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Selected Letters of Norman MailerBy: Norman Mailer A genuine literary eventan illuminating collection of correspondence from one of the most acclaimed American writers of all time Over the course of a nearly sixty year career, Norman Mailer wrote more than 30 novels, essay collections, and nonfiction books. Yet nowhere was he more prolificor more exposedthan in his letters. All told, Mailer crafted more than 45,000 pieces of correspondence (approximately 20 million words), many of
By: Norman MailerA genuine literary event—an illuminating collection of correspondence from one of the most acclaimed American writers of all time
Over the course of a nearly sixty-year career, Norman Mailer wrote more than 30 novels, essay collections, and nonfiction books. Yet nowhere was he more prolific—or more exposed—than in his letters. All told, Mailer crafted more than 45,000 pieces of correspondence (approximately 20 million words), many of them deeply personal, keeping a copy of almost every one. Now the best of these are published—most for the first time—in one remarkable volume that spans seven decades and, it seems, several lifetimes. Together they form a stunning autobiographical portrait of one of the most original, provocative, and outspoken public intellectuals of the twentieth century.
Compiled by Mailer’s authorized biographer, J. Michael Lennon, and organized by decade, Selected Letters of Norman Mailer features the most fascinating of Mailer’s missives from 1940 to 2007—letters to his family and friends, to fans and fellow writers (including Truman Capote, James Baldwin, and Philip Roth), to political figures from Henry Kissinger to Bill and Hillary Clinton, and to such cultural icons as John Lennon, Marlon Brando, and even Monica Lewinsky.
Here is Mailer the precocious Harvard undergraduate, writing home to his parents for the first time and worrying that his acceptances by literary magazines were “all happening too easy.” Here, too, is Mailer the soldier, confronting the violence of war in the Pacific, which would become the subject of his masterly debut novel, The Naked and the Dead: “[I’m] amazed how casually it fits into . . . daily life, how very unhorrible it all is.” Mailer the international celebrity pledges to William Styron, “I’m going to write every day, and like Lot’s Wife I’m consigning myself to a pillar of salt if I dare to look back,” while the 1980s Mailer agonizes over the fallout from his ill-fated friendship with Jack Henry Abbott, the murderer who became his literary protégé. (“The continuation of our relationship was depressing for both of us,” he confesses to Joyce Carol Oates.) At last, he finds domestic—and erotic—bliss in the arms of his sixth wife, Norris Church (“We bounce into each other like sunlight”).
Whether he is reflecting on the Kennedy assassination, assessing the merits of authors from Fitzgerald to Proust, or threatening to pummel William Styron, the brilliant, pugnacious Norman Mailer comes alive again in these letters. The myriad faces of this artist and activist, lover and fighter, public figure and private man, are laid bare in this collection as never before.
Praise for Selected Letters of Norman Mailer
“Extraordinary.”—Vanity Fair
“As massive as the life they document . . . the autobiography [Mailer] never wrote . . . a kind of map, from the hills and rice paddies of the Philippines through every victory and defeat for the rest of the century and beyond.”—Esquire
“The shards and winks at Mailer’s own past that are scattered throughout the letters . . . are so tantalizing. They glitter throughout like unrefined jewels that Mailer took to the grave.”—The New Yorker
“Indispensable . . . a subtle document of an unsubtle man’s wit and erudition, even (or especially) when it’s wielded as a weapon.”—New York
“Umpteen pleasures to pluck out and roll between your teeth, like seeds from a pomegranate.”—The New York Times
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4.8 ★★★★★
Based on 1002 reviews
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 3
Difficult/impossible to unscrew plastic cups (in order to recharge the vibrating/blinking device)
Color: Orange
Generally, I don't leave feedback on items purchased. However, in this case, I feel compelled to do so in hopes the mechanical engineers (of this product) will take my input to heart and ultimately modify it.
First the pros...
- I have 2 high-energy dogs (Jack Russell Terriers) who love their toys (e.g., chewing bones, tug-of-war, etc.) but usually get bored with them rather quickly.
- This interactive PetDroid ball, however, keeps them busy for a long time.
- In fact, my smaller dog (Max) knows its storage location and sits (as early as 6 AM) in front of the cabinet so that I give him "his ball". It keeps him busy for up to 1-2 hours at a time.
- Max is literally addicted to the PetDroid ball... his determinant play with it makes me laugh all the time.
Now, the cons...
