Norman Mailer

Norman Mailer is the brilliant and renowned writer who is the author of such classics as The Naked and the Dead, Executioner's Song, and Armies in the Night among many others. He is a much-lauded writer, recipient of the National Book Award and twice the winner of the Pulitzer Prize among other awards.

The time-frame of the Big Empty is pre-2006. There is great focus on the 2004 presidential election and the Iraq War. Norman Mailer is a progressive both politically and socially. It is no surprise to read about his contempt for the administration of George W. Bush and his role in involving America in the Iraq War. He has great animus for Bush whom he views as unqualified to be president and strangely vain and arrogant - strange because he has no reason to be arrogant.

Norman discusses the effectiveness of protest. He thinks back to...