Smokin' Joe Carnahan: NORMAN MAILER R.I.P.

NORMAN MAILER R.I.P.

11/11/2007 at 07:13 AM

If you never read 'The Fight' or 'The Executioner's Song' or any of his
other books, then get ye to a local Barnes and Noble or better yet, a small,
unaffiliated bookstore and seek out copies.

Mailer was a true master and gave us some of the finest writing of the last
century. He was also despised by the feminist movement, won a pair of
Pulitizers, bit off part of Rip Torn's ear and headbutted and decked Gore
Vidal at a party...I hope my epitaph is half as exciting.

And If you knew his love of boxing, you know how much he would have appreciated
that Cotto-Mosley contest last night.

He will be missed.

Comments

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Posted by: casey moore 11/11/2007 at 08:28 AM

He was the last of the great literary lions. I can't think of a current writer who is larger than life. Mailer is the last of them and probably the last the press will actively cover.

He was a genius and a right bastard like most of the greats.

Posted by: Doubler 11/11/2007 at 08:45 AM

He really bit off part of Torn's ear? Cool.

I never read any of his stuff, but might give it a look.

Posted by: Rachelle 11/11/2007 at 09:39 AM

Cheers Joe.

When I was a kid, my mom used to own a book by Norman Mailer that featured Marilyn Momroe in a bunch of erotic poses. That's all I remember but I never forgot his name. LOL!

Posted by: Erin 11/11/2007 at 10:34 AM

Read Executioner's Song a few years ago. Huge hardcover to lug around. And fascinating reading
Read a couple other titles so many years ago but as Harry Frankfurt says in his smarty pants book "On Bullsh*t" --is a book you have read and completely forgotten, and which you have even forgotten you have read, still a book you have read?
Must have been required for a class...

I heard Mailer was in love with Marilyn Monroe and had thought about trying to steal her away from Arthur Miller.
Gotta love a bad boy like that!

Posted by: Thomas 11/11/2007 at 12:05 PM

I read several of his books, loved them.

R.I.P.

	Posted by: Mila 11/11/2007 at 02:25 PM
RIP.

	Posted by: JulesPDX 11/11/2007 at 02:33 PM
I got to see him in person in 2005 and though he used a cane he verily blasted the Bush administration with incredibly well chosen words backed up with lots of passionate insubordination and fiery honesty. He was one of a kind and will be missed very much by many.

Posted by: FriendlyFriend 11/11/2007 at 02:36 PM

Vonnegut in April and Mailer in November. I went and checked on Salinger's age, and he's very high up there. Such is life....

By all accounts, Mailer "lived" it, didn't he?

	Posted by: SM 11/11/2007 at 05:00 PM
The worst part of browsing the web is when a headline on a news site reads something like "Writer Norman Mailer dead at 84."

	Posted by: SM 11/11/2007 at 07:46 PM
With my last comment I meant that it is sad a great man is dead. It was not intended as a dig at Mr. Carnahan's post but after reading it again I saw how it could be interpreted and posted this.