When I woke up Saturday morning and opened up the computer the first thing I saw was that Norman Mailer had died at 84. I closed the computer, and didn't open it again until the next day. Norman Mailer was a hero of mine, and a lot of my heroes are starting to leave.
Norman and I didn't agree on many issues, but I think that still doesn't matter. He was one of those rare people who aren't afraid to write on what they want to write. He was fearless.
The rest of my Saturday was spent trying to reminisce on the good things Norman had done. I could still remember the first book he published in 1948, which was entitled The Naked and the Dead. I read it when I was still 16. It was in the year 1969.
From that certain instance, I have read almost everything he had published, and if there was anything about him on the television, I would always watch. I think he never failed to make things interesting. I guess people who write, and people who appear frequently on TV could never match up Norman Mailer's interesting personality.
I'm pretty sure that I had last seen him on Charlie Rose, and a show that I can't remember at this point. He had a small hearing problem, but he had high spirits. It so saddening that his appearance was just too short.
I am one of the people who disapproved of his politics, but I learned to forgive him eventually. The liberals were just too different compared to Norman Mailer. He stood firm for his beliefs.
At times Mailer was savaged by the New York literary establishment and by critics. He didn't care two hoots in hell what they thought, and just kept writing and speaking.
The Castle in the Forest was the last book Norman Mailer published, although he had plans on working on a trilogy about Hitler.
The moment I knew that Norman Mailer would appear in Charlie Rose, I became excited.
It was disappointing to hear he had died. There would be no trilogy, and another one of my heroes had just passed away.
But on Sunday I felt better. Norman Mailer would have defended your right to protect yourself. He knew where all the weasels in his chosen party were. I doubt he had any respect for them, because he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they had no courage at all, that they were, and are paper tigers.
He knew because he had the guts to put himself on the line all the time, whenever he was writing or speaking.
He was a real man, and there are precious few of those around.
I imagine the dialogue in heaven is going to be a lot richer from now on.
If there's somebody who could just keep God on his toes, then the perfect man for that job would be no other than Norman Mailer. - 15634
Norman and I didn't agree on many issues, but I think that still doesn't matter. He was one of those rare people who aren't afraid to write on what they want to write. He was fearless.
The rest of my Saturday was spent trying to reminisce on the good things Norman had done. I could still remember the first book he published in 1948, which was entitled The Naked and the Dead. I read it when I was still 16. It was in the year 1969.
From that certain instance, I have read almost everything he had published, and if there was anything about him on the television, I would always watch. I think he never failed to make things interesting. I guess people who write, and people who appear frequently on TV could never match up Norman Mailer's interesting personality.
I'm pretty sure that I had last seen him on Charlie Rose, and a show that I can't remember at this point. He had a small hearing problem, but he had high spirits. It so saddening that his appearance was just too short.
I am one of the people who disapproved of his politics, but I learned to forgive him eventually. The liberals were just too different compared to Norman Mailer. He stood firm for his beliefs.
At times Mailer was savaged by the New York literary establishment and by critics. He didn't care two hoots in hell what they thought, and just kept writing and speaking.
The Castle in the Forest was the last book Norman Mailer published, although he had plans on working on a trilogy about Hitler.
The moment I knew that Norman Mailer would appear in Charlie Rose, I became excited.
It was disappointing to hear he had died. There would be no trilogy, and another one of my heroes had just passed away.
But on Sunday I felt better. Norman Mailer would have defended your right to protect yourself. He knew where all the weasels in his chosen party were. I doubt he had any respect for them, because he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they had no courage at all, that they were, and are paper tigers.
He knew because he had the guts to put himself on the line all the time, whenever he was writing or speaking.
He was a real man, and there are precious few of those around.
I imagine the dialogue in heaven is going to be a lot richer from now on.
If there's somebody who could just keep God on his toes, then the perfect man for that job would be no other than Norman Mailer. - 15634
About the Author:
If you're concerned about your right to protect yourself, the Big Kahuna thinks you should buy pepper spray right now.
