Norman Mailer in Context
Literature in Context Series

This volume offers new insight into the breadth of contexts that inform Norman Mailer's body of work. It examines important literary, critical, theoretical, cultural, and historical frameworks for Mailer's writing, highlighting the ways his work reflects the concerns of twentieth and twenty-first century America. This book traces Mailer's literary influences; his contributions to a variety of literary genres; his participation in the American political sphere; the philosophical, religious, and gendered contexts that shape his work; and the iconic American figures he profiled. The book concludes with reflections on Mailer's literary and cultural legacy, emphasizing his advocacy for literary freedom and the contemporary resonance of his work.

Introduction Maggie McKinley; Part I. Literary Influences: 1. Early influences Raymond M. Vince; 2. Mailer and Hemingway Linda Wagner-Martin; 3. Friendships and Feuds Matthew Hinton; Part II. Form and Genre: 4. New Journalism Jason Mosser; 5. Essays and Columns Enid Stubin; 6. The Novel Peter Balbert; 7. Criticism Phillip Sipiora; 8. Film Justin Bozung; 9. Modernism Jerry Schuchalter; 10. Postmodernism Scott Duguid; Part III. Political Contexts: 11. Marxism and Malaquais David Anshen; 12. JFK and Political Heroism J. Michael Lennon; 13. The Vietnam War Ann Luppi von Mehren; 14. 1968 Political Conventions Robert Francis Saxe; 15. Left Conservatism Kevin M. Schultz; Part IV. Philosophical and Cultural Contexts: 16. Totalitarianism Erin Mercer; 17. The Hipster Raj Chandarlapaty; 18. Manichaeism and Existentialism Victor Peppard; 19. Technology Walter Lewallen; 20. Violence Maggie McKinley; 21. Race Douglas Taylor; 22. Judaism Mashey Bernstein; Part V. Gender and Sexuality: 23. Masculinity Brad Congdon; 24. The Second Wave Feminist Movement Bonnie Culver; 25. Sex and Sexuality Nicole DePolo; Part VI. Profiles and Literary Biographies: 26. Marilyn Monroe Carl Rollyson; 27. Muhammad Ali Ronald K. Fried; 28. Picasso Linda Patterson Miller; 29. The Criminal Mind: Gary Gilmore and Lee Harvey Oswald Mark Olshaker; Part VII. Mailer's Legacy: 30. Literary Activism Heather Braun; 31. Mailer in Translation Jasna Potocnik Topler; 32. Letters John Whalen-Bridge; 33. Mailer Studies in the 21st Century Robert Begiebing; 34. Political Resonance Gerald R. Lucas; Primary Bibliography; Selected Secondary Bibliography; Index.

Maggie McKinley is an Associate Professor of English at Harper College. She is the author of Masculinity and the Paradox of Violence in American Fiction (2015) and Understanding Norman Mailer (2017), and currently serves as the President of the Norman Mailer Society.