Mantle Novel Makes a Comeback

-- Publishers Weekly, 2/28/2007

On December 13 of last year, PW Daily broke the story that publisher Judith Regan had another sure-fire controversial book on her list—Peter Golenbock's 7: A Mickey Mantle Novel, set for publication in March. Two days later, Regan was fired by NewsCorp, and the book eventually was canceled, the rights reverting to the author. Now, as reported in the New York Times, the book has been revived by Lyons Press, which will publish this spring.

Golenbock's "fictional memoir," written from Mantle's perspective and in his voice, recounted salacious goings-on involving Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, Billy Martin and other legendary figures. Calls from PW to various sportswriters back in December uncovered a uniformly outraged response from people who were familiar with the book. They objected to Golenbock's methods and his unsourced portrait of a complex American icon.

PW, which had a prepublication review of the book ready to go, did not run it, awaiting word that the Regan Books imprint would not be going forward with the book. In January, the book was officially canceled. Gene Brissie, associated publisher at Lyons, was quoted in the Times as saying the Lyons edition was unchanged from the book that Regan Books had intended to publish. He also opined, "I think all the negative publicity came from people who haven't read it."

Here is our review:

7: The Mickey Mantle Novel
Peter Golenbock. Lyons Press

This book would make Henry Miller blush. Golenbock, author of many sports books, has written a novel about baseball great Mickey Mantle. It takes place in heaven where Mantle, talking with dead baseball writer Leonard Shecter, co-author of Ball Four, recalls his three favorite things in life: "puss," booze and, lastly, baseball. Mantle is the first-person narrator and in the first half of the book takes us on a misogynistic ride that would make a hedonist wary. There are stories of him and fellow teammate Billy Martin and their endless pursuit of women. They pursue them in bars, on ledges outside of hotel rooms, in dark movie theaters, with telescopes and while signing autographs ("We'll sign your balls if you'd... play with ours"). Mickey seems more of the gentleman ("I don't believe in having sex with women against their will the way Billy sometimes did"), but the quest for sex is endless. Perhaps the most controversial part of this book will be the part about Mantle supposedly bedding Marilyn Monroe while she was married to Joe DiMaggio. In a scene where Mantle prematurely ejaculates and Monroe is frigid, Mantle pronounces Marilyn "a lousy lay." Dropped into the book apparently randomly are samples of Mantle's sophomoric humor ("How can you tell when two lesbians are twins? They lick alike") that are sometimes downright offensive. The second half of the book looks at Mantle's impressive Hall of Fame career, but no one will be talking about that. This is not a book to give to your favorite nephew. In fact, it will be interesting to see how Mantle's fans will receive it—as an insult to their hero? Or a purient look at The Mick that they can't help themselves from buying?