November 15th, 2007 -- by Bacchus
For The Love Of Women
In The Furious Passions Of Norman Mailer at 10 Zen Monkeys, we find this anecdote from the lengthy feud between Mailer and Gore Vidal:
1974 found [Norman Mailer] sending this letter to Women’s Wear Daily.
“It has come to my attention that Gore Vidal has been speaking in your pages of my hatred of women. Let me present the following items.
Number of times married: Mailer 5, Vidal 0
Number of children: Mailer 7, Vidal 0
Number of daughters: Mailer 5, Vidal 0These statistics of course prove nothing unless it is to suggest that the reason Vidal may have married no lady and fathered no child is due perhaps to his love of women and his reluctance therefore to injure their tender flesh with his sharp tongue.”
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Shorter URL for sharing: http://www.erosblog.com/?p=2081
Is there anyone Gore Vidal hasn’t fueded with?
;)
laani
I notice Mailer didn’t mention that he stabbed his second wife with a penknife. Plus, I don’t think the fact that all five marriages ended in divorce is a particularly good indicator either…
Mailer also didn’t mention the fact that Vidal is gay and, if I’m not mistaken, has had a long-term relationship.
Er, D, I think the whole letter was intended as a jab at Vidal’s gayness…
Yes, Norman. Take credit for having daughters, as though you willed it to happen that way.
“Er, D, I think the whole letter was intended as a jab at Vidal’s gayness…”
Exactly. Which makes Mailer look like an asshole, and an idiot to boot. Male homosexuality does not equal hating women… and dog knows male heterosexuality doesn’t preclude it.
Greta, I hope you don’t think that’s new news about Mailer being an asshole…