Some Honorable Men: Political Conventions, 1960-1972

By Norman Mailer

A collection of Mailer's pieces on the political conventions of the 1960s and early 1970s including "Superman Comes to the Supermarket" from The Presidential Papers (1960); "In This Red Light" from... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316544159
• ISBN13: 9780316544153
• Release Date: January 1976
• Publisher: Little Brown
• Length: 499 Pages
• Weight: 2.08 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Norman Mailer, back when he WAS American Literature

It may be hard to believe now but there was a time when Norman Mailer was America's leading prose writer. Before he descended into self-parody, Mailer was America's leading novelist and its most controversial essayist. Some Honorable Men, which covers twelve years of Mailer's writing (in this case, focusing on the presidential conventions of '60, '64, '68, and '72), allows the reader to follow Mailer as he goes from cocky, young know-it-all through the first hints of middle age and the sourness it brings with it to finally, the beginnings of Mailer's transformation from a serious artist to an overused punchline. In doing so, it also provides an insightful, often times cruelly humorous view of the transformation of the American political system. For both reasons, this is a valuable book for any student of literature or political history.The book begins with one of Mailer's strongest peices of writing -- Superman comes to the Supermarket which provides wonderful converage of an oddly neglected piece of political history -- the 1960 Democratic convention that resulted in the nomination of John F. Kennedy and the final gasp of the "intellectual" wing of the Democratic party. Writing in his best sarcastic prose, Mailer shows us how the Kennedy glamour was used to blind observers to any possible concerns and how the overly earnest efforts of Adlai Stevenson's supporters to win the nomination for their candidate were defeated by Stevenson's own refusal to admit he was a politician first, a super hero second. Though Mailer attempts to be critical of the Kennedys (even as he barely hides his lust for Jackie), its still obvious that he, too, has been enraptured by just the pure showmanship of the first showbiz presidency. Though Mailer does show some sympathy to the Stevenson forces, its also clear that -- for him as with the rest of America -- the dour self-righteousness of the Stevenson liberals has run its course. In short, this essay -- whether intentional or not -- serves as a perfect introduction to all that Camelot would become and one gets the feeling that Mailer's seduction perfectly follows the seduction of the rest of America. In short, this essay is a perfect example of a genius as the top of his game and a reminder that Norman Mailer actually could write when he let himself.The second essay -- "In the Red Light" -- is minor Mailer and is mostly interesting just because of the absolute dread inspired within Mailer by the thought of having Barry Goldwater as President. In prose so sarcastic that it finally becomes rather condascending (and, in fact, leaves you feeling rather sorry for Mr. Goldwater), Mailer dismisses Goldwater and his followers as a fringe cult of sorts and basically, blames them for the death of JFK. As opposed to "Superman Comes to the Supermarket" this is not vintage Mailer and in fact, it all comes across as a little hysterical today. Still, it is an accurate reflection of the times and I think most serious stude