order to escape the [[Watergate]] hearings), Myra wants to stay permanently.


Eventually, Myra/Myron trades places with [[Maria Montez]], the star of the film. Myra is ecstatic and Myron disappears entirely from the narrative for a time. But when Montez, inhabited by Myra, coincidentally meets the 1948 Myron (who at this point is a child, possessed by the soul of a perplexed Maria Montez) their respective personalities are restored to their original bodies, returning Myron at once to his living room in 1970's California. However, the changes wrought by Myra's running amok on the set of "Siren of Babylon" continue to influence the present, and the book ends with a former cowboy actor in the film, now a transsexual, being elected [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] governor of [[Arizona]].
Eventually, Myra/Myron trades places with [[Maria Montez]], the star of the film. Myra is ecstatic and Myron disappears entirely from the narrative for a time. But when Montez, inhabited by Myra, coincidentally meets the 1948 Myron (who at this point is a child, possessed by the soul of a perplexed Maria Montez) their respective personalities are restored to their original bodies, returning Myron at once to his living room in 1970s California. The changes wrought by Myra's running amok on the set of ''Siren of Babylon'' continue to influence the present and the book ends with a former cowboy actor in the film, now a transsexual, being elected [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[governor of Arizona]].


==Glossary==
==Glossary==
In his introduction to the novel, Vidal mentions the Supreme Court decision ''[[Miller v. California]]'', which in his words "leaves to each community the right to decide what is pornography." Saying that the decision has "alarmed and confused peddlers of smut" by eliminating guidelines, Vidal says he has decided to substitute the names of the five Justices who voted for the decision, plus the names of anti-pornography crusaders [[Charles Keating]] of Citizens for Decent Literature and Father [[Morton A. Hill]], S.J. of [[Morality in Media]] (whom Vidal had debated on ''[[David Susskind Show|The David Susskind Show]]'' in 1968), for the "dirty words." He has done this to conform to the Supreme Court's imposition of the "community standards" test, as he wants "to conform with the letter and spirit of the Court's decision."
In his introduction to the novel, Vidal mentions the Supreme Court decision ''[[Miller v. California]]'', which in his words "leaves to each community the right to decide what is pornography." Saying that the decision has "alarmed and confused peddlers of smut" by eliminating guidelines, Vidal says he has decided to substitute the names of the five Justices who voted for the decision, plus the names of anti-pornography crusaders [[Charles Keating]] of Citizens for Decent Literature and Father [[Morton A. Hill]], S.J. of [[Morality in Media]] (whom Vidal had debated on ''[[The David Susskind Show]]'' in 1968), for the "dirty words". He has done this to conform to the Supreme Court's imposition of the "community standards" test, as he wants "to conform with the letter and spirit of the Court's decision."


These are the words and their substitutions:
These are the words and their substitutions:
Line 48: Line 48:
*[[William Rehnquist|rehnquist]]: [[penis|cock]]
*[[William Rehnquist|rehnquist]]: [[penis|cock]]
*[[Byron White|whizzer white]]: [[cunt]]
*[[Byron White|whizzer white]]: [[cunt]]

Later editions of the novel do not use these substitutions.


==Sources==
==Sources==
Vidal, Gore. ''Myron: A Novel'' (New York: [[Random House]], 1974) ISBN 0-394-49477-6
*{{cite book|last1=Vidal|first1=Gore|title=Myron: A Novel|location=New York|publisher=[[Random House]]|year=1974|isbn=0-394-49477-6|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/myronnovel00vida}}


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,945026-1,00.html Review: Myra Lives! TIME magazine, Monday, Oct. 21, 1974]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070312141904/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,945026-1,00.html Review: Myra Lives! TIME magazine, Monday, Oct. 21, 1974]


{{Gore Vidal}}
{{Gore Vidal}}


[[Category:1974 novels]]
[[Category:1974 American novels]]
[[Category:Novels by Gore Vidal]]
[[Category:Novels by Gore Vidal]]
[[Category:Sequel novels]]
[[Category:Sequel novels]]
[[Category:Hollywood novels]]
[[Category:Hollywood novels]]
[[Category:Transgender and transsexual novels]]
[[Category:Novels with transgender themes]]
[[Category:Random House books]]
[[Category:Random House books]]
[[Category:American LGBTQ novels]]
[[Category:1970s LGBTQ novels]]

Latest revision as of 20:42, 24 September 2024

For other uses, see Myron (disambiguation).
Myron
Cover of the first edition
AuthorGore Vidal
LanguageEnglish
GenreScience fiction
PublisherRandom House
Publication date
1974
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (Hardcover and Paperback)
Pages244 pp
ISBN0-394-49477-6
OCLC934591
813/.5/4
LC ClassPZ3.V6668 Mz PS3543.I26
Preceded byMyra Breckinridge 

Myron is a novel by American author Gore Vidal, published in 1974. It was written as a sequel to his 1968 bestseller Myra Breckinridge. The novel was published shortly after an anti-pornography ruling by the Supreme Court; Vidal responded by replacing the profanity in his novel with the names of the Justices involved (e.g., "He thrust his enormous Rehnquist deep within her Whizzer White", etc.)

Plot summary

[edit]

Myra Breckinridge, the transsexual who terrorized Hollywood with dildo-rape and lesbianism, has transformed back into her former self, the literally and figuratively castrated Myron.

One night, while watching the movie Siren of Babylon on the late show, he/she is transported to the set of the 1948 film through the television. It's Myra's dream come true, and Myron's nightmare. As Myron tries to adapt to life inside an endlessly repeating B-movie, Myra slowly starts creeping her way back into Myron's head, making a connection with a gay member of the community to obtain dresses and wigs. Her lapses back into Myron's personality are strongly encouraged by a character slyly based on Norman Mailer (though at one point he drunkenly hits on Myra), while most of the others on the set seem to prefer Myra to Myron. She attempts to castrate a crew member, then tries to castrate herself and partially succeeds in acquiring silicone implants. While Myron desperately searches for a way off the set (running into Richard Nixon along the way, who is considering taking up residence in Siren of Babylon in order to escape the Watergate hearings), Myra wants to stay permanently.

Eventually, Myra/Myron trades places with Maria Montez, the star of the film. Myra is ecstatic and Myron disappears entirely from the narrative for a time. But when Montez, inhabited by Myra, coincidentally meets the 1948 Myron (who at this point is a child, possessed by the soul of a perplexed Maria Montez) their respective personalities are restored to their original bodies, returning Myron at once to his living room in 1970s California. The changes wrought by Myra's running amok on the set of Siren of Babylon continue to influence the present and the book ends with a former cowboy actor in the film, now a transsexual, being elected Republican governor of Arizona.

Glossary

[edit]

In his introduction to the novel, Vidal mentions the Supreme Court decision Miller v. California, which in his words "leaves to each community the right to decide what is pornography." Saying that the decision has "alarmed and confused peddlers of smut" by eliminating guidelines, Vidal says he has decided to substitute the names of the five Justices who voted for the decision, plus the names of anti-pornography crusaders Charles Keating of Citizens for Decent Literature and Father Morton A. Hill, S.J. of Morality in Media (whom Vidal had debated on The David Susskind Show in 1968), for the "dirty words". He has done this to conform to the Supreme Court's imposition of the "community standards" test, as he wants "to conform with the letter and spirit of the Court's decision."

These are the words and their substitutions:

Later editions of the novel do not use these substitutions.

Sources

[edit]
[edit]
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