The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Norman Mailer

My friend Alex was working for the as-yet not officially announced presidential contender John McCain. He hooked me up with an invite to a cocktail party at Bloomberg News to celebrate the release of McCain’s memoir, _Faith of My Fathers._ It was a star-studded affair with luminaries sipping champagne and eating shrimp wrapped in bacon as the author signed books and greeted well-wishers.

As I looked around at my peers in the room while basking in my future glory, I spotted him: The Man. The Myth. The Mailer.

He was sporting an enormous Band-Aid across his forehead. I Read more