CONTEMPORARY ANGLO-AMERICAN LITERATURE - Norman Mailer (Long Branch, 1923 - New York City, 2007) - A

Norman Mailer (Long Branch, 1923 - New York City, 2007)27 typed letters signed; 3 autograph letters signed (one carbon copy); 1 photographic portrait with autograph dedication signed by the American novelist, journalist and essayist. His novel "The Naked and the Dead" (1948) brought him great success. He is considered an innovator in New Journalism along with Truman Capote, Joan Didion and Hunter S. Thompson. His crime-novel "The Executioner’s Song" (1979) led him to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. His desecrating spirit and his often scandalous and disconcerting initiatives were often headlines in the press.Two autograph letters signed n.d. – To Mr. Davis. Writes to the father of Sally Davis dedicating him a quotation from his novel The Deer Park (1955). 1 p. In green ink.August 13, 1958. To Mr. Pack, of the Chicago Review. Letting him know he has already done an interview with Barney Rosset of the Evergreen Review but, after a quarrel, he arranged for another interview. Mailer sent the first interview to Pack.Nine typed letters signed (one signed by secretary) 17 March 1970. To Denis Brian. Writing about his memories of the actress Tallulah Bankhead (1902-1968), expressing his opinion on some of her interpretations: "I think her performance as Regina in The Little Foxes [1939] was one of the two best performances I’ve seen on the stage. The other being Laurette Taylor in The Glass Menagerie [1950]".December 12, 1973. To A. Nelson Taylor. Thanking him for his kind letter and expressing his best wishes.July 12, 1974. To Dan Herr, President of the Thomas More Association. Enclosing a signed photograph (not present) adding: "I think the caption you might put on it is: 'At present busily at work on a novel which is not about a Jewish family from the time of the pyramids into the spaceships of the future'". Autograph note at the bottom crediting the photograph to the secretary and photographer Molly Malone Cook (1925-2005).May 5, 1977. To Pirkko-Liisa Ståhl, journalist. Envelope included. Ståhl was conducting an inquiry on the Nobel Prize, Mailer replied by refusing to answer her questions on the subject.October 5, 1977. To the actor Walter A. Dunnet III. Saying he will sign a photograph if he will send it to him, adding that he might be able to recognize if the photographer was Peter Reinstorff. Included: Autograph note signed, dated Dec’ 77 in which Mailer says he was not able to recognize the photographer.16 January 1980. To Mel Spivak. Intimate letter to the future writer encouraging her to keep writing.4 January 1985. To Renata Mattioli. On letterhead. Envelope included. 1 p. He will forward her enquiry about the translation of his works to his agent Mr. Silverman.[25 February 1985] To Peter Michielsen (signed by secretary). On letterhead. Envelope included 1 p. Informs Dutch journalist Michielsen that he won’t be available for interviews all over the summer, as he spends it with his family in New England.27 February 1987. To Miss Harrison. Thanking her for her compliments about his last book. He then anticipates that he is working on a new book : "I am in the throes – a well chosen word – of doing the next one which promises to be longer (...) Incidentally, the subject is a secret". 1 p.Nine typed letters signed addressed to Arthur KnightCorrespondence consisting of 22 letters, 9 from Norman Mailer (3 signed by secretaries) and 13 replies by writer and critic Arthur Knight (the author, with his wife Kit, of eight volumes on the Beat generation).October 30, 1967 (signed by secretary Sandy Smith). Smith informs him that the the writer is out of town working on a long article. ½ p.December 12, 1967 (signed by secretary Sandy Smith). Smith writes again to Knight saying that Mailer will be out of town until mid-January. ½ p.February 26 1968. Saying he is working on a book and a movie at the same time and finds just a little time to do the rest. ½ p.February 18, 1969. From Arthur Knight (not signed). Answering briefly commenting US presidency and the recent election of Richard Nixon. He then invites Mailer to give a lecture on literary criticism in the college where he teaches in Pennsylvania. Typed draft on the back. 1 p. Stains on the upper margin do not compromise the text.28 February 1969. Declines his invitation to lecture at the college. ½ p.July 21, 1971. From Arthur Knight. Commenting his recent publication of "King of the Hill" (1971). He then tells Mailer about his magazine and asks for a contribution. 2 pp. CARBON COPY.August 15, 1971. Says that he will be pleased to send poems from "Death for the Ladies" (1962), which will also be reprinted in paperback around Christmas 1971. ½ p. Envelope included.2 September 1971. (signed by secretary Carolyn Mason). Mason types a copy of the poem Husbands as it appears in "Death for the Ladies". 1 p.September 4, 1971. From Arthur Knight. (not signed) Thanking him for his poem "Husbands" which will be included in "Unspeakable Visions #3", out before Christmas 1971. 