The work that best represents the History of the USA in the 21st century. Through this book, one can better understand the war in Vietnam. A bloody war that divided the Americans.

It is a different story by mixing the journalistic text with the fictional text. The hero Mailer organizes a march to the Pentagon that aims to end the injustices and show what the violent interventions of the army are. It is inspired by the march of the blacks. And it demonstrates the violence and the "killing" of that horrible war.

"The Armies of the Night" corresponds to a novel within a novel. It has the narrative of the journalist and the narrative of the historian. At the end, a myth of a nation that became great through many sacrifices, not all of them deserved, emerges.

This work provides a unique perspective on the Vietnam War and its impact on American society. It shows the different sides of the conflict and how it affected people's lives. The combination of journalistic and fictional elements makes it a captivating read that engages the reader on multiple levels.

Overall, "The Armies of the Night" is a significant work that offers valuable insights into a crucial period in American history.

Norman Mailer, one of the most celebrated American writers in recent times, joined the current of the “new journalism” with his work “The Armies of the Night” published in 1968. The book narrates the events that took place around October 21, 1967, in Washington D.C. when a multitude of hundreds of thousands of people marched to the Pentagon facilities to protest against the Vietnam War.

We are located in the United States, right after the so-called “summer of love.” Hippies proliferated in the big cities, mainly in San Francisco and New York. The North American militia already had more than two years of military intervention in Vietnam, and the debate was in the air; the artistic and intellectual community leaned towards the immediate withdrawal of the troops, but the conservative and official circles deployed their propaganda in favor of the war. So, a great protest march was organized, which was immortalized in that series of photographs in which young hippies placed flowers in the barrels of the rifles of the police officers.

Every protest demonstration has its interesting human details; these concentrations can bring together people of very different kinds. Their coexistence (in other cases improbable) is curious. The success of many marches lies in their ability to maintain unity. Another significant fact is that the protesters are generally young students or middle-class people with some level of education, while the guards dedicated to containing them are always people of humble origin who understand very little about the situation and the historical moment. In the way these officers act, social conscience does not count at all, but only the psychology of those who receive orders for a confrontation they do not understand.

In “The Armies of the Night,” Mailer develops this type of concept based on his own experience (the author was arrested that same day, spending the night in an improvised jail with other protesters). He supports the individual point of view, representing other intellectuals who accompanied him, such as the poet Robert Lowell, the journalist Dwight McDonald, and the philosopher Noam Chomsky. The book talks about them and other personalities, as well as the background of the march, the excesses of some protesters, and the dissuasive tactics of the guards and the always present infiltrators.

When narrating a historical event, it is practically impossible for Mailer to offer an appearance of fiction. However, the writer manages to narrate his version of the events as if it were a postmodern novel, with an elegant language and an unusual stylistic freedom. The author submits to the rigors of journalistic research and nothing more.

The choice of the narrator is quite strange; the writer places himself as the protagonist of the novel, but does not narrate in the first person. So, we have a story in which the author talks about himself in the third person, which is not without danger. By detaching himself from the narrator and doubling his ego, Mailer seems like a narcissist who gives himself excessive importance and also justifies himself on repeated occasions (in fact, the novel’s premise is based on disproving what was said at the time in “Time” magazine). It is true that as we progress in our reading, the character exercises self-criticism and can even (or tries to) ridicule himself. However, in the literary sense, this narrator is suspicious and even bizarre.

In most of the book, the prose gravitates free of all convention. It gives the impression that the academic rules of the novel are shattered (which for 1968 is quite normal). Nevertheless, within that “anarchy,” the writer deploys a notable elegance and profusion. The main characteristic of Mailer is to extend himself by narrating all the events (including the most insignificant) and also to get distracted with details unrelated to the story. Let’s say that our writer likes to “go off on tangents,” which (unfortunately for the less experienced readers) makes the action quite slow.

In summary, the work seemed to me very interesting for the historical information and for the theme in which I was deeply interested. As a journalistic testimony, it is a notable book (indeed, it was awarded the Pulitzer Prize). However, as a narrative art, the novel is not so satisfactory as it tends to become too personal and extensive. Fortunately, the “second book” (from page 250) expands the informative scope and corrects the extravagances of the narrator, offering eighty more enjoyable pages. Without a doubt, “The Armies of the Night” is a book of great value, but I would only recommend it to those interested in the specific topic. Those who seek an entertaining novel should refrain. (Besides, the Spanish translation by Editorial Anagrama is not very good).

I really enjoyed reading the book.

Mailer? He was truly a remarkable figure. He was like a walking, talking Ego that seemed to have an almost unrivaled dominance over the literary scene in America for an extremely long period of time.

