Customer Reviews

Myra Breckinridge and Myron

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After reading Myra Breckinridge I couldn't look at my passions with the same sort of satisfaction after being infused by Vidal's challenge to established normalcy.
He doesn't waste any time introducing us to his philosophical, dedicated diary-writing main character Myra Breckinridge.
Myra is a determined transsexual with an edge of determined power. Vidal draws Myra from the masses and sets her aside with an assumed background that stretches the bounds of possibility. This unconventional collection of presupposed events goes along with Vidal's overall intention to shock.
Vidal utilizes the personal setting of a diary to present his readers with a more complete understanding of the workings of an up-and-coming person living a lifestyle with freewill and self-asserted power.
Vidal's connections between shockingly different human lives and the commonplace suburban plain works well in this novel. He does not overlook the importance of love, acceptance, and stability to remain sane.
With these emotions included, the reader is allowed to remain attached with the character alongside a fascination with her seemingly educated obscenity. For this, Vidal can be commendable in his efforts.
As far as shock factor, this book is not for your grandma. Vidal himself admits Myra Breckinridge was "pretty far out" by the standards of the time, though these days, fairly mild.
However, you feel receptive after reading it and not only because the sex scenes are described with little reservations, but also because Myra forever remains informed and thus justifiably assertive.
The theories of power in all human existence are intertwined by the daily life of Myra that can be partially or wholly applied to any who read this fictional transgender's story.
"I existed totally" were Myra's words when referring to her own choice of lifestyle, but when this comment was written, Vidal was not done with her story.
Just as the rest of the book finds room to wander to and fro between acceptable and eccentric, the plot begins typical and predictable among its own established bounds but by the end you've been thrown a quick curveball. It either leaves you satisfied with the way it fits in with the personality of Myra, or causes you to assume the ideals you'd come to believe were unsound.
Either way Myra Breckinridge bestows literacy with a novel full of provoking premise to begin recognizing, by way of the extreme, that life does not have to begin and end with time-honored tradition but instead must follow more personal laws that recognize the supremacy of within.

Confusing patchwork of letters, memos, grade reports, oddball documents...seems to suggest gender dysphoric teacher identifies with attractive young female student and wishes he were her,...so she will screw him (?). An inheritance chase ensues, and he magically becomes the girl of his own dreams (beaverly played by Raquel Welch who convincingly screws a young Farrah Fawcett). But then what. As the new girl befreinds the girl he loves, she boldly tells "new girl", "I wish you were a guy". Fitting end to a slutty story! StarlaParis cautions, "Sometimes we don't know what we got 'til it's gone".