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Harlot's Ghost
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Book Overview
With unprecedented scope and consummate skill, Norman Mailer unfolds a rich and riveting epic of an American spy. Harry Hubbard is the son and godson of CIA legends. His journey to learn the secrets of his society--and his own past--takes him through the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the momentous catastrophe of the Kennedy assassination. All the while, Hubbard is haunted by women who were loved by both his godfather and President Kennedy. Featuring a tapestry of unforgettable characters both real and imagined, Harlot's Ghost is a panoramic achievement in the tradition of Tolstoy, Melville, and Balzac, a triumph of Mailer's literary prowess.
Praise for Harlot's GhostNorman Mailer is] the right man to exalt the history of the CIA into something better than history.--Anthony Burgess, The Washington Post Book World Elegantly written and filled with almost electric tension . . . When I returned from the world of Harlot's Ghost to the present I wished to be enveloped again by Mailer's imagination.--Robert Wilson, USA Today
Immense, fascinating, and in large part brilliant.--Salman Rushdie, The Independent on Sunday A towering creation . . . a fiction as real and as possible as actual history.--The New York Times
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Harlot's Ghost is 1191 pages long.
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Book Reviews (6)
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Saga
Derived From Web , May 9, 2020
There is a lot of ground in this book. The bay of pigs is where the CIA, FBI, KGB, and mafia are working on JFK's assassination. It was too much for me.
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Every word is a brilliant use of language and metaphors...
Derived From Web , Feb 4, 2019
Norman Mailer has a great command of the English language. The narrator has the perfect voice and the stories that make up the main character's account of his time in the CIA are well told. I'm almost 15,000 pages into the novel and still enjoy it.
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It's Norman Mailer, so it's never easy
Derived From Web , Dec 1, 2017
It is difficult to review this book. It is too long. It has a weird structure. Most of the plot is revealed in letters between people who should not be writing letters. The love of the main character's life is either the smartest girl in the room or crazy. Mailer had researched the CIA to the point where he concluded that he needed to convey most of what he learned to us in some way, no matter how long it took. The theorizing about Cuba, Castro, Hoover and JFK is fun to read, but others have done it better. I learned a lot about E. Howard Hunt, but I didn't know it. I read this because my best friend said it was worth the effort and that he would read it again. It was enough for God to love him. More than that.
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Authentic literature
Derived From Web , Oct 24, 2017
It is refreshing to read a book written by a master. The most professional tools are used to make Mailer's words bite, erudite, and succinct all at the same time. He was an expert at his craft. I hope the story never ends at the halfway point. If you enjoy good literature, this is the book to read. It is interesting and serious. Does not make a big deal out of it. If you are looking for a quick read, this is not your bag.
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After a long hiatus from Mailer, Harlot's Ghost reminded ...
Derived From Web , Oct 7, 2017
After a long hiatus from Mailer, Harlot's Ghost reminded me of why. Mailer took a long time to get from point A to point B in his fiction because he was so full of ideas. His subplots are long but entertaining. I'm saying get to the point, Norman.
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An interesting take on the Bay of Pigs--from soup to nuts!
Derived From Web , Sep 22, 2017
The book has a good story line about a young CIA agent's interaction with several famous men as he is involved in the Bay of Pigs crises, and the events before and after. A lot of beautifully descriptive writing can be found in the book. Mailer jumps back and forth in time so much that it's difficult to keep up with what's going on. It is hard to keep up with the huge cast of characters. The book was too long. Mailer goes on and on about the scenery, people's looks, people's feelings, the food, etc., as he gets carried away with his beautifully descriptive writing. If you have time to read the 600+ pages of Mailer, you will like it. If you haven't read Mailer before, don't start with this book.
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