His presence was so powerful and influential that it was impossible to ignore. He had a unique way of expressing himself and his ideas, which captivated the minds of many readers and writers alike.

His works were often controversial, but that only added to his allure. He was not afraid to push the boundaries and challenge the status quo, and this made him a truly iconic figure in the world of literature.

Overall, I found his story and his contributions to the literary world to be both fascinating and inspiring.

I'm not sure why but it seemed to me as grandiloquent as it was superficial.

It might have been the excessive use of flowery language that gave the impression of grandiloquence. The words seemed to be chosen more for their impressiveness rather than for their accuracy in conveying the intended meaning.

At the same time, upon closer inspection, the content appeared to be rather shallow. There was a lack of depth and substance, as if the author was more concerned with making a showy display than with presenting a well-thought-out argument or idea.

This combination of grandiloquence and superficiality left me with a sense of dissatisfaction. It made me question the authenticity and value of what was being presented.

In conclusion, while the initial appearance might have been eye-catching, the overall impression was one of hollowness.

**A Novel History**

This account of the 1967 anti-Vietnam war March on the Pentagon, which is loosely "fictionalised", won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. While some of Mailer's concerns may seem dated, like much of Sixties culture, re-reading it was an enjoyable experience for me. I suspect my views on Sixties politics were shaped by my first reading. Despite its flaws, it has had a lasting effect on me.

**History as a Novel**

The work is divided into two parts. Part I is New Journalism, with the author inserted as a semi-fictional protagonist. Mailer was both a speaker and a demonstrator at the events. He justifies choosing himself as the protagonist, saying an eyewitness who is a participant but not a partisan is needed, and he is ambiguous in his proportions, a comic hero. Despite his egotism, he also portrays himself as a clown. His sense of humour broadens his rhetorical palette, though it doesn't quite balance his egotism.

**The Novel as History**

Part II dispenses with the artifice of Part I and quotes liberally from other contemporary accounts. It shows that if these accounts had formed the basis of History, it would have been erroneous. In this light, Part I is an equally valid contribution to History, even if it's a subjective account. The two parts together contribute to a History that might be derived from different perspectives.

**Stormin' Norman**

Mailer's stance on any issue is often adversary or contrarian. However, he gives ample airtime to his adversaries and his accounts of their views are often fair. His own views may not always be reliable or persuasive, but he tells both sides of the story, unlike much contemporary journalism or historical analysis.

**Moral Action, Not Just Calculus**

Until the March, Mailer expressed his opposition to the Vietnam War through his writing. The March presented an opportunity and a challenge for him to participate in political action. There comes a time when moral calculus isn't enough; if you care about a subject, it has to be translated into action. Mailer's contribution to the March, though small, was significant. Morality is about action as well as thinking. A writer who fails to acknowledge this risks being trapped in the world of art for art's sake.
**The Theatre of Ideas**

Mailer's politics were in a state of flux in 1967. He was sandwiched between the Old Left and the New Left. The March was a unique coalition of the two. The Old Left represented rationality and logic, while the New Left was less dependent on these and adored Che Guevara. Mailer was more sympathetic to the New Left, but his analysis was superficial. The New Left opposed "the Authority" and believed in nihilism. Mailer had some sympathy for these views but also had differences with the hippies, such as their drug of choice. He also believed that a failed nihilism would accelerate totalitarianism.
**The Beast**

Mailer describes one of his personae as "the Beast", which represents his animalistic nature. It may be the Ego or the Id, opposed to the oppressiveness of society. There is little discussion of Freud in the novel, but it's possible that the Beast is related to these Freudian concepts.
**Sexuality and Guilt**

Mailer raises the issues of sexuality and guilt in the context of his discussion of sex. His adversary, Paul Goodman, believes all forms of sexuality are equally valid and should not be associated with guilt. Mailer, however, advocates only heterosexuality and believes guilt is a vital part of the pleasure derived from sexual activity. He thinks sex without social sanction would be dull.
**Great Balls of Defiance**

Mailer's philosophy requires an adversary to defy. He is interested in the creativity that emerges from conflict. He describes the symbolic battle between demonstrator and soldier in this way.
**Beauty and the Beast**

Mailer's ideas about women are very male-oriented. Women are the object upon which the male subject acts. Sex is the vehicle for male self-expression, and women are passive vehicles. There is no sense of a mutual relationship. Interestingly, men have to earn their beastliness, according to Mailer. Masculinity and sex are like sporting activities, and women are the playing field.
**We Can Be Heroes**

Mailer wanted to portray modern life as a heroic encounter, but his misogynist and homophobic views undermine this. However, there