European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 6, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Books Mailer continues his quest for writing greatness Dana Kennedy the associated press he sits behind a borrowed desk at random House White haired with Blue eyes that might be described As kindly on another Man of 68, but this is Norman Mailer. The hair is tangled and unruly the eyes guarded and wary. He May be a Grandfather but he s not ready for the Cardigan sweater and rocking chair just yet. The legendary novelist journalist and pugilist is Back in the ring a with the 1,307-Page harlot s ghost a novel about the Cia. Mailer spent seven years on the Book which ends with the words some might find discouraging after completing such a lengthy Tome to be continued. Quot there Are All too Many Short novels a says Mailer. �?o1 like a Book you can pick up and read and feel you be really had an  though As eager As a first time writer to promote his ninth novel. Mailer is sceptical and edgy As he Fields an interviewer s first questions. He looks you Over with a jaundiced Eye As if sizing up a potential sparring partner who a not up to the Job. Just when you re convinced Mailer has you pegged As some tired Hack he Speaks up and removes All doubt. A i Hope you gel the quotes half right a he. Grouse. A a in a at your mercy you know. I just Hope you can  Norman Mailer since when does he care what someone writes about him Mailer brightens. Like the a old club fighter Quot he Calls himself he relaxes a bit after the first punches Are thrown. A nah you re right Quot he says gleefully. A i done to care at  once the Chip comes off Mailer s shoulder he talks freely. His speech is fast and More economic than his novels each sentence is packed with intelligence verve punch. His is especially articulate when talking about. Norman Mailer. Quot one of the desperately Dull and disagreeable aspects of american life is that we Feci we have to pigeonhole everyone Quot he says. A a we re More Complex than  Mailer s complexity fades Only when talking about his work. He is passionate about writing. He says he s Quot never had a Day yet when i Haven t wondered if i could do this Quot but has retained his Well known ambition to enter the pantheon of great writers. He lists Dostoevsky Tolstoy Stendhal Proust. James Joyce Hemingway. A a in a like to be a great writer Quot he says slowly when asked to gauge his Success. Quot i think in a a  writer. Cir eat writers change your life. Very Good writers alter  Mailer who achieved Fame at 25 with the publication in 194s of his first novel. The naked and the dead says he has often struggled with the lingering Impact of Early Success. Mailer Calls it a Quot second  it s a conflict that colors harlot s ghost. To Mailer juggling the dual personalities required of those w to dabble in espionage is not unlike the Burden of celebrity. Quot i spent the rest of my life catching up with hat second identity Quot Mailer says of his Early Fame. A for 10 to 12 years after his first books Felt that there was someone named Norman Mailer whose name provoked a certain reaction and they had to meet me first to meet  not that Mailer was Idle when it came to Stok a ing the fires of his own notoriety. If he wrote his life Story Mailer would not want for melodrama. In addition to his six wives nine children aged 13 to 42 and five grandchildren Mailer acquired a reputation As a Boozy violent braggart. The world at Large As Well As his books was a stage on which to conduct great adventures. Women always played a part. He wrote one Book focusing on Marilyn Monroe. He has often angered feminists but Mailer says he likes Strong women. A not stronger necessarily a he says warming up to what is clearly a favorite subject. A i like it if they re clearly Superior in one Way and in a clearly Superior in  his current wife is artist and former Model Norris Church whom he married in 1980. He delights in telling a Story about How he criticized her one morning for wearing an old Bathrobe and no makeup. A she looked at me and said How terrible it must be to get up in the morning and know there s nothing i could do even if i wanted to to look better a Mailer says grinning at the memory. In Between disappointing novels such As the Llanhary Shore and the Deer Park and More successful forays into non fiction such As armies of the night in 1%8 and the executioners song in 1979, both of which won pulitzer prizes Mailer Tan for mayor of new York. He served As Mentor to convicted murderer and writer Jack Henry Abbott. Abbott became an embarrassment to Mailer after he was released from prison amid great fanfare Only to return after fatally stabbing a waiter in a fight. Mailer also was convicted of a crime. He once stabbed his second wife and Csc Morales after a dinner party. Mailer does no to shy away from the incident which has haunted him More than any other Well chronicled tumult in his life. He said he often is asked about the stabbing but refrains from comment because Morales is still alive. All he will say is a i m the Best reformed criminal in american  reformed a and mellowed if Mailer is to be believed. Though once a world class Drinker and fighter those Days arc apparently Over. A i used to be Able to drink a quart of Bourbon a night a a Mailer says. Now its Down to four drinks a night maybe twice a week. Fights Are fewer As Well. A people done to really attack me now Quot he says. A fall i have to be afraid of Are the 80-year-olds.&Quot Mailer seems to be on a first name basis with most famous people so when Hunter Thompson s name comes up he gets almost Wistful. Quot Hunters a physiological phenomenon a he says referring to the drug fuelled Stream of con seriousness journalists legendary intake of drugs and alcohol. A i once saw him drink enough in one night to put me away for two  not that Mailer romanticized his boozing brawling past. Quot All that will get you is in miserable shape by the time you re 61,&Quot he says. Ask him if there a anything he Hasni to yet done hat he wants to do. Quot in a too happily married to answer that Quot he says merrily. Quot put that in if you can figure it  and he a still intent on chasing his dream to be a great writer. Two More books Are in the works for now. Or As Mailer might Pul it his life is to be continued. The stars and stripes bookstores department says harlot s ghost is on order and could be available by  sunday october 6. 1991