What can you tell me about Norman Mailer?

Message

fuzzywuzzy · #1 Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:08 pm

A friend of mine gave me several of his books for Christmas. I have never read Mailer. Anyone here love, hate, like, etc... Norman Mailer? What are your impressions?

I asked her whys he gave me his books, she said that she thought that I would like his writings. Hmmm?

Thanks!

fuzzy

silvercamaro · #2 Post by **silvercamaro** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:22 pm

Good writer, obnoxious person.

The Naked and the Dead and The Executioner's Song probably have gathered the most critical acclaim. I liked Deer Park. I haven't read The Castle in the Forest, his most recent.

fuzzywuzzy · #3 Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:30 pm

silvercamaro wrote:Good writer, obnoxious person.

The Naked and the Dead and The Executioner's Song probably have gathered the most critical acclaim. I liked Deer Park. I haven't read The Castle in the Forest, his most recent.

Thanks SC. That was my impression too! I am going to start with the Naked and the Dead. How is Annie today?

fuzzy

silvercamaro · #4 Post by **silvercamaro** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:34 pm

fuzzywuzzy wrote:
How is Annie today?

"She is doing well and resting comfortably," said the guy who answered the phone at the far-away veterinary surgical center. The surgeon we saw yesterday may call later. I hope so, because I'd like to find out exactly what they did to her leg to help get the swelling down.

bazodee · #5 Post by **bazodee** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:34 pm

I had the opportunity to meet him once. He was attending his 35th reunion at Harvard and I was a student working the reunions, I drew the short straw and got to drive him back to campus while he was slightly intoxicated.

He was much mellower than I was led to anticipate (or had been forewarned). At the time, I didn't know he had stabbed his wife in one of his drunken rages.

He was just kind of a sad drunk that night.

BackInTex · #6 Post by **BackInTex** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:40 pm

He is dead.

silvercamaro · #7 Post by **silvercamaro** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:44 pm

bazodee wrote:I had the opportunity to meet him once. He was attending his 35th reunion at Harvard and I was a student working the reunions, I drew the short straw and got to drive him back to campus while he was slightly intoxicated.

He was much mellower than I was led to anticipate (or had been forewarned). At the time, I didn't know he had stabbed his wife in one of his drunken rages.

He was just kind of a sad drunk that night.

That reminds me of the time I got to meet Truman Capote, whose work I loved, in one of his last years. His blood chemistry evidently had been altered considerably by whatever substances he had consumed that day (and many days previously.) He was the most pathetic human being I've ever encountered, and that includes a few homeless derelicts.

fuzzywuzzy · #8 Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:48 pm

BackInTex wrote:He is dead.

BiT will be performing 2 shows nightly...be sure to tip your waitresses...

fuzzy

Flybrick · #9 Post by **Flybrick** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:32 pm

HEY! You were supposed to read my book! Oh, sure he's got fame, fortune, and talent, but is that any reason to leave me for a dead guy?!

Ritterskoop · #10 Post by **Ritterskoop** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:08 pm

The Naked and the Dead was an OK military story. I was underwhelmed. It wasn't bad, but also not as great as I'd always heard. Maybe my expectations were too high.

fuzzywuzzy · #11 Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:58 am

Flybrick wrote:HEY! You were supposed to read my book! Oh, sure he's got fame, fortune, and talent, but is that any reason to leave me for a dead guy?!

Funny, that you should say that fly! I was thinking the same thing this am!

Therefore, this morning, I started to read.......hmmm, your book!

How long did it take you to do the research for the book?

fuzzy

Flybrick · #12 Post by **Flybrick** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:16 am

fuzzywuzzy wrote:How long did it take you to do the research for the book?

I had done several magazine stories on the subject in the preceding years and realized I had enough research and material to take a shot at a book.

From there, it was about a year for archival research, interviews/correspondence with the subjects, and reading other sources.

Then about four months to actually write it.

But I'm no Norman Mailer................................

earendel · #13 Post by **earendel** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:19 am

Flybrick wrote:But I'm no Norman Mailer................................

BTST Norman Mailer is no Flybrick!

PlacentiaSoccerMom · #14 Post by **PlacentiaSoccerMom** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:34 am

I read Ancient Evenings when it first came out. All I remember about the book is that it took place in Egypt and there were a lot of orgies.