Vincent Virga (born September 28, 1942) is a gay American-born editor and writer. He is the author of the novels ''Gaywyck'' (1980), ''A Comfortable Corner'' (1982), and ''Vadriel Vail'' (2001). His life partner since 1964 is fellow writer James McCourt. McCourt's and Virga's papers are held at Yale's Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Life

Vincent Virga was born and grew up in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. In 1952 the family moved to

Lindenhurst, New York Lindenhurst is a village in Suffolk County, New York, United States, on the southern shore of Long Island in the town of Babylon. The population was 27,253 at the 2010 census. The village is officially known as the Incorporated Village of Linden ...

. Virga attended

St. Bonaventure University St. Bonaventure University is a private Franciscan university in St. Bonaventure, New York. It has 2,381 undergraduate and graduate students. The Franciscan Brothers established the university in 1858. In athletics, the St. Bonaventure Bonn ...

, (B.A., 1964) and

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

(1964-1965). In 1964 at Yale he met fellow student James McCourt, who was to become his life partner. They were both enrolled in the acting program at Yale School of Drama, but Virga was not happy with the teaching at Yale, and therefore he and McCourt left to explore the theater scene in London. They lived in London from 1964 to 1967 and again from 1969 to 1971, both doing odd-jobs. Virga first job was as a typesetter at ''

The New York Review of Books ''The New York Review of Books'' (or ''NYREV'' or ''NYRB'') is a semi-monthly magazine with articles on literature, culture, economics, science and current affairs. Published in New York City, it is inspired by the idea that the discussion of i ...

''. Virga and McCourt moved to New York City in the 1970s, where they currently live, in the same apartment they have rented since that time. They also spend time in Washington, D.C. (for Virga's work at the Library of Congress), and Ireland (where Virga has the role of United States Representative of the Jackie Clarke Collection in Ballina, County Mayo). Vincent Virga was a friend of

Susan Sontag Susan Sontag (; January 16, 1933 – December 28, 2004) was an American writer, philosopher, and political activist. She mostly wrote essays, but also published novels; she published her first major work, the essay "Notes on 'Camp'", in 1964. Her ...

(whom he met while working as a typesetter at ''The New York Review of Books'') and poet James Schuyler. ''Cartographia: Mapping Civilizations'' (2007) is dedicated to Sontag, McCourt and

Victoria de los Angeles Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, a friend of both McCourt and Virga.

Work

Vincent Virga’s first novel, ''Gaywyck'' (1980), was also the first gay gothic romance ever published. ''Vadriel Vail'' (2001, nominated

14th Lambda Literary Awards The 14th Lambda Literary Awards were held in 2002 to honour works of LGBT literature published in 2001. Nominees and winners External links 14th Lambda Literary Awards
{{Lambda Literary Awards Lambda Literary Awards 2002 literary awards, La ...

) and ''Children of Paradise'' (2010) are the second and third books in the series of ''Gaywyck''. ''A Comfortable Corner'' (1982) is a contemporary novel dealing with the issue of alcoholism in the gay community. Virga is also an expert on cartography, and has a close collaboration with the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

. His researches on cartography have been published by the Library of Congress since the beginning of the 2000s. Other than publishing his own work, since 1973 Virga is a photo editor and consultant for other authors. He has researched the picture sections of more than 150 books, including the biography of

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...

Jane Fonda Jane Seymour Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is an American actress, activist, and former fashion model. Recognized as a film icon, Fonda is the recipient of various accolades including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, sev ...

