''The Gay Place'' (1961) is a series of three novellas, with interlocking plots and characters, by American author

Billy Lee Brammer Billy Lee Brammer (April 21, 1929 – February 11, 1978) was an author, journalist, and political staffer in Texas and Washington, D.C.. He is best known for his set of three linked novellas titled ''The Gay Place.'' Life Brammer was born ...

. The novellas, published in a single book, include ''The Flea Circus'', ''Room Enough to Caper'' and ''Country Pleasures''. Set in an unnamed state identical to Texas, each novella has a different protagonist: Roy Sherwood, a member of the state legislature; Neil Christiansen, the state's junior senator; and Jay McGown, the governor's speechwriter. The governor himself, Arthur Fenstemaker, a master politician (said to have been based on Brammer's mentor

Lyndon Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...

) serves as the dominant figure throughout. The book also includes characters based on Brammer, his wife Nadine, Johnson's wife

Ladybird Coccinellidae () is a widespread family of small beetles ranging in size from . They are commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in Great Britain. Some entomologists prefer the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles as they ...

, and his brother

Sam Houston Johnson Samuel Houston Johnson (January 31, 1914 – December 11, 1978) was an American businessman. He was the younger brother of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Early life Sam Houston Johnson was born in Johnson City, Texas on January 31, 1914, to Samu ...

. The book has been widely acclaimed one of the best American political novels ever written.

Plot

In ''The Flea Circus'', Governor Fenstemaker maneuvers conservative state senator Roy Sherwood into helping him get a liberal appropriations bill passed. Roy is having an affair with Ouida Fielding, the estranged wife of another state senator, Earle Fielding. Roy also has to deal with the fact that one of his political colleagues (a rival for Ouida's affection) has probably taken a bribe. These things take place against a background of constant drinking and partying by Roy, his colleagues and their associates and hangers-on. Much of this occurs at the Dearly Beloved Beer and Garden Party (based on Austin’s Scholz Garten), where young politicians drink, philosophize, and gossip. In ''Room Enough to Caper'', junior U.S. senator Neil Christiansen, who was appointed to the seat by Fenstemaker after another senator's death, returns home to consider running for re-election. Fenstemaker's machinations propel Neil into announcing his candidacy. Meanwhile, Neil tries halfheartedly to rediscover his marriage and his family, yet continues to sleep with a woman who works for him. The novella concerns itself with Christiansen's rising political prospects as his home life deteriorates. In ''Country Pleasures'', the governor's party drives out to the set of a film starring Vicki McGown, the ex-wife of Fenstemaker's speechwriter Jay McGown. Vicki attempts to win Jay back, which causes tensions between Jay and his girlfriend Sarah (also the governor's secretary). Vicki takes the governor and Jay on a joyride to an old Mexican village, where the governor drunkenly signs Texas back to the Mexicans. The latter part of the story deals with an attempt to cover up a scandal which breaks open in the governor's absence.

Main characters

; Neal Christiansen : Junior U.S. senator, the protagonist of ''Room Enough to Caper''. ; Willie England : Close friend of Roy Sherwood, and editor of a small weekly political journal, based on

Willie Morris William Weaks Morris (November 29, 1935 – August 2, 1999) was an American writer and editor born in Jackson, Mississippi, though his family later moved to Yazoo City, Mississippi, which he immortalized in his works of prose. Morris' tradem ...

, who at the time of the book's writing had just taken over the

Texas Observer ''The Texas Observer'' (also known as the ''Observer'') is an American magazine with a liberal political outlook. The ''Observer'' is published bimonthly by a 501(c)(3) ; Arthur Fenstemaker : The governor of the state, politically astute and a master manipulator, generally thought to have been based on

. ; Hoot Gibson Fenstemaker : The governor's brother, based on Lyndon Johnson's brother,

. ; Sweet Mama Fenstemaker : The governor's wife, based on Lyndon Johnson's wife,

Lady Bird Johnson Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson (''née'' Taylor; December 22, 1912 – July 11, 2007) was First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969 as the wife of President Lyndon B. Johnson. She previously served as Second Lady from 1961 to 1963 when ...

