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An American Dream Expanded/Publishers Weekly March 22, 1965: Difference between revisions
An American Dream Expanded/Publishers Weekly March 22, 1965 (view source)
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Mailer, whose first novel in nine years, ''[[An American Dream]]'' was published by ''Dial Press'', on March 15, opened the final portion of the March 10 press conference for authors by saying, candidly, “Four years’ ago my life went out of control for a time. Once you become notorious your personality takes on a legendary quality. I am more and more surprised by what I am supposed to have done in the last two years.” | Mailer, whose first novel in nine years, ''[[An American Dream]]'' was published by ''Dial Press'', on March 15, opened the final portion of the March 10 press conference for authors by saying, candidly, “Four years’ ago my life went out of control for a time. Once you become notorious your personality takes on a legendary quality. I am more and more surprised by what I am supposed to have done in the last two years.” | ||
Yes said Mr. Mailer, it was quite true that in the past he had hurled obscenities at a lecture audience__”I thought I had | Yes, said Mr. Mailer, it was quite true that in the past he had hurled obscenities at a lecture audience__”I thought I had God’s message at the time”__but, looking back, “I regret it.” He said. | ||
Mr. Mailer was asked to comment on the ''National Book Awards'' acceptance speech of novelist Saul Bellow in which Mr. Bellow said, among other things, that “polymorphous sexuality and vehement declarations of alienation are not going to produce great works of art.” He had only heard about the Bellow speech second hand. Mr. Mailer said, but he thought he would probably disagree with it entirely. The “moral nihilists,’ wing” to which he supposed Bellow would assign him, Mr. Mailer said, would probably also include William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Terry Southern, among others, and “we are the ones who are doing something new, more creative and adventurous.” Whether or not the surface actions of moral nihilists are negative is “irrelevant,” Mr. Mailer said. What is important is that “they are concerned with the forefront of experience.” | Mr. Mailer was asked to comment on the ''National Book Awards'' acceptance speech of novelist Saul Bellow in which Mr. Bellow said, among other things, that “polymorphous sexuality and vehement declarations of alienation are not going to produce great works of art.” He had only heard about the Bellow speech second hand. Mr. Mailer said, but he thought he would probably disagree with it entirely. The “moral nihilists,’ wing” to which he supposed Bellow would assign him, Mr. Mailer said, would probably also include William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Terry Southern, among others, and “we are the ones who are doing something new, more creative and adventurous.” Whether or not the surface actions of moral nihilists are negative is “irrelevant,” Mr. Mailer said. What is important is that “they are concerned with the forefront of experience.” | ||