, Arianna Huffington Stassinopoulos,

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

, and

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

Bibliography

Fiction * ''Gaywyck'' (1980) * ''A Comfortable Corner'' (1982) * ''Theatricals'' (1987) * ''Vadriel Vail--Gaywyck II'' (2001) * ''Early Ripe'' (2003) * ''Herald Angel'' (2006) * ''Children of Paradise--Gaywyck III'' (2010) * ''Three'' (2015) * ''Nightsong'' (2017) Nonfiction * ''Deals'' (1981), with Cheryl Moch * ''Summer'' (1990), with Alice Gordon * ''Eisenhower'' (1991), with Michael Beschloss * ''The Eighties'' (1992), with foreword by Richard Rhodes * ''Eyes of the Nation: A Visual History of the United States'' (1997), with The Library of Congress and Alan Brinkley * ''The American Civil War: 365 Days'' (2005), with Margaret Wagner and The Library of Congress, Introduction by Gary Gallagher * ''Cartographia: Mapping Civilizations'' (2007), with The Library of Congress and Introduction by Ronald E. Grim * ''Historic Maps and Views of New York'' (2008) * ''Connecticut: Mapping the Nutmeg State through History'' (2009), with Diana Ross McCain * ''Colorado: Mapping the Centennial State through History'' (2009), with Stephen Grace * ''California: Mapping the Golden State through History'' (2009), with Ray Jones * ''Texas: Mapping the Lone Star State through History'' (2010), with Don Blevins * ''Massachusetts: Mapping the Bay State through History'' (2010), with Dan Spinella * ''Illinois: Mapping the Prairie State through History'' (2010), with Scotti Cohn * ''Florida: Mapping the Sunshine State through History'' (2010), with E. Lynne Wright * ''Virginia: Mapping the Old Dominion State through History'' (2011), with Emilee Hines * ''Mapping Ireland'' (2012), with Sinead McCoole * ''Civil War Sketch Book: Drawings From The Battlefront'' (2012), with Harry Katz, Preface by Alan Brinkley Photo editing (not inclusive list) * Allen, Margaret. ''Selling Dreams: Inside the Beauty Business'' * Ambrose, Stephen. ''Nixon: Ruin and Recovery, 1963-1990'' * Andersen, Christopher. ''The Serpent's Tooth: A Family Story of Greed, Vengeance, and Multiple Murder'' * Balinger, Bill. ''The Lost City of Stone: The Story of Nan Madol, The Atlantis of the Pacific'' * Barrett, Wayne. ''Trump: The Greatest Show on Earth'' * Barrett, Wayne. ''Trump: The Deals and the Downfall'' * Barry, Stephen. ''Royal Service: My Twelve Years as Valet to Prince Charles'' * Bass, Jack. ''Unlikely Heroes: The Implementation of the Brown Decision in the South by Southern Federal Judges'' * Bender, Marilyn & Selig Altshul. ''The Chosen Instrument: Pan Am, Juan Trippe, The Rise and Fall of an American Entrepreneur'' * Bernstein, Leonard. ''Findings: Fifty Years of Meditations on Music'' * Beschloss, Michael. ''The Crisis Years: Kennedy and Khrushchev, 1960-1963'' * Biddle, Wayne. ''Barons of the Sky: From Early Flight to Strategic Warfare'' * Birmingham, Stephen. ''California Rich'' * Birmingham, Stephen. ''The Grandes Dames: From the Gilded Age to Modern Times'' * Bradley, Omar. ''A General's Life'' * Brill, Stephen. ''The Teamsters'' * Brynner, Rock. ''Yul: The Man Who Would Be King'' * Burrough, Bryan & John Helyar. ''Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco'' * Califano, Jr., Joseph A. ''Governing America, A Memoir'' * Caute, David. ''The Year of the Barricades: A Journey Through 1968'' * Chaney, Lindsay & Cieply Chaney. ''The Hearsts'' * Chesler, Phyllis. ''About Men'' * Clarke, Gerald. ''Capote, A Biography'' * Clinton, Bill. ''My Life'' * Clinton, Hillary Rodham. ''Living History, An Autobiography'' * Clinton, Hillary Rodham. ''It Takes a Village (Tenth Anniversary Edition)'' * Cohen, William & George Mitchell. ''Men of Zeal: The Candid Inside Story of the Iran-Contra Hearings'' * Cohen, Marcia. ''The Sisterhood; The Inside Story of the Women's Movement'' * Colby, William. ''Honorable Men: My Life in the CIA'' * Collins, Joan. ''Past Imperfect: An Autobiography'' * Cooke, Hope. ''Time Change, An Autobiography'' * Cronkite, Walter. ''A