Bukowski and Norman Mailer (1 Viewer)

[beerbelly666]

anyone remember how bukowski mentioned mailer in HOLLYWOOD? he changed mailer's name to VICTOR NORMAN in the book. bukowski wasnt impressed by mailers writing but he really liked the fact that mailer took on the feminists.

bukowski describes mailer as an amateur drinker (lol!)

and when bukowski sort of jumps to give a birthday present to the producer of the movie he sees mailer peering at him. and bukowski tells mailer "so i shat my pants , are you gonna start a world war about it?" :biggrin:

i started this thread because i'm a huge fan of both mailer and bukowski.

 

[Gin Soaked Boy]

Yeah Mailer has a special place in my heart seeing how Deer Park started my bibliophilia. But I don't remember if it was any good. Naked and the dead is a killer book thou.

 

[beerbelly666]

gin soaked boy, DEEP PARK had some great writing in it. obviously, it wasnt all good. you're right, NAKED AND THE DEAD was spectacular.

i also recommend HARLOTS GHOST, AN AMERICAN DREAM and TOUGH GUYS DONT DANCE.

 

[roni]

the pro to name the exact place would be Bukfan, but I seem to remember, it was on the 'Hostage'-CD, that he said something like:

"I've been asked: What do you think about Norman Mailer.
- I said, I didn't think about Norman Mailer."

 

[BudaTheStone]

Would be great to hear or read about Mailer's view on Bukowski, especially that night described in Hollywood.

 

[beerbelly666]

i think mailer liked both bukowski and harry crews a lot. i remember an interview in which he talked about them. i'll try to find it.

Meanwhile, Chinaski is invited to a succession of Hollywood parties, where he avails himself of the ubiquitous free bar. One evening he is at the Chateau Marmont to meet Victor Norman, "the best known novelist in America'. This was Norman Mailer, who confirmed to me that the story told in Hollywood was essentially true: when Bukowski had had a few drinks at the hotel he challenged Mailer to a fight. Mailer, who trained as an amateur boxer at the time, says he fixed Bukowski with a steely look and warned him in his customary macho style: "Hank, don't even think about it.'

http://www.meetatthegate.com/component/option,com_article/article_id,345/

mailer gave a commentary for bukowski's biography - LOCKED IN THE ARMS OF A CRAZY LIFE. i cannot seem to find that article, sorry.

 

[David]

Al Fogel corresponded with Mailer and Mailer wrote to him saying in his poetry, Bukowski "spits his words out like nails."
I believe I also read somewhere that when John Dullahan was making "Born Into This" he saw Mailer by chance on the streets of NY and tried to talk with him about Bukowski but Mailer declined. Bukowski also mentions Mailer in a "Dirty Old Man" column from "Smoke Signals" in 1982.

 

[David]

Going through Selected Letters of Norman Mailer today, found this letter about Bukowski:

 

[Pogue Mahone]

This is cool if you're a Mailer fan, but this was a one-time meeting during Buk's most high profile period. It's almost as boring a topic as his association with Henry Miller. I will say it was refreshing that Bukowski was at least civil -- probably because Barfly was coming out. And I honestly believe Bukowski had respect for Mailer as a writer -- but also jealous because Mailer was on the other side of the respected press.

 

[skiroomalum]

I doubt Buk read much Mailer, if any. He represented the "establishment" and was as bloated a writer as Bukowski was lean.
Mailer was more famous for his persona than his words after around 1970, and I always thought him to be a giant bag of hot air.
Mailer was also responsible for helping to spring Jack Henry Abbott from prison, who then pretty quickly murdered someone by stabbing them to death. Mailer once stabbed his wife as well, so there it is.
Fuck Norman Mailer.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I remember having a xerox of this hanging in my room in my early 20s (early 1990s). I thought it was hilarious but my housemates were all freaked out.

 

[Johannes]

Personally I could never read Mailers work. Or watch his interviews either, he comes across as such a pretentious blowhard.

But good to know that he was sure he could kick Bukowskis ass.