Norman mailer executioner's song
A classic!
"The Executioner's Song" is a novel by Norman Mailer, published in 1979. It's a fictionalized account of the life and death of Gary Gilmore, a notorious American serial killer who was executed by firing squad in Utah in 1977.
The book is a unique blend of fact and fiction, with Mailer drawing heavily from Gilmore's life, including his childhood, his crimes, and his eventual execution. The novel explores themes of violence, morality, and the American psyche, and is considered one of Mailer's most important works.
Mailer's approach to the subject matter was innovative for its time. He conducted extensive research on Gilmore's life, including interviews with Gilmore's family and friends, and even spent time with Gilmore on death row. He also drew on his own experiences as a journalist and writer to craft a narrative that is both a biography of Gilmore and a meditation on the nature of violence and humanity.
The book was a critical and commercial success, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1980. It's considered one of the most important American novels of the 20th century, and its influence can be seen in many other works of fiction and nonfiction that have explored similar themes.
Some interesting facts about "The Executioner's Song":
- Mailer spent over 10 years researching and writing the book, which was published in 1979.
- The book is over 1,000 pages long, making it one of the longest novels ever published.
- Mailer's research on the book was so extensive that he even learned to shoot a rifle, which he used to recreate Gilmore's final moments.
- The book was adapted into a TV movie in 1982, starring Tommy Lee Jones as Gary Gilmore.
- "The Executioner's Song" is often cited as one of the greatest American novels of the 20th century, and is widely regarded as Mailer's masterpiece.
Overall, "The Executioner's Song" is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that explores the complexities of human nature and the darker aspects of American society. If you're interested in true crime, American literature, or just great storytelling, it's definitely worth checking out!