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The Executioner's Song

By Norman Mailer
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer is a powerful exploration of crime, punishment, and the American justice system. The book details the life of Gary Gilmore, his troubled upbringing, his criminal acts, and the legal proceedings following his sentencing. Mailer offers an in-depth portrait of Gilmore's character, woven into the fabric of American society and culture.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you’re intrigued by true crime narratives that delve deep into the minds of their characters. You might enjoy its exploration of the American justice system and the complex interplay of morality and legality. Its richly detailed storytelling and profound psychological insights could captivate those interested in profound human dramas.

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WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY ANDREW O'HAGAN

In the summer of 1976 Gary Gilmore robbed two men.

If you were enthralled by Capote's In Cold Blood, read The Executioner's Song

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Executioner's Song is a Pulitzer Prize-winning account of murderer Gary Gilmore's desire to die. In the summer of 1976, Gilmore robbed two men and then shot them in cold blood.

No one had been executed in America for ten years, but Gilmore, rather than have his sentence commuted to life imprisonment, wanted to die. His ensuing battle with the authorities for the right to do so made him a worldwide celebrity and ensured that his execution turned into a gruesome media event.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer is lauded as a masterful blend of reportage and fiction, with some considering it Mailer's greatest work. Critics praise it for its unsettling exploration of moral questions, power, and human complexity, delivering a compelling and detailed narrative of Gary Gilmore's life and crimes. The book is often described as evocative, wise, and profoundly engaging.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780099688600

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 06 July 1989

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage Classics

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 47.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 702g

Pages: 1088

Collections

Biography & Memoir Education & Reference Fiction General Fiction Norman Mailer Penguin Books True Crime

About the Author

Norman Mailer was born in New Jersey in January 1923 and after graduating from Harvard, served in the US army from 1944-1946. His first novel, The Naked and the Dead, was published to immediate critical acclaim in 1948 - and was hailed by Anthony Burgess as 'the best war novel to emerge from the United States'. He went on to publish both fiction and non-fiction, his books including Barbary Shore (1951), Advertisements for Myself (1959), The Presidential Papers (1963), An American Dream (1964), Armies of the Night (1968), Ancient Evenings (1983), and Tough Guys Don't Dance (1983). The Executioner's Song, first published in 1979, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1980 - an award which Mailer won twice during his writing career. Norman Mailer died in November 2007.

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