Martin Amis interviews Norman Mailer

June 19, 2011 12:27 AM

In 1991 during the publicity tour for Harlot's Ghost, Martin Amis interviewed Norman Mailer (pt. 2, pt. 3, and pt. 4). Topics covered include the CIA, the Democratic Party, liberalism, communism, the writing life, being Jewish, feminism, the men’s movement, homosexuality, George Bush, and the Kennedys.
posted by Jasper Friendly Bear (7 comments total)

Before I start, does the interview ever end? Or does it just trail off into an incomprehensible, unsatisfying non-conclusion that makes you wonder what the hell you were doing with the previous 14 hours of hard slog through some of the most metaphor-dense landscape that the human mind will ever be capable of producing?

yes, I am still bitter. the interview sounds great, though
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 1:57 AM on June 19, 2011 [3 favorites]

Fuck that book was a slog. Yes, we get it, it's all about JJ Angleton and it's all about being a WASP (even though the real Angelton was only half WASP). Now can you move the plot along, please???
posted by orthogonality at 1:59 AM on June 19, 2011

Hey, neat. As Seen On: MetaFilter. I think that's new for us.
posted by BeerFilter at 6:04 AM on June 19, 2011 [3 favorites]

Fuck that book was a slog.

Amen. I stuck with it knowing that I'd find something great every once in a while. But man, if that was the author's first novel, I'd be using it as a doorstop right now.
posted by nevercalm at 6:55 AM on June 19, 2011

Amis and Mailer in a conversation? Is this what that fellow toward the end of Requiem for a Dream was requesting when he said "ass to ass?"
posted by mikeh at 3:08 PM on June 19, 2011 [2 favorites]

I vaguely recall around this time (early 1990's?) Martin Amis on David Letterman's show. Annoyed by David's attitude, Martin casually sliced and diced David into little pieces. Hilarious.
posted by ovvl at 3:28 PM on June 19, 2011

Bonus: Norman Mailer and Marshall McLuhan debate the Electronic Age
posted by antihostile at 7:06 AM on June 20, 2011 [1 favorite]