1 p.August 3, 1972. From Arthur Knight. Knight comments on recent politics and elections (mentioning Nixon and McGovern). He then comments on his recent article on the Democratic convention "The Evil in the Room" appeared in the magazine LIFE (7/28/72). He closes thanking him for letting him publish his poem "A New Kingdom Liberal". 1 p. On the Unspeakable Visions of the Individual letterhead.August 16, 1972. From Arthur Knight. 1 p. On the Unspeakable Visions of the Individual letterhead. Sends a poem he wrote entitled The 50’s inspired by Mailer’s work.December 4, 1972. From Arthur Knight. 1 p. On the Unspeakable Visions of the Individual letterhead. Sends a signed copy of his novella The Smith.December 24, 1972. From Arthur Knight. 1 p.On the Unspeakable Visions of the Individual letterhead. A typed version of a poem for Mailer.December 29, 1972. 1 p. Writing briefly to Knight saying he is busy on the Marilyn Monroe book due to be sent to his editor by February 1st, but has also started reading Knight novella and is enjoying it.January 23, 1973. From Arthur Knight. Knight thanks Mailer for reading his novella and wishes him a happy 50th birthday. 1 p. On the Unspeakable Visions of the Individual letterhead.February 1, 1973. From Arthur Knight (not signed). Asks for the address of writer Eddie Bonetti, whose novel was mentioned by Mailer in his Of a Fire on the Moon (1971). Knight would be pleased to publish an excerpt of Bonetti’s short novel in his magazine. 1 p. On the Unspeakable Visions of the Individual letterhead.February 24, 1973. From Arthur Knight (signed by Arthur Knight and wife). Answers Mailer and agrees to support the organization founded by Mailer on his50th birthday called "The Fifth Estate". Knight then encloses a $5.00 check. 1 p. On the Unspeakable Visions of the Individual letterhead.May 12, 1973. From Arthur Knight (signed by Arthur Knight and wife). Knight suggest Mailer to read a review of the Unspeakable Vision appeared in the Library Journal on May 1st. 1 p. On the Unspeakable Visions of the Individual letterhead.May 15, 1973. From Arthur Knight (signed by Arthur Knight and wife). Says he was happy to see his poems, and also Mailer’s, on the enclosed Out of Sight. Knight then says he might be able to write a good article on Mailer’s works, referring in particular to his Marilyn Monroe book coming out in 1973. 1 p. On the Unspeakable Visions of the Individual letterhead.September 21, 1973. Mailer thanks Knight for his review.1/30/74. From Arthur Knight. Carbon copy of a handwritten card with autograph lines. Wishing happy birthday to Mailer and good luck having learnt about the creation of "The Fifth Estate" organization.[rec. 1/30/74]. Provides a brief outline of what "The Fifth Estate" will be. 1 p.Autograph letter signed (CARBON COPY) 11/16/72. From Glee Knight. On the Unspeakable Visions of the Individual letterhead. Glee Knight, wife of Arthur, offers a poem titled The Natural Woman.Nine typed letters signed to Rolando PieracciniCorrespondence consisting of 11 letters (2 signed by secretaries) from Norman Mailer to Rolando Pieraccini. Two letters are addressed to Siv Lind.April 20, 1971. On sending copies of Mailer’s books to the author to have them signed and dedicated. 1 p.May 11, 1971. Warning Pieraccini to wait until he knows his future address before sending him copies of his books. 1 p.[3 June 1971] (signed by Secretary Carolyn Mason). Sending Mailer’s mailing address where the books should be sent. 1 p.July 7, 1971. Asking for details about the dedications on his books. 1 p.[April 25, 1977]. CARBON COPY. (signed by secretary and photographer Molly Malone Cook (1925-2005). To Siv Lind (publisher consultant at Eurographica). 1 p. Cook writes to Lind about books to be signed for a symposium and suggests she order them from The Strand Book Store in Manhattan which will handle sending them to Mailer.24 January 1978. To Siv Lind. Mailer informs Lind about some photographs and autographed books he sent her. 1 p.29 January 1983. Apologizing for his lateness in responding to him and giving him a frank explanation for it. He then expresses his refusal to take pictures and, even worse, to sign them : "The only cherished link that still remains to the savage mind is that I detest taking photographs, and am certain I am losing a little more of my soul and invariably feel haunted when I sign them. Let this letter, then, be my photograph". 1 p.4 January 1984. He has forwarded his letters to Jonathan Silverman of the Scott Meredith Literary Agency to let Pieraccini know about his situation in Finland. 1 p.30 April 1984. Informs that Mr. Silverman has written to Pieraccini but he has still not received his letter. Mailer adds he did not receive the book of the Finnish graphic artist Pentti Kaskipuro Pieraccini had promised him. 1 p.Photographic portrait with autograph dedication signed dated Dec ’79. Mailer pens a brief dedication on a very dramatic portrait of himself as a young man. (24 x 30 cm).