Call for Papers: Journal of American Studies of Turkey Gore Vidal Revisited

Extraordinarily prolific and versatile, Gore Vidal left behind a great deal of literature after he died in July 2012. His work ranges from novels to short stories, to plays and screenplays, and to essays and reviews. However, Vidal has not received the attention he deserved; in his essay “Gore Vidal: The Writer and His Critics,” scholar and writer Jay Parini claimed in 1992 that “The problem is with the quality, not the quantity, of this attention. Much of the writing about him takes the form of light magazine profiles and ephemeral reviews, since Vidal has been a celebrity from the beginning” (1).

In keeping with its stated aims, the Journal of American Studies of Turkey (JAST) is preparing a special Gore Vidal issue devoted to innovative pieces focusing on how his writing engages with American cultures past and present as well as with the rest of the world. Papers may include but are not limited to the following topics: • Gore Vidal’s Politics • Literary reviews & Literary Criticism • Historical Fiction • Drama • Gore Vidal in Hollywood (screenplays, adaptations written by Vidal) • Filming Gore Vidal • Gender Issues • Sexuality • Life Writing • Gore Vidal in Translation • Attitudes towards Vidal inside and outside America • Vidal criticism past and present • Gore Vidal as an outsider as well as an insider writing about America

Contributions can vary in length, from full-length (5000-6000) word pieces, to shorter ‘think-pieces’ (1500-2000) words, as well as reviews of books and films devoted to Vidal’s work. We are interested in pieces that re-evaluate Vidal’s reputation as a major figure in contemporary American culture, as well as looking at the worldwide impact of his work – for example, in translation or in terms of his film adaptations.

Proposals for contributions should be addressed in the first instance to the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of American Studies of Turkey, Laurence Raw (l_rawjalaurence@yahoo.com), and Saniye Cancı Calisaneller (saniyeca@yahoo.com). The deadline for submissions is January 12, 2013. .