The Armies of the Night: History as a Novel, the Novel as History by Norman Mailer Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Armies of the Night: History as a Novel, the Novel as History
Book Review: Good for Baby Boomers only
Summary: 3 Stars
For those of us born after the events of October 21, 1967, the book is a disappointment. Mailer fails to offer better explanations of important characters that were icons of the late '60s. Since I was born after that, I have no inherent knowledge of the hippie idols, etc. In this 'history as novel', Mailer fails miserably at what most great novelist excel: character development.Book Review: Great style, but is it really a novel in any sense?
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm not going to try to answer my own question. I will say that this is an interesting look at the 67 march from Mailer's perspective. The section on the development of the march itself and the organizers was very informative, as was the section entitled "Why are we in Vietnam?" (a clear reference to Mailer's previous novel, which was criticized for not answering the question clearly enough.
The analysis of the changing liberalism in the US is also quite good. Overall, there is no plot. And Mailer's attempts to avoid even the most minor suffering are laughable especially when held against the suffering of the Vietnamese and the US soldiers enlisted to fight a meandering war.
Reading the book in 2005, however, gives the book great significance. It's clear that liberals write books and conservatives work in politics. And unfortunately, neither side listens to the other very closely.
Mailer's style in this book is very fast and pulled me through the first section quickly. Things slow down in the second section, but not because the subject matter is slower. Mailer clearly wanted to switch styles (and even talks about how he prides himself on changing styles with every work).
Anyway. Enjoy it for the connections to 2005 America, but remember that Mailer is...Mailer. And he loves to talk about himself and how important he is to everyone around him.
Book Review: Mailer Does It Again
Summary: 5 Stars
Those of you who are already familiar with the work of Norman Mailer don't need much of an introduction to the man who could perhaps be the most transcendant egoist of the century. For those of you who haven't read Mailer, know this: he writes unlike anyone of his peers, he can turn a phrase as well as Fitzgerald, he is a profound and unusual thinker, and has a great sense of humor.In this, the book that won him his first Pulitzer Prize, Mailer gives us what he likes to think of as two books. First comes "History As A Novel," in which Mailer describes his experience (in the third person) participating in the largest anti-Vietnam War rally to have occured by 1967 when this book was published. In traditional fashion, a somewhat besotted Mailer makes rousing and unsettling remarks at a theater based event, lends his support to draft-card burners (actually, the group of protesters were to turn in their cards, rather than burn them), and walk in the historically significant march on the Pentagon. At the Pentagon, Mailer manages to get himself arrested (a goal he had previously set for himself), and spends the weekend in jail. He describes all of this with such wit and insight that Mailer himself becomes as much the subject matter as the march itself.
In the second book, "The Novel As History," Mailer gives us a historical perspective on the march and describes its genesis, reason for existance, movers and shakers, and then describes the march as it might have been seen by an unbiased reporter (although Mailer admits that no unbiased reports of this event could ever be given).
Mailer is an enjoyable author to read, as his utterly opinionated and iconoclastic personality cannot be kept apart from his subject matter, a fact that is all the more true for Armies of the Night. I was surprised how much self-awareness he actually posesses... writing in the third person allowed him to step outside himself and observe some of his more unusual personality traits.
You do not need a heavy interest in the Vietnam War to enjoy this book (although I suppose it may help)... all you need is your sympathy, intelligence, and sense of humor.
Book Review: Mailer: a funny guy.
Summary: 3 Stars
Mailer has a really enjoyable ego, and a rather likeable personality. This book describes vividly a March on Washington in '67 against the Vietnam War, and the main character is Norman Mailer. (This book is written in the third person; an ingeneous way for Mailer to take shots at himself).Most interesting to me, being a rather apolitical person, was the way Mailer described his "image" as a being completely outside of himself, and how the character "Mailer" in the book can be seen as his image, while the Narrator can be seen as the real Mailer.
That last bit may not make complete sense but anyhow this book has moments of vivid excitement, of feeling the slow painful movements of history unfolding, the "existential moment" as Mailer calls it, of doing something uprecedented and thus not having any idea of what will come of it.
Unfortunately the prose shines only in patches and often i found myself skimming. This may be my fault, for though I like America and everything, i dont have the overwhelming enthusiasm and obsession for all things American that Mailer has. Nevertheless this is a really enjoyable read and Mailer, unlike most political people - and certainly unlike most "activists" both radical and conservative - can laugh at himself as well as those around him.
Book Review: Maybe You Had To Be There...
Summary: 1 Stars
I read Armies of the Night for a graduate school class. I found this novel/history very difficult to read. I would sometimes find myself reading a page over three times before I could get anything out of it. It was inaccessible, frustrating, and in short order I felt great hostility bordering on hatred for the author. For example, early in the book Mailer announces to a room full of people that he had just urinated all over the restroom floor when he could find neither the light switch nor the urinal. He is inebriated at the time. Perhaps he intended this to be a humorous revelation, I thought it was obnoxious.
Another example of Mailer's ego, is when he states early in the book that he is "probably willing to die" for the anti-war cause. This is revealed as macho swagger because at the moment of truth, Mailer is unwilling to even do a paltry five days in jail for the cause. He complains about the conditions in jail; he can't shave and his clothes get dirty. I thought the authorities were generous to provide everyone a bed to sleep in, as well as meals, coffee, and reading material but this was apparently insufficient for Mr. Mailer as he finds fault with all of it.
The book gets better when we leave Mailer's personal experience and are finally permitted to learn something about the brave young men and women who made up the heart of the protest. Some of the protesters spent the night in the cold outside the Pentagon, some were beaten by the guards, and others had water poured on them while they were sleeping. Unfortunately this part of the book is much briefer than Mailer's narrative.
For me, this book is ruined by Mailer's self-important posturing. If the author's goal was to make readers hate him, I think he succeeded. I have utterly no idea why this book won a Pulitzer Prize. Perhaps it is an example of the adage "you had to be there." I have read Mailer's other Pulitzer Prize winner, The Executioner's Song, and I liked it. This book however, was awful.