vas@lzaz.UUCP (V.SNYDER) (01/07/86)
Has anybody read this book by Norman Mailer called Ancient Evenings? I am currently **trying** to read it. The language is very hard to follow easily and I understand why it is. It's supposed to be the way the Egyptians spoke. One thing that confounds me is that there is so much male buggery in it. Why? It seems to be a power thing. Apparently the men/gods believe that if they inflict themselves in this manner on all their male friends or enemies, they get more macho!! Am I getting the drift or what?
krantz@csd2.UUCP (Michaelntz) (01/08/86)
V. Snyder writes: > Has anybody read this book by Norman Mailer called Ancient > Evenings? I am currently **trying** to read it. The language > is very hard to follow easily and I understand why it is. It's > supposed to be the way the Egyptians spoke. One thing that > confounds me is that there is so much male buggery in it. Why? V: I hope this isn't your first dip into Mailer. Heaven forbid. Your ideas are pretty on target: sex as a weapon, and whatnot. Personally I think Norm's latent, but that's pure speculation. For some perspective, read his old novel "An American Dream," which is easier, shorter, and better, and will help you in dealing with the imagery and symbolism of "Ancient Evenings." Mailer's mind hasn't changed much in the past 30 years; he's still twisted, borderline psycho, and fucking brilliant... Later, michael krantz
vallath@cad.UUCP (Vallath Nandakumar) (01/09/86)
In article <467@lzaz.UUCP>, vas@lzaz.UUCP (V.SNYDER) writes: > > Has anybody read this book by Norman Mailer called Ancient > Evenings? I am currently **trying** to read it. The language > is very hard to follow easily and I understand why it is. It's > supposed to be the way the Egyptians spoke. One thing that > confounds me is that there is so much male buggery in it. Why? > It seems to be a power thing. Apparently the men/gods believe > that if they inflict themselves in this manner on all their > male friends or enemies, they get more macho!! Am I getting > the drift or what? The book was horrible. Believing it to be a historical novel, I tried to read it, and couldn't really understand the complications in it. As far as most of the sexual details go, my feeling is that they are either the author's own fantasies or his attempt at titillating the reader! I doubt whether the ancient Egyptians had such an obsession with such unusual sexual practices. And it was supposed to be his magnum opus! Vallath Nandakumar
ayers@convexs.UUCP (01/15/86)
>Your ideas are pretty on target: sex as a weapon, and whatnot... >he's still twisted, borderline psycho, and fucking brilliant... so to speak... blues, II (and why not?)