Reporter's Life'' * Davidson, Frank. ''Macro: Big is Beautiful'' * Davis, Miles & Quincy Troupe. ''Miles: The Autobiography'' * Dean, John. ''Blind Ambition'' * Delderfield, R. F. ''Napoleon in Love'' * Donahue, Phil. ''Donaghue: My Own Story'' * Douglas, Kirk. ''The Ragman's Son, An Autobiography'' * Dryer, Peter. ''Martyrs and Fanatics: South Africa and Human Destinies'' * Dubinsky, David. ''A Reporter's Memoir'' * Duke, Pony & Jason Thomas. ''Too Rich: The Family Secrets of Doris Duke'' * Dunne, Gerald. ''Hugo Black and the Judicial Revolution'' * Durant, Will & Ariel. ''Will and Ariel Durant: A Dual Autobiography'' * Edwards, Anne. ''Vivien Leigh, A Biography'' * Edwards, Anne. ''Sonya: The Life of Countess Tolstoy'' * Ehrlichman, John. ''Witness to Power'' * Eisenhower, Julie Nixon. ''Special People'' * Eisenhower, Julie Nixon. ''Pat Nixon: The Untold Story'' * Fairchild, John. ''Chic Savages'' * Falwell, Jerry. ''Strength for the Journey'' * Farnan, Dorothy. ''Auden in Love'' * Flamini, Roland. ''Ava: A Biography of Ava Gardner'' * Flippo, Chet. ''Your Cheatin' Heart: A Biography of Hank Williams'' * Flexner, Stuart. ''Listening to America'' * Follett, Ken. ''On Wings of Eagles'' * Fonda, Jane. ''Jane Fonda's Workout Book'' * Fonda, Jane. ''Jane Fonda's New Workout Book'' * Fonda, Jane. ''Women Coming of Age'' * Ford, Daniel. ''Cult of the Atom'' * Fried, Stephen. ''Thing of Beauty: The Tragedy of Supermodel Gia'' * Friedrich, Otto. ''Clover: The Tragic Love Story of Clover and Henry Adams'' * Gaylin, Willard. ''The Killing of Bonnie Garland'' * Givner, Joan. ''Katherine Anne Porter: A Life'' * Gorgakas, Dan. ''The Methuselah Factor'' * Green, Michelle. ''The Dream at the End of the World: Paul Bowles and the Literary Renegades in Tangier'' * Gretsky, Wayne & Rick Reilly. ''Gretsky: An Autobiography'' * Griffin, Merv. ''Merv: Making the Good Life Last'' * Gronowicz, Antoni. ''Garbo: Her Story'' * Grunwald, Lisa & Stephen Adler. ''American Women's Letters'' * Grunwald, Lisa & Stephen Adler. ''Letters of the Century'' * Harman, Nicholas. ''Dunkirk, The Necessary Myth'' * Harris, Jay. ''TV Guide; The First 2 Years'' * Hastings, Max. ''The Korean War'' * Heilbrun, Carolyn. ''Education of a Woman: The Life of Gloria Steinem'' * Houseman, John. ''Final Dress, An Autobiography'' * Houseman, John. ''Front and Center, An Autobiography'' * Houseman, John, ''Run-Through, An Autobiography'' * Hovig, Thomas. ''The Search for Tutankhamun'' * Judis, John. ''William F. Buckley, Jr., A Biography'' * Judson, Horace. ''The Eighth Day of Creation'' * Kaplan, Justin. ''Walt Whitman: A Life'' * Kelley, Kitty. ''Elizabeth Taylor: The Last Star'' * Kelley, Kitty. ''Nancy Reagan: The Unauthorized Biography'' * Kelley, Kitty. ''The Royals: The British Royal Family'' * Kennedy, Edward. ''Our Day and Celebration'' * Kinney, Jean. ''An American Journey: The Short Life of Willy Wolfe'' * Koch, Ed. ''Mayor'' * Koch, Ed. ''Politics'' * Korda, Michael. ''Success: How Every Man and Woman Can Achieve It'' * Languth, A.J. ''Saki: A Life of Hector Hugh Munro'' * Laqueur, William. ''Breaking The Silence: The Germans who Exposed The Final Solution'' * Leamer, Barbara. ''Polanski: The Filmmaker As Voyeur, A Biography'' * Leamer, Laurence. ''Ascent: The Physical and Spiritual Quest of Legendary Mountaineer Willi Unsoeld'' * Leamer, Laurence. ''Make Believe: The Story of Nancy and Ronald Reagan'' * Lessard, Suzannah. ''The Architect Of Desire: Beauty and Danger in the Stanford White Family'' * Lindsey, Robert. ''The Falcon and the Snowman'' * Lindsey, Robert. ''A Gathering Of Saints: A True Story of Money, Murder, and Deceit'' * Long, Jeff. ''Outlaw: The True Story of Claude Dallas'' * Manso, Peter. ''Mailer: His Life and Times'' * Matthews, Christopher. ''Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit'' * Matthews, Christopher. ''Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero'' * McCourt, James. ''Queer Street'' * Merman, Ethel. ''Merman'' * Michaud, Stephen & Hugh Aynsworth. ''The Only Living Witness: The True Story of Serial Sex Killer Ted Bundy'' * Milford, Nancy. ''Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay'' * Millett, Kate. ''The Basement: Meditations on a Human Sacrifice'' * Moore, Honor. ''The White Blackbird: A Life of the Painter Margarett Sargent by Her Granddaughter'' * Morgan, Kay Summersby. ''Past Forgetting: My Love Affair with Dwight D. Eisenhower'' * Morgan, Ted. ''Maugham, A Biography'' * Morgan, Ted. ''Churchill: Young Man in a Hurry, 1874-1915'' * Morrisroe, Patricia. ''Mapplethorpe, A Biography'' * Munro, Eleanor. ''American Women Artists'' * Murphy, Patrick. ''Commissioner'' * Muse, Vance. ''Garbo Walking'' * Neff, Donald. ''Warriors at Suez'' * Newfield, Jack & Wayne Barrett. ''City For Sale: Ed Koch and the Betrayal of New York'' * North, Oliver. ''Under Fire: An American Story'' * Olivier, Laurence. ''Laurence Olivier: Confessions of an Actor'' * Olivier, Laurence. ''Laurence Olivier: On Acting'' * O'Neill, William. ''A Better World: Stalinism and the American Intellectuals'' * Oppenheimer, Jerry. ''State of a Union: Inside the Complex Marriage of Bill and Hillary Clinton'' * Oppenheimer, Jerry. ''Seinfeld: The Making of an American Icon'' * Pakula, Hannah. ''The Last Romantic: A Biography of Marie Queen of Roumania'' * Pearl, Minnie. ''Minnie Pearl, An Autobiography'' * Persico, Joseph. ''The Imperial Rockefeller'' * Picon, Molly. ''Molly by Molly'' * Quayle, Dan. ''Standing Firm: A Vice-Presidential Memoir'' * Reston,Jr., James. ''The Lone Star: The Life of John Connally'' * Rhodes, Richard. ''The Making of the Atomic Bomb'' * Robinson, Archie. ''George Meany and His Times'' * Robinson, Roxana. ''Georgia O'keeffe: A Life'' * Rollins, Ed, & Tom DeFrank. ''Bare Knuckles and Back Rooms: My Life in American Politics'' * Rooney, Andy. ''A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney'' * Root, Waverly. ''Food: An Authoritative and Visual History and Dictionary of the Foods of the World'' * Schickel, Richard. ''D.W. Griffith: An American Life'' * Sculley, John. ''Odyssey: Pepsi to Apple'' * Sharon, Ariel. ''Warrior, An Autobiography'' * Shawcross, William. ''Sideshow: Kissinger, Nixon, and the Destruction of Cambodia'' * Sheehy, Gail. ''The Man who Changed the World: The Lives of Mikhail Gorbachev'' * Siegel, Richard. ''The Jewish Almanac'' * Smith, Richard Norton. ''Thomas E. Dewey and His Times'' * Stassinopoulos, Arianna. ''Maria Callas: The Woman Behind the Legend'' * Stassinopoulos, Arianna Huffington. ''Picasso: Creator and Destroyer'' * Stewart, James B. ''Den of Thieves'' * Stockman, David. ''The Triumph of Politics: Why the Reagan Revolution Failed'' * Thomas, Bob. ''Joan Crawford, A Biography'' * Thomas, Evan. ''The Man to See: Edward Bennett Williams'' * Tyler, Patrick. ''Running Critical: The Silent War, Rickover, and General Dynamics'' * Vadim, Roger. ''Bardot, Deneuve, Fonda: My Life with the Three Most Beautiful Women in the World'' * Van der Vat, Dan. ''The Pacific Campaign'' * Viorst, Milton. ''Fire in the Streets: America in the 1960s'' * Wagner-Martin, Linda. ''Sylvia Plath, A Biography'' * Wallachinsky, David & Amy Wallace. ''The Book Of Lists'' * Wallachinsky, David & Amy Wallace. ''The People's Almanac 2'' * Watt, Richard. ''Bitter Glory: History of Poland'' * Wayne, John. ''America, Why I Love Her'' * Westin, Av. ''Newswatch'' * Wilkins, Roger. ''A Man's Life, An Autobiography'' * Winters, Shelley. ''Shelley II'' * Wolfe, Linda. ''Wasted: The Preppie Murder'' * Wolfe, Linda. ''Double Life'' * Wyden, Peter. ''Bay Of Pigs'' * Wynette, Tammy. ''Stand by your Man, An Autobiography''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Virga, Vincent 1942 births Living people 20th-century American novelists 21st-century American novelists American male novelists American gay writers American LGBT novelists 20th-century American male writers 21st-century American male writers Novelists from New York (state) Writers from New York City LGBT people from New York (state) St. Bonaventure University alumni Yale University alumni