8 days and 323 pages later.

The first thing I have to say is that it's a really bad edition. Probably one of the worst I've read. It lacks a lot of spaces to be able to understand everything. Maybe it wasn't the edition, but the overly "bulky" writing style of the author.

This novel attempts to describe the hustle and bustle of a drunken night. We have the writer Tim Madden, who is haunted by the memory of his wife who left him 24 days ago. On the 25th day, he gets extremely drunk, and the next day, blood bubbles appear on his sports car. Unable to remember what happened the previous night, he tries to retrace his steps until he finds the decapitated head of a blonde in one of his drug hideouts.

Throughout the first half, the book wavered between 2 and 3 stars. It had no flavor. It was very difficult for me to progress. The writing is too random and bulky. There is a lot of filler and it introduces people without any meaning to the story. They seem like emotionless mannequins. The main character gets all muddled up.

In the second half, everything starts to become clear and take on flavor. Everything improves and becomes more concise. Thanks to a couple of "twists", the story gets better and earns four stars.

It's a very intense book that doesn't hold back on sex, love, or whatever the author feels like saying. It's a hard novel with a very intense sense of humor. However, once it takes on flavor, it's not bad.

In the end, what I take away the most from this is the phrase and title of the book... "tough guys don't dance".

Do second chances exist in love life? I mean after having tried so many jerks...

I don't think there's a review.

The main character, Tim, is an unlikable intellectual drunk who finds himself embroiled in a murder mystery in the sleepy off-season of Provincetown, Massachusetts. Picture the author Norman Mailer during his famed interview with Dick Cavett, and you might have an inkling of the character Mailer created for this...or at least that's what came to my mind as I read it.

In fact, no one is likable in this story. Everyone is a flawed, damaged jerk. This, however, adds to the noir elements of the narrative and doesn't detract from it in any way. I anticipated becoming disgusted with everyone and wanting to stop reading. I did get disgusted, of course, but I was also compelled to find out who the murderer was.

I loved it. The complex and imperfect characters made the story all the more engaging. It was a thrilling ride through a web of mystery and deceit, with each character's flaws adding to the overall atmosphere of darkness and intrigue. Despite my initial misgivings, I couldn't put the book down until I had uncovered the identity of the killer.

Ok, yes.

This book indeed has a veneer of misogyny. However, the real issue at hand is not a blatant hatred of women but rather a willful misunderstanding of them.

The book's sole concern seems to be masculinity, and the women are presented merely as noir femme fatales or gun molls. Taking great offense at Mailer's disparaging of such mythical creatures is similar to being frustrated at the mischaracterization of elves or unicorns. This is simply the nature of the genre.

What made this book worth reading (for me) was the application of Mailer's vivid prose to rather worn genre tropes. Essentially, this is a meditation on American masculinity, firmly wedged into what is possibly the most male-oriented genre in fiction.

Do tough guys dance? Yes, they do. This adds an interesting layer to the exploration of masculinity within the context of the story.

The book may have its flaws in its portrayal of women, but it also offers a unique perspective on the concept of masculinity through the lens of a particular genre.

It challenges the reader to look beyond the surface and consider the deeper implications of the author's choices.

Overall, it is a thought-provoking work that, despite its shortcomings, has the potential to engage and stimulate the reader's mind.

I want to fight this book so badly.

Maybe I wasn't in the right frame of mind when I picked it up. Usually, Norman's writing has a certain charm that washes over me like warm sea water. It makes me smile and shake my head in wonder at how he manages to have such an enormous ego within his fun-sized body. But this time, it was different.

I actually liked the opening of this book. It had a great premise. A drunk and down-and-out writer wakes up after a wild bender to find a lot of blood in his car and a nagging suspicion that he may have murdered one or two women. It was quite intriguing at first.

However, after the opening chapters, I got really annoyed with all the tedious macho homophobic crap that followed. Maybe it was all supposed to be clever insights into masculinity that I'm just too dumb and lazy to unpack. But to me, it just read like a book written by a little man with a complex.