- After several days of play, the exterior looks chewed up quite a bit. That's no problem though.
- Unfortunately, the interior "threads/grooves" of the two plastic cups (for closing/fasting) are very tiny.
- Thus, after an hour-long hard play, it is almost impossible to unscrew the 2 plastic cups in order to recharge the interior device.
- It appears the 2 cups somehow come off track and get realigned from the inside.
- At that point, I cannot unscrew the PetDroid ball in order to recharge the device.... and without the blinking/vibration, this toy is no longer fun for play.
- Ultimately, I had to place the bottom half of the ball into a vise and then use a plumbing wrench to untwist it.
Proposed Solution:
- Increase the size of the plastic cups' interior threads/grooves so that they won't get realigned/come off track.
- This would mitigate the current dilemma of NOT being able to unscrew the ball in order to recharge it.
In my view, this should be a relatively simple fix and significantly improve the durability of this product.
Thank you for your time.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2022
★★★★★ 5
Good fun and entertaining!
Color: Orange
A really fun interactive toy for your dog! It's pretty erratic and really gets him chasing it. The included soft cover was kinda hard to install and then it's hard to turn it off and on with the cover on, I feel like the cover didn't really improve it at all, sure it's louder without the cover but I feel like dog also likes it that way, he likes loud squeaky toys and this thing making a bunch of noise is appealing to him. We have mostly hardwood floors so it really gets moving, I'm sure on carpet it would be a bit quieter and maybe even a bit slower to move around but on hard smooth surfaces this things can really get zipping around abd get some speed to make him chase it. Overall a fun and entertaining toy.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Awesome
Color: Orange
Awesome Toy . My Jack is crazy over it. She usually get bored with others, but this toy still has her attention after a couple of weeks Runs a long time on a short charge. 👍🏻
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Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2026
★★★★★ 2
Not the Fetch-Fest I Hoped For
Color: Orange
I had high hopes for the PetDroid Interactive Dog Ball, especially with the newly upgraded features and promises of durable, motion-activated fun. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to expectations for my furry friend. Here’s why I’m giving it 2 stars.
Promising Features, Lackluster Results
The idea behind this toy is fantastic: a durable, motion-activated ball that would entertain my dog without much effort on my part. The ball is supposed to roll around on its own, keeping my dog engaged and active. However, in practice, it just didn’t capture my dog’s interest.
Durability
I will give credit where it’s due: the ball is well-made and seems durable. It can withstand some rough handling, which is great for more aggressive chewers. Unfortunately, durability doesn’t mean much if your dog won’t play with it in the first place.
Motion Activation
The motion activation feature is hit or miss. While the ball does move around as advertised, it didn’t seem to move in a way that intrigued my dog. He gave it a sniff, watched it for a minute, and then walked away, unimpressed. I tried multiple times to get him interested, but he simply wasn’t having it.
Lack of Engagement
The biggest issue is that the ball just didn’t engage my dog at all. It might be more suitable for a different personality type or breed, but for my pooch, it was a total flop. He’s usually quite playful and curious, so I was surprised by his lack of interest.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the PetDroid Interactive Dog Ball might work for some dogs, but it was a miss for mine. If your dog is easily entertained by automated toys, it might be worth a try. However, based on my experience, I can’t wholeheartedly recommend it.
Pros:
Durable construction
Motion-activated as advertised
Cons:
Did not engage my dog
Motion activation wasn’t intriguing enough
Might be more suitable for specific dog types or personalities
If you decide to give it a shot, just be prepared for the possibility that your dog might not find it as entertaining as you hope. For us, it’s back to the drawing board for a more engaging toy.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2024
★★★★★ 4
Pup Loves It, Some Other Notes
Color: Orange
We've had this for about six months and my 75 lb, 14-month-old German Shepherd pup LOVES IT. Her favorite is "Crazy Bouncing Mode." In fact, she doesn't care much for the normal mode. She chews it a lot - even drops it in her water bowl at times - and it's still going strong.
This is a great purchase. It's nice hands-off entertainment.
Do know that it is heavy compared to a normal ball - if your pup likes dropping it on the ground like mine does, it will land with a hard "thud," even with the included sleeve. Hopefully you don't have downstairs neighbors.
Also know that the cover that goes over the charging port is removable and your dog may choke on it if they chew it in just the right manner. Definitely only let the pup play with it while supervised.
All in all, great toy.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2026