Looking back at what was written and admired half a century ago helps us to understand what is going on today. The past still affects us, so we should continue to read and think about it.
I would add "Harlot's Ghost" to any list about Mailer. It was supposed to be the "War and Peace" for the Cold War, but he never wrote the second volume. Still at over 1,000 pages, it's worthy, a visceral look at the insanity of the intelligence/security state.
As to canceling old books by today's standards, I've been focusing on the 19th Century novel the last couple of years, and I often laugh to myself at how utterly unacceptable this great writing would be if someone tried to publish it today.
"To complain that Norman Mailer has been cancelled is to complain that the rules of politics and art that for so long favoured middle class liberal white men are now in crisis – have perhaps been fatally undermined."
I am sorry to inform you that I don't make the grade for any of the qualifiers except for the white. So I am not sure why I'd feel bad about it.
That said: "Complaints about cancel culture constitute a perhaps predictable response to the late empowerment by social media of a wide range of minority political movements. (That these movements have often abused their online power, and have themselves trafficked in paranoid rhetoric, perhaps says less about the nature of progressive movements as such than it does about the toxic intimacy of paranoia and power.)"
he really has to be one of the most overrated writers in the history of english-language writers...his books feel more dated now than books written 2 thousand yrs ago.
just goes to show you what being a shameless and desperate media whore can do for your book sales.
Looking back at what was written and admired half a century ago helps us to understand what is going on today. The past still affects us, so we should continue to read and think about it.
I would add "Harlot's Ghost" to any list about Mailer. It was supposed to be the "War and Peace" for the Cold War, but he never wrote the second volume. Still at over 1,000 pages, it's worthy, a visceral look at the insanity of the intelligence/security state.
As to canceling old books by today's standards, I've been focusing on the 19th Century novel the last couple of years, and I often laugh to myself at how utterly unacceptable this great writing would be if someone tried to publish it today.
I'm gonna leave art in it's place to enjoy.
"To complain that Norman Mailer has been cancelled is to complain that the rules of politics and art that for so long favoured middle class liberal white men are now in crisis – have perhaps been fatally undermined."
I am sorry to inform you that I don't make the grade for any of the qualifiers except for the white. So I am not sure why I'd feel bad about it.
That said: "Complaints about cancel culture constitute a perhaps predictable response to the late empowerment by social media of a wide range of minority political movements. (That these movements have often abused their online power, and have themselves trafficked in paranoid rhetoric, perhaps says less about the nature of progressive movements as such than it does about the toxic intimacy of paranoia and power.)"
Now there's a useful thought.
elm
everybody wants to rule the world
he really has to be one of the most overrated writers in the history of english-language writers...his books feel more dated now than books written 2 thousand yrs ago.
just goes to show you what being a shameless and desperate media whore can do for your book sales.