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Norman Mailer: A Double Life
by J. Michael Lennon
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- See description
- ISBN 10
- 1439150192
- ISBN 13
- 9781439150191
- Seller
-
Eureka, California, United States
2 Copies Available from This Seller
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About This Item
Simon & Schuster, 2013. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 947 pages. A biography of the 2-time Pulitzer Prize winning author. First edition (first printing). A very good copy in a very good dust jacket.
From the biographer who knew Norman Mailer for decades comes the definitive, authorized portrait of the eminent novelist, journalist, and controversial public figure, based on extensive interviews and unpublished letters. Norman Mailer was one of the giants of American letters and one of the most celebrated public figures of his time. He was a novelist, journalist, biographer, and filmmaker; a provocateur and passionate observer of his times; and a husband, father, and serial philanderer. Perhaps nothing characterized Mailer more than his unbounded ambition. He wanted not merely to be the greatest writer of his generation, but a writer great enough to be compared to Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. As Michael Lennon describes, he even had presidential ambitions, although he settled for running for mayor of New York City. He championed personal freedom and civil liberties, calling himself a "left conservative," and yet he was Enemy #1 of the Women's Movement. He was as pugnacious in real life as in print, engaging in famous feuds and fights. Although he considered himself first and foremost a novelist, his greatest literary contribution may have been in journalism, where he used his novelistic gifts in tandem with self-revelation to explore the American psyche. In that regard, the subtitle of his Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning Armies of the Night is telling: "History as a Novel, the Novel as History." He would return to certain subjects obsessively: John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, sex, technology, and the intricate relationship of fame and identity. Michael Lennon's definitive biography captures Mailer in all his sharp complexities and shows us how he self-consciously invented and reinvented himself throughout his lifetime. Michael Lennon knew Mailer for thirty-five years, and in writing this biography, he has had the cooperation of Mailer's late widow, Norris Church, his ex-wives, and all of his children, as well as his sister, Barbara. He also had access to Mailer's vast, unpublished correspondence and papers, and he interviewed dozens of people who knew Mailer. Norman Mailer: A Double Life gives us the man in full, a remarkable and unique figure in the context of his times.
From the biographer who knew Norman Mailer for decades comes the definitive, authorized portrait of the eminent novelist, journalist, and controversial public figure, based on extensive interviews and unpublished letters. Norman Mailer was one of the giants of American letters and one of the most celebrated public figures of his time. He was a novelist, journalist, biographer, and filmmaker; a provocateur and passionate observer of his times; and a husband, father, and serial philanderer. Perhaps nothing characterized Mailer more than his unbounded ambition. He wanted not merely to be the greatest writer of his generation, but a writer great enough to be compared to Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. As Michael Lennon describes, he even had presidential ambitions, although he settled for running for mayor of New York City. He championed personal freedom and civil liberties, calling himself a "left conservative," and yet he was Enemy #1 of the Women's Movement. He was as pugnacious in real life as in print, engaging in famous feuds and fights. Although he considered himself first and foremost a novelist, his greatest literary contribution may have been in journalism, where he used his novelistic gifts in tandem with self-revelation to explore the American psyche. In that regard, the subtitle of his Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning Armies of the Night is telling: "History as a Novel, the Novel as History." He would return to certain subjects obsessively: John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, sex, technology, and the intricate relationship of fame and identity. Michael Lennon's definitive biography captures Mailer in all his sharp complexities and shows us how he self-consciously invented and reinvented himself throughout his lifetime. Michael Lennon knew Mailer for thirty-five years, and in writing this biography, he has had the cooperation of Mailer's late widow, Norris Church, his ex-wives, and all of his children, as well as his sister, Barbara. He also had access to Mailer's vast, unpublished correspondence and papers, and he interviewed dozens of people who knew Mailer. Norman Mailer: A Double Life gives us the man in full, a remarkable and unique figure in the context of his times.
Synopsis
Norman Mailer was one of the giants of American letters and one of the most celebrated public figures of his time. He was a novelist, journalist, biographer, and filmmaker; a provocateur and passionate observer of his times; and a husband, father, and serial philanderer. Perhaps nothing characterized Mailer more than his unbounded ambition. He wanted not merely to be the greatest writer of his generation, but a writer great enough to be compared to Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. As Michael Lennon describes, he even had presidential ambitions, although he settled for running for mayor of New York City. He championed personal freedom and civil liberties, calling himself a âÈêleft conservative,âÈë and yet he was Enemy #1 of the WomenâÈçs Movement. He was as pugnacious in real life as in print, engaging in famous feuds and fights. Although he considered himself first and foremost a novelist, his greatest literary contribution may have been in journalism, where he used his novelistic gifts in tandem with self-revelation to explore the American psyche. In that regard, the subtitle of his Pulitzer PrizeâÈ' and National Book AwardâÈ'winning Armies of the Night is telling: âÈêHistory as a Novel, the Novel as History.âÈë He would return to certain subjects obsessively: John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, sex, technology, and the intricate relationship of fame and identity. Michael LennonâÈçs definitive biography captures Mailer in all his sharp complexities and shows us how he self-consciously invented and reinvented himself throughout his lifetime. Michael Lennon knew Mailer for thirty-five years, and in writing this biography, he has had the cooperation of MailerâÈçs late widow, Norris Church, his ex-wives, and all of his children, as well as his sister, Barbara. He also had access to MailerâÈçs vast, unpublished correspondence and papers, and he interviewed dozens of people who knew Mailer. Norman Mailer: A Double Life gives us the man in full, a remarkable and unique figure in the context of his times.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Eureka Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 270354
- Title
- Norman Mailer: A Double Life
- Author
- J. Michael Lennon
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Quantity Available
- 2
- Edition
- First Edition
- ISBN 10
- 1439150192
- ISBN 13
- 9781439150191
- Publisher
- Simon & Schuster
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 2013
Terms of Sale
Eureka Books
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About the Seller
Eureka Books
Biblio member since 2008
Eureka, California
About Eureka Books
Eureka Books, established in 1987, is a classic antiquarian shop with books in all subjects and price ranges. We're open Monday - Saturday in Old Town Eureka, California.
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