'I'm afraid sheer opinionated and passionate prose, backed up by knowledge of the world, unorthodox views and uplifting prose that is simultaneously workmanlike and deliciously readable is a thing of the past in American journalism. Sameness, political correctness and sensitivity have all had their deleterious, neutering effect. Are there any exceptions?' Thus writes Miguel Cardoso in MetaFilter. Who are the great American prose stylists (judged by Cardoso's criteria)? He lists AJ Liebling, HL Mencken and EB White from the past, and can only suggest one name from today — Gore Vidal. An introduction to the latter can be found here and an article from The Washington Post on Liebling's The Earl of Louisiana here.
Some Gore Vidal-isms:
