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76 Notable Quotes By Norman Mailer

Famous As: Author of 'The Naked and the Dead', 'Armies of the Night' and 'The Executioner's Song'
Born On: January 31, 1923
Died On: November 10, 2007
Born In: Long Branch, New Jersey, United States
Founder / Co Founder: The Village Voice
Died At Age: 84
Norman Kingsley Mailer was an American novelist, essayist, journalist, actor, political activist, filmmaker and playwright. He is widely regarded as one of the pioneering exponents of ‘new journalism’. Mailer grew up in New York and enrolled at Harvard University in aeronautical engineering in 1939, before going on to serve the US Army. Mailer’s experiences in the Army was the inspiration behind ‘The Naked and The Dead’; his first novel. Two of his most famous works are ‘The Executioner’s Song’ and ‘Armies of the Night’; both of which went on to win ‘Pulitzer Prizes’, while the latter also won the ‘National Book Award’. Mailer was also one of the most influential essayists, journalists and political thinkers of his era and wrote plenty of essays that made him a formidable voice of the time. Some of his famous essays include ‘The White Negro’ and ‘On the Steps of The Pentagon’ among others. Some of the publications he wrote for included, ‘The Village Voice’, ‘Esquire and Harper’s’ magazine. His views and thoughts on many subjects became quite impactful. We bring to you a treasure trove of quotes that have been excerpted from his novels, books, essays and writings. Read on to explore a compilation of some of the best known quotes by Norman Mailer, covering various aspects of life. The quotes would surely leave a lasting impression on your mind and leave you inspired.
I don't think life is absurd. I think we are all here for a huge purpose. I think we shrink from the immensity of the purpose we are here for.

I don't think life is absurd. I think we are all here for a huge purpose. I think we shrink from the immensity of the purpose we are here for.

Norman Mailer
Writing books is the closest men ever come to childbearing.

Writing books is the closest men ever come to childbearing.

Norman Mailer
Ultimately a hero is a man who would argue with the gods, and so awakens devils to contest his vision.

Ultimately a hero is a man who would argue with the gods, and so awakens devils to contest his vision.

Norman Mailer
Writer’s block is only a failure of the ego.

Writer’s block is only a failure of the ego.

Norman Mailer
Any war that requires the suspension of reason as a necessity for support is a bad war.

Any war that requires the suspension of reason as a necessity for support is a bad war.

Norman Mailer
There is no greater impotence in all the world like knowing you are right and that the wave of the world is wrong, yet the wave crashes upon you.

There is no greater impotence in all the world like knowing you are right and that the wave of the world is wrong, yet the wave crashes upon you.

Norman Mailer
You don't know a woman until you've met her in court.

You don't know a woman until you've met her in court.

Norman Mailer
One thing I've learned in all these years is not to make love when you really don't feel it; there's probably nothing worse you can do to yourself than that.

One thing I've learned in all these years is not to make love when you really don't feel it; there's probably nothing worse you can do to yourself than that.

Norman Mailer
The mark of mediocrity is to look for precedent.

The mark of mediocrity is to look for precedent.

Norman Mailer
Every moment of one’s existence one is growing into more or retreating into less. One is always living a little more or dying a little bit.

Every moment of one’s existence one is growing into more or retreating into less. One is always living a little more or dying a little bit.

Norman Mailer
If a person is not talented enough to be a novelist, not smart enough to be a lawyer, and his hands are too shaky to perform operations, he becomes a journalist.

If a person is not talented enough to be a novelist, not smart enough to be a lawyer, and his hands are too shaky to perform operations, he becomes a journalist.

Norman Mailer
The only faithfulness people have is to emotions they're trying to recapture

The only faithfulness people have is to emotions they're trying to recapture

Norman Mailer
We are all so guilty at the way we have allowed the world around us to become more ugly and tasteless every year that we surrender to terror and steep ourselves in it.

We are all so guilty at the way we have allowed the world around us to become more ugly and tasteless every year that we surrender to terror and steep ourselves in it.

Norman Mailer
Harsh words live in the dungeon of the heart

Harsh words live in the dungeon of the heart

Norman Mailer
There is a no man's land between sex and love, and it alters in the night.

There is a no man's land between sex and love, and it alters in the night.

Norman Mailer
Every one of my books had killed me a little more.

Every one of my books had killed me a little more.

Norman Mailer
The natural role of the twentieth-century man is anxiety.

The natural role of the twentieth-century man is anxiety.

Norman Mailer
The desire for success lubricates secret prostitution in the soul.

The desire for success lubricates secret prostitution in the soul.

Norman Mailer
Sentimentality is the emotional promiscuity of those who have no sentiment.

Sentimentality is the emotional promiscuity of those who have no sentiment.

Norman Mailer
I guess all that's left is to love the fire.

I guess all that's left is to love the fire.

Norman Mailer
Bright was the light of my last martini on my moral horizon

Bright was the light of my last martini on my moral horizon

Norman Mailer
The paradox is that no love can prove so intense
as the love of two narcissists for each other.

The paradox is that no love can prove so intense as the love of two narcissists for each other.

Norman Mailer
Great sex is apocalyptic. There is no such thing as great sex unless you have an apocalyptic moment.

Great sex is apocalyptic. There is no such thing as great sex unless you have an apocalyptic moment.

Norman Mailer
Great hope has no real footing unless one is willing to face into the doom that may also be on the way.
p.207

Great hope has no real footing unless one is willing to face into the doom that may also be on the way. p.207

Norman Mailer
Ultimately a hero is a man who would argue with the gods, and so awakens devils to contest his vision. The more a man can achieve, the more he may be certain that the devil will inhabit a part of his creation.

Ultimately a hero is a man who would argue with the gods, and so awakens devils to contest his vision. The more a man can achieve, the more he may be certain that the devil will inhabit a part of his creation.

Norman Mailer
You never do find out what makes you tick, and after a while it's unimportant.

You never do find out what makes you tick, and after a while it's unimportant.

Norman Mailer
Existentialism is the kind of philosophy that makes for legendary children.

Existentialism is the kind of philosophy that makes for legendary children.

Norman Mailer
No heart is so hard as the timid heart.

No heart is so hard as the timid heart.

Norman Mailer
Yeah, fighting a war to fix something works about as good as going to a whorehouse to get rid of a clap.

Yeah, fighting a war to fix something works about as good as going to a whorehouse to get rid of a clap.

Norman Mailer
The more things you own, the more things you need to keep you comfortable.

The more things you own, the more things you need to keep you comfortable.

Norman Mailer