Mailer: His Life and Times

Based on interviews with more than 200 people, this gigantic book is not so much biography as a skillful compilation of multiple versions of events in the life of Norman Mailer. Not surprisingly, we are reminded that Mailer is often competitive, belligerent and drunk in public; on the other hand, in private he can be courteous and considerate. ""Reading this book is an exciting, irresistible experience,'' PW stated. (March)