1952

Mailer and Bea divorce in late January.

Begins work on The Deer Park (55.4).

In February, he rents a studio in the Ovington Building on Fulton Street in Brooklyn, which he maintains for several years. He is amazed to learn that the Russian spy, Col. Rudolph Abel (exchanged for U-2 pilot Gary Powers in 1962), has an office in the same building.

In October, he moves to a sixth floor walkup at 41 First Avenue, where he installs his own plumbing. Meets Gore Vidal at Millicent Brower's New York apartment.

He also makes his first trip to Mexico to see his daughter Susan in the fall, stopping to see "Fig" Gwaltney in Arkansas.

He begins writing short stories, and publishes five in 1952-53.

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  With Fan and Susan (1952).

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  With Mickey Knox, Adele Mailer, and James Jones (1952).