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The Mailer Review/Volume 13, 2019/On the State of Mailer Studies: A Conversation with J. Michael Lennon: Difference between revisions
The Mailer Review/Volume 13, 2019/On the State of Mailer Studies: A Conversation with J. Michael Lennon (view source)
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completely packed. When we didn’t know what to do with all those manuscripts, galleys, letters, research materials, I suggested that we leave the primary resources in storage, and I’d take all of the secondary materials, the | completely packed. When we didn’t know what to do with all those manuscripts, galleys, letters, research materials, I suggested that we leave the primary resources in storage, and I’d take all of the secondary materials, the | ||
reviews and interviews and magazines containing pieces on him, quite a pile. | reviews and interviews and magazines containing pieces on him, quite a pile. | ||
The primary materials were obviously the most important, including manuscripts that had not been published, marked up galleys, and things like that. | The primary materials were obviously the most important, including manuscripts that had not been published, marked up galleys, and things like that. And Norman’s letters! Boxes of them containing every incoming letter of | ||
And Norman’s letters! Boxes of them containing every incoming letter of | |||
any consequence he’d received from the time he was at Harvard, and carbons | any consequence he’d received from the time he was at Harvard, and carbons | ||
of all his outgoing letters. We left the correspondence and all of primary | of all his outgoing letters. We left the correspondence and all of primary | ||
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era offered little in the way of archival instruction. All I knew is that I didn’t | era offered little in the way of archival instruction. All I knew is that I didn’t | ||
want to discard these resources, and I wanted to use them in my writing. The | want to discard these resources, and I wanted to use them in my writing. The | ||
first journal article on Mailer I published, back in 1977, in ''Modern Fiction | first journal article on Mailer I published, back in 1977, in ''Modern Fiction Studies'', was a survey and analysis of his presence in popular media. Along the | ||
Studies'', | way I learned, by hook or by crook about archival and bibliographic methods. The first book that I did with Mailer grew out of his archive, a 1982 book called | ||
was a survey and analysis of his presence in popular media. Along the | |||
way I learned, by hook or by crook about archival and bibliographic methods. | |||
The first book that I did with Mailer grew out of his archive, a 1982 book called | |||
''Pieces and Pontifications'', which I first suggested to Norman in 1977. It took | ''Pieces and Pontifications'', which I first suggested to Norman in 1977. It took | ||
five years to put it together, and my part was selecting and editing 20 interviews with him, which was a great experience. Perhaps, I thought, we should | five years to put it together, and my part was selecting and editing 20 interviews with him, which was a great experience. Perhaps, I thought, we should | ||
also include, in addition to the 20, excerpts from a number of minor interviews in a kind of montage. I argued for doing that for a while, and Norman | also include, in addition to the 20, excerpts from a number of minor interviews in a kind of montage. I argued for doing that for a while, and Norman | ||
gave it some thought. We finally threw it out the window. | gave it some thought. We finally threw it out the window. | ||
But then Norman decided to add a dozen essays that he had written over | But then Norman decided to add a dozen essays that he had written over | ||
the previous decade. He came up with a number of titles, one of which I remember: “After the White Negro.” But after he read the entire manuscript he | the previous decade. He came up with a number of titles, one of which I remember: “After the White Negro.” But after he read the entire manuscript he | ||
supplied the final title, which I’ve always thought to be wickedly clever. | supplied the final title, which I’ve always thought to be wickedly clever. In1982, ''Pieces and Pontifications'' became my first book, and that propelled me | ||
into me collecting materials of all sorts: invitations to publication parties, | into me collecting materials of all sorts: invitations to publication parties, | ||
sample dust jackets for his books (Mailer designed many of these), audio interviews, and videos of television appearances, reprints of various essays | sample dust jackets for his books (Mailer designed many of these), audio interviews, and videos of television appearances, reprints of various essays | ||
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my sabbatical in 1998, and it was published in 2000. Norman liked it, having forgotten so much, and contributed a short preface. | my sabbatical in 1998, and it was published in 2000. Norman liked it, having forgotten so much, and contributed a short preface. | ||
I’m an archivist, but not because when I was a young man I said, “I’m | I’m an archivist, but not because when I was a young man I said, “I’m going to grow up to be an archivist.” I just fell into it, and then I found that it was a suit of clothes that fit me pretty well. | ||
going to grow up to be an archivist.” I just fell into it, and then I found that | |||
it was a suit of clothes that fit me pretty well. | . . . | ||
{{Review}} | {{Review}} | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:On the State of Mailer Studies: A Conversation with J. Michael Lennon}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:On the State of Mailer Studies: A Conversation with J. Michael Lennon}} | ||
[[Category:Interviews (MR)]] | [[Category:Interviews (MR)]] | ||