Norman Mailer has been in the news lately. His son, John Buffalo Mailer, is partnering with biographer J. Michael Lennon on a new trove of Norman Mailer’s writings on what American democracy will look like in the future. The man died in 2007 at the age of 84 and lived as big a life as any (we will get into it in this episode.) Yet, Mailer’s longtime publisher Random House said they will not be associated with this work, instead, Skyhorse publishing (which worked with Woody Allen last year) decided to take on this new work.
Why is Mailer potentially considered “canceled” so long after his death and living a life out loud with his machismo & boorishness? Today we will talk about Norman Mailer and why he is one of the most controversial (and creepy) writers and creators of the 20th century.
Trigger warning: Domestic violence and homophobia
Sources for this episode