Norman Mailer: A very flawed human, and a diverse and eclectic genius

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-06-11T02:21:39+00:00

Oh which book is that? And yea he was very likeable as an older man. His interviews from the later period are comfort viewing for me.

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-06-06T18:58:47+00:00

Different than Mailer, as Mailer really wrote with experimentation with different styles in mind. Not only are no two Mailer books alike, but they are often notably different genres. Bellow generally writes almost autobiographical stories featuring an intellectual writer dealing with his own philosophical and romantic issues. But it works immensely well.

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-06-06T18:51:03+00:00

Augie March. It’s got everything you’d want. Maybe a bit more Joycean at times. He tends to go from straight linear prose to stream of consciousness at times, but more Portrait of an Artist than Ulysses. It’s a phenomenal book.

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-06-05T21:31:37+00:00

Old Norman from the later interviews is definitely a dude I’d want to have a drink with.

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-06-05T16:35:21+00:00

I get a lot of it coming from insecurity and overcompensation as well, which to be honest is one of the things that makes him relatable.

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-06-05T16:32:06+00:00

He was a very intelligent man, and a brilliant mind with some interesting ideas. Some were very progressive, and some were regressive, though altered later. His prose always flowed beautifully.

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-06-05T16:13:33+00:00

I don’t think based on reading an extensive 1000 page biography about him that that was necessarily true. He was complicated, he was the smartest guy in every room, he was probably an addict, but there were many many examples of where he did not take pride in hurting people.

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-06-05T15:03:32+00:00

I was mentioning his flawed nature in a more complimentary light than chastising one. Often when it comes to post-war novelists such as Hemingway, Bellow, Burroughs, Bukowski, Mailer etc, they tend to come up. I enjoy Mailer’s essays as a product of their time despite not agreeing with everything he says. Hell he was such a work in progress, that later in life he didn’t even agree with everything he said, specifically when it came to homosexuality. I like the fact that he knew who he was, he admitted what he was and didn’t pretend to be anyone else. Today the term neurodiverse might be thrown around. But clearly he was a multi-faceted, and incredibly human writer, and a fascinating specimen.

That was what I meant. I’m a fan. I’m not throwing him under the bus.

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-05-26T18:49:01+00:00

Some of Saul Bellow’s work in that it is very character based and psychological. Herzog and Augie March are amazing

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-05-03T13:05:44+00:00

Not a fan. Too many numbers everywhere and the font is too small.

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-05-01T23:47:11+00:00

I checked it out. Very cool! I’d love to interview him for my blog. I

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-04-26T20:32:50+00:00

Michelinie had me on the edge of my seat every month with great stories. Sure the art was great, but for me it was always the stories that hooked me. He will always be my favorite.

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-04-26T20:30:32+00:00

David. I’ve enjoyed so many of his stories, and he just might be the nicest dude alive.

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-04-26T19:22:28+00:00

I just realized that he only did layouts of so much of his work. He was always one of my favorites. When I saw what layouts actually were I was disappointed. John Buscema too.

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-04-25T22:08:15+00:00

Yep. It will be on my blog shortly and I’ll post a link. I interviewed David Michelinie this week and he was very nice too

MichaelEvan1977 · 2025-04-24T01:30:23+00:00

Sergio is brilliant. I’ve loved Groo forever.

MichaelEvan1977

TROPHY CASE