That's right, Norman, I called you a little man. If you wanna step outside, I'll take you on. You're no Dostoyevsky, that's for sure. Oh fuck, he's got a knife! This unexpected turn of events really added to the drama and my frustration with the whole situation.

I'm still not sure if I'll finish reading this book or just throw it across the room.

This rather confusing book comes to an end very quickly and surprisingly.

Tim Madden wakes up from a drug/alcohol-induced stupor only to discover that he has a tattoo and there is blood all over his car.

He then begins to piece together what actually happened during that "evening before".

It is not one of Mailer's finest works, but it definitely manages to hold your interest throughout the last 100 pages.

The story takes some unexpected turns as Tim delves deeper into the mystery.

You find yourself constantly wondering what really happened and how Tim will untangle the web of events.

The author does a decent job of creating a sense of mystery and suspense, even if the overall plot may not be as strong as some of Mailer's other works.

Despite its flaws, this book is still worth a read if you're looking for a quick and engaging mystery.

Noir, psychological thriller, hard boiled: If we really want to label it, this work draws from these genres.

A mediocre, semi-failed writer, who has also spent three years in prison for cocaine trafficking, is in crisis as he has been abandoned by his wife. After twenty-four days of semi-isolation, he allows himself an evening in a bar to get drunk; here he meets a couple of foreigners – he seems to be a vacationing lawyer, and she is a beautiful woman – with whom he can talk and continue drinking.

The next morning, he wakes up remembering nothing, but the car seats are dirty with blood, and soon in a hiding place that only he knows, he finds a female head in a bag… Thus begins a personal investigation to understand something, given that he could also be the culprit, while the "acting head" of the local police chief buzzes around him…

Set in the 1980s in Provincetown, near Cape Cod, in an autumn that makes the seaside town semi-deserted and the surrounding forests and nature as suggestive, it is a story of drunkenness à la Bukowski, machismo, sex bordering on pornography and perversion, cynicism in business and, of course… corpses.

The characters and language are often over the top, starting with the writer's father, an Irish ex-port worker who, at seventy years old and with cancer, has the clarity and stomach to solve embarrassing problems.

It is a much-talked-about story where the protagonists – the writer in particular – talk and tell each other about their experiences (and the past reflects on the present). Norman Mailer is good at doing this in a fluid way, inserting them into the main plot, but sometimes he sins of excessive verbosity.

If among the strengths there is a certain unity of time and place – the entire story takes place within a few days in Cape Cod and its surroundings – and a limited number of characters, on the other hand, the plot perhaps complicates more than it should, in such a jumble that it leads to a far too convoluted solution.

A genre novel by a writer who is not of the genre: a way to tell his own vision of the American way of life in the eighties? Beyond any label, it remains a pleasant escapist read recommended to fans of hard boiled / noir novels. Three and a half stars.

The plot and characters in this work are truly ridiculous. It's almost beyond belief how absurd they can be.

However, what really stands out is the writing style. It's simply great!

And let's not forget, it's none other than Mailer, man! His unique approach to storytelling is on full display here.

We have elements like weed and decapitated broads, which add an extra layer of shock and intrigue.

Despite the absurdity, there's something about Mailer's writing that keeps you hooked.

Maybe it's the way he weaves together these strange and often disturbing elements into a narrative that, for all its flaws, still manages to capture your attention.

Love him or hate him, you can't deny that Mailer has a way with words that few others can match.

So, even if the plot and characters are a bit much to handle at times, the writing style alone makes this work worth checking out.

After all, it's not every day that you come across a writer who can make you laugh, cringe, and think all at the same time.

Mailer is truly one of a kind, and this work is a testament to his talent and creativity.

I read this novel a very long time ago.

If I say too much, it will give away all the juicy bits.

It's a twisted tale that involves murder, jealousy, drug abuse, and sex.

Yet, it remains gripping until the very end.

As I was reading, I found myself increasing my regular chapter-a-day pace.