. ; Earl Fielding : Member of the state senate. ; Ouida Fielding : Earl Fielding's unfaithful wife, based on Brammer's wife Nadine. ; Sarah Lehman : The governor's secretary, and Jay McGown's girlfriend. ; Jay McGown : The governor's speechwriter, based on Brammer himself. He is the protagonist of ''Country Pleasures''. ; Vicki McGown : Jay McGown's ex-wife, a blonde bombshell movie star. ; Roy Sherwood : Member of the state senate, unmotivated scion of a wealthy family, having an affair with Ouida Fielding. Brammer may have based Roy on Texas politicians Bob Hughes, Malcolm McGregor, and perhaps

Robert C. Eckhardt Robert Christian Eckhardt (July 16, 1913 – November 13, 2001) was a Democratic United States Representative representing the 8th District of Texas from 1967 to 1981. Early life and family Eckhardt was born in Austin, Texas on July 16, 1913. ...

(though Eckhardt himself disavowed the connection), who later became Nadine Brammer's second husband. He is the protagonist of ''The Flea Circus''.

Models for Arthur Fenstemaker

Although many believe that the character of Governor Fenstemaker is based on Lyndon Johnson) there are many dissimilarities. Johnson was never the governor of Texas, and at the time of the book's writing had only served as a legislator. Several people, including Brammer's wife at the time, claim that Governor

Earl Long Earl Kemp Long (August 26, 1895 – September 5, 1960) was an American politician and the 45th governor of Louisiana, serving three nonconsecutive terms. Long, known as "Uncle Earl", connected with voters through his folksy demeanor and c ...

of Louisiana was a major influence. Others say that Brammer repeatedly said that Fenstemaker was based on former Texas Governor

Beauford H. Jester Beauford Halbert Jester (January 12, 1893 – July 11, 1949) was an American politician who was the 36th governor of Texas, serving from 1947 until his death in office in 1949. He is the only Texas governor ever to have died in office. Jeste ...

, and pointed to important events in the book which mirrored events in Jester's life.

Title reference

The title comes from a line in an

F. Scott Fitzgerald Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (September 24, 1896 – December 21, 1940) was an American novelist, essayist, and short story writer. He is best known for his novels depicting the flamboyance and excess of the Jazz Age—a term he popularize ...

poem, "Thousand-and-first Ship," which begins:

Reception

The book was not a commercial success, but was widely praised by critics.

called the novel "The best novel about American politics in our time."

David Halberstam David Halberstam (April 10, 1934 April 23, 2007) was an American writer, journalist, and historian, known for his work on the Vietnam War, politics, history, the Civil Rights Movement, business, media, American culture, Korean War, and later ...

called it one of two classic American political novels (the other one being ''

All the King's Men ''All the King's Men'' is a 1946 novel by Robert Penn Warren. The novel tells the story of charismatic populist governor Willie Stark and his political machinations in the Depression-era Deep South. It was inspired by the real-life story of U.S ...

'').

Gore Vidal Eugene Luther Gore Vidal (; born Eugene Louis Vidal, October 3, 1925 – July 31, 2012) was an American writer and public intellectual known for his epigrammatic wit, erudition, and patrician manner. Vidal was bisexual, and in his novels and ...

also called it an American classic. In 2005, Christopher Lehmann called the book "the one truly great modern American political novel." Brammer won the

Houghton Mifflin The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , ''asteriskos'', "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often voc ...

Literary Fellowship Award for the book in 1960. Lyndon Johnson claimed not to have read past the first 10 pages of the book, but responded by denying Brammer

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...

press credentials. It is generally believed that he did this at the behest of his wife Ladybird, whose portrait as Sweet Mama Fenstemaker in the book is a caricature.

Unfinished film adaptation

In 1963, the film rights to ''The Gay Place'' were sold to

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...

, who intended to play Roy Sherwood.

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

agreed to finance it, and

Jackie Gleason John Herbert Gleason (February 26, 1916June 24, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, writer, composer, and conductor known affectionately as "The Great One." Developing a style and characters from growing up in Brooklyn, New York, he was know ...

, who had just played opposite Newman in ''

The Hustler ''The Hustler'' is a 1961 American sports romantic drama film directed by Robert Rossen from Walter Tevis's 1959 novel of the same name, adapted by Rossen and Sidney Carroll. It tells the story of small-time pool hustler "Fast Eddie" Felson a ...

'', was cast as Arthur Fenstemaker. Work started on a script, and location scouting. However, the

assassination Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have ...

President Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ...

later that year caused these plans to be dropped.

References

All uncited material comes from the book itself. {{DEFAULTSORT:Gay Place, The 1961 American novels Novels about politicians American political novels Texas literature Novels set in Texas Novels set in Austin, Texas Roman à clef novels Houghton Mifflin books