Enid on Mailer

An e-mail from Enid Stubin, and it wasn't even addressed to me, but that's not going to stop me quoting it here

Re: Mailer--I have quite a few stories, some even my own, but for now accept the line--I think it's Didion's--from the infamous debate at Town Hall: "You can tell from the way Norman writes about sex that he isn't very good at it."

First Proof  Enid Stubin  Norman Mailer  

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Mailer

November 14, 2007 - 06:58 — P Davis (not verified)

But I read that when Mailer first met the woman who was to be his last in the line of wives, he took one look at her, could hardly bear the pain of how beautiful she was, turned round and left the room. (Of course, he must have come back for another go later.) Still, given the string of erotic misadventures and apparent toughness, I love that moment of Mailer's innocence. And I am sorry he is not in the world any more.
Philip Davis

Mailer

November 17, 2007 - 14:02 — Enid Stubin (not verified)

I should begin by saying that I wished Mailer no ill, let alone death. The last of his wives, Norris Church, was certainly a looker, and we should probably collect all moments of Mailerian innocence--there are probably more than one would suppose. As for "the string of erotic misadventures," these are perhaps better savored in the fiction than in the life: Charles McGrath reminded us in his Times obituary of the stabbing of Adele Morales and that little kerfuffle over John Henry Abbott. Still, I remember "An American Dream" and "The Time of Her Time" as high-water marks of Mailer's satire, sometimes pulpy and sometimes dopey but largely affectionate musings over culture and class. I'll miss the boy as well.

Tales from Indexing

January 4, 2008 - 10:00 — Richard Major (not verified)

Enid,

You must be the Enid Stubin who was friends with Iris Giamo. If yes, I very much enjoyed tea with you at Takashinaya, what, eight or nine years ago. My loss I never followed up.

I came across your piece on Sydney Wolfe Cohen in aldaily.com, where I stop most mornings.

Richard Major