I guess I re-read this book because the first time, I was completely caught up in the way Norman Mailer told the story.

The second time was to reconnect the dots, and I discovered that I liked it even more.

I will definitely read more by the same author as the star ratings don't suggest that this is his best work.

The characters in the book are extremely vivid, and I can easily form mental images of each and every one of them.

I also liked his detailed description of all the places in the novel, which allowed me to envision all the dark and dirty elements that set the scene.

This is a novel that is best enjoyed in one's head and is not suitable for the screen as so much of the tension would not translate well onto the screen.

Moreover, there were moments of humour that unexpectedly popped out and made me giggle, even if one wasn't supposed to be amused.

I'm really looking forward to reading more of his works.

I really liked the descriptions of P-town and Cape Cod, which is where we live. It was interesting to read about the familiar places through the author's eyes.

Some of the characters were quite engaging, especially the hard-nosed father. His no-nonsense attitude added a certain charm to the story.

However, a lot of what happened in the book just didn't make sense to me. How could someone commit murder over a real estate deal? And the severed heads and seances? It all seemed a bit far-fetched.

The protagonist's complete lack of memory about important events was also not believable. If I had committed such a heinous act as murdering someone and cutting off their head just a week ago, I'm pretty sure I would remember it.

I also didn't care for the overly detailed vaginal descriptions and the constant macho posturing. It felt like the author was trying too hard to shock the readers, Mr. Mailer. It seemed like a cheap literary trick to me.

While reading this book by Norman Mailer, I often found myself thinking, "This novel is by Norman Mailer and its title is 'Tough Guys...'. I think Mailer is trying to enhance his tough guy image." There was just too much of the celebrity author's personality shining through, and it detracted from the story for me.

Overall, while there were some aspects of the book that I liked, the flaws were too significant for me to fully enjoy it.

One of the best things I've read lately. Mailer's narrative, the plot and its evolution along with that of the characters make this novel a pure and hard outstanding one. A 100% noir novel, with the necessary background and undercurrents. I was missing a reading like this.

The story unfolds in a captivating manner, drawing the reader in from the very beginning. The vivid descriptions of the settings and the complex personalities of the characters add depth and authenticity to the narrative. As the plot progresses, the reader is taken on a thrilling journey filled with mystery, suspense, and unexpected twists.

Mailer's writing style is both engaging and powerful, allowing the reader to fully immerse themselves in the world of the novel. The use of language and the pacing of the story keep the reader on the edge of their seat, eager to discover what will happen next. This novel is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good noir story or is a fan of Mailer's work.

Tough guys don't dance. It's an atypical giallo, with the father and the son, the past and present women, Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod, the beaches of wealthy New Yorkers out of season, just like the protagonist. There are fewer stars because Mailer wasn't able to completely purge the book of belletrism and leaves some pieces needlessly quite cerebral.

Mailer's work here is a complex exploration of relationships and emotions. The story weaves through different locations and time periods, painting a vivid picture of a world that is both glamorous and troubled. The characters are well-developed, with their own flaws and desires.

However, the presence of belletrism sometimes detracts from the overall impact of the narrative. Some of the more cerebral passages feel out of place and make the story seem a bit too convoluted. Despite this, "Tough guys don't dance" is still a worthwhile read for those interested in Mailer's work and in exploring the darker side of human nature.

"Como debajo de tanta carcasa al final solo están las entrañas." This profound statement holds a certain truth. Beneath the tough exterior, the real essence lies within. Just like a person may present a strong and composed front to the world, but deep inside, there are emotions, dreams, and fears.

We often judge others based on their appearance or the surface-level characteristics. However, it is only when we take the time to look beyond the carcasa that we can truly understand them. The entrañas represent the core of a being, the part that is hidden from view.

Sometimes, we ourselves may try to hide our true selves behind a mask. But in the end, it is important to embrace our entrañas and be true to who we are. Only then can we find genuine connection and fulfillment.

So, let us not be deceived by the carcasa. Instead, let us have the courage to explore and understand the entrañas within ourselves and others.