The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer
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Book Reviews of The Executioner's Song
Book Review: Thoroughly absorbing
Summary: 5 Stars
I started reading "The Executioner's Song" after completing Jon Krakauer's "Under the Banners of Heaven," a largely scathing account of the history of the Church of Latter-Day Saints and the culture of violence it has spawned during its 150 year existence. While Gary Gilmore isn't a Mormon, most of the story takes place in Utah, and many of the characters are Mormons, which shapes to some degree their views of the death penalty as a necessary "blood atonement" for murder.I ended up plowing through the entire book in two weeks--that's how compelling a story Mailer paints in this lengthy, but engaging true-crime fiction hybrid. As others have mentioned, it's the first-half of this book that is the true masterpiece, the frenzied tale of the few months between Gilmore's release from prison and his cold-blooded murder of two young Mormon men, told in spare and unadorned prose. I was stunned by the level of detail he employs, and unlike some who found it tedious, thought that it brought the characters to life in a way I have rarely encountered in either fiction or non-fiction. While the second half of the book is somewhat overly drawn out, his portrayal of the marketing of the Gilmore myth (which, ironically, Mailer is involved in himself) is worth the time.
"The Executioner's Song" is full of people and moments told with a clarity that makes it unique and memorable.
Book Review: True crime classic
Summary: 5 Stars
One of my all-time favorite true crime books, "The Executioner's Song" is a quick read despite its length, though it slows in the second half. It's an extraordinary achievement, a haunting, understated, detailed, thorough, outstanding piece of journalism accomplished with remarkable speed, with the added interest of Lawrence Schiller's appearance (Schiller, of course, goes on from helping with "Song" to his own outstanding career, e.g. "Perfect Town ...") What remains with me the most a couple of years after reading "Song" is the atmosphere surrounding Gilmore's execution, the level of detail throughout & the sense of place. Includes a helpful afterword on Mailer's techniques. Gilmore, incidentally, was a sociopath, regardless of whatever sympathy he or Mailer might engender. It's symptomatic of sociopaths that they're often likeable (though I don't find Gilmore so), that's part of the deal, the chameleon nature. Gilmore wasn't destroyed by drugs or a generally good guy who had bad moments, he was a sociopath. Mailer's portrayal of the victims is weak, but the victim (for literary purposes) almost always isn't as interesting as the killer .... A must-read for true crime fans.Book Review: A must read.
Summary: 5 Stars
Normally, once I read a paperback I pass it on for others to read. I have enough books in my house that I don't normally hang onto any paperbacks. This book is the one exception. I wouldn't part with it.Mailer delivers a top notch story about a true event. Gary Gilmore is not the type of person I think I would ever want to invite home, but I had definite mixed feelings about his execution. I was glad he got what he wanted, I agree that justice was served, but I also feel it was the waste of what might have been a valuable life. Of course, all life is valuable and Gilmore killed two young promising men. As you can tell, this book left me with some conflicting feelings.
Mailer gives us an unvarnished picture of the events that lead to Gilmore's execution. The development of the many characters is convincing, believable and in-depth. Unlike many true life stories, Mailer writes the book so that it reads like fiction. There are some instances of courtroom-like dialogue but the majority of this massive book flows like fiction. A fine example that life can be more interesting than the best fiction, but it takes a great author to do it.
Book Review: Gary Gilmores eyes
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is large in size and even more substatial in it's research and substance. I have to admit I was only interested in this book after seeing one mof Matthew Barney's Cremaster films. This book would leave me wanting more and more, and for several hundred pages it was very able to provide. After rading this book I would suggest trying to find the learning channel's documentary on Gary Gilmore so that you can see the actual charectors faces. I can't realy say much about this book that has not been said already. It has appealed to so many readers of different genre, that there is a safe chance that it will appeal to you. I would also reccomend reading "under the banner of heaven" as well. The two books though seperate in time frame and subject compliment each other on hte subject of Utah mormanism. I could not pu tthis book down and neglected many other projects to finish it.
If you are an aspireing journalist or writer, beware- this book will cause you to reconsider your vocation as you probably cannot write, research, interveiw, or compile a flowing timeline this well. Give up now.
Book Review: Fascinating true crime account
Summary: 5 Stars
This huge book tells the story of the final months of Gary Gilmore in immense and gripping detail. Gilmore was the first person to be executed in the United States after the reinstatement of the death penalty in the 1970s. Norman Mailer immerses us deeply in Gilmore and his world. The first part of the book covers his time outside prison on parole, his intense affair with Nicole Baker, and his inability to cope responsibly with freedom, culminating in the motiveless killings that put him back in prison. The second half covers Gilmore's time in prison, his battle to be executed, and the media frenzy that surrounded it. Mailer introduces us to scores of individuals who played parts both large and small in Gilmore's life, demonstrating that everyone has an interesting story if you look closely enough. This is an uncommonly rich and textured work that rewards the perseverance required to finish it. Unlike many other reviewers, I did not find the detail to be extraneous nor Mailer's writing style to be overblown or arrogant. Rather, I was impressed at how restrained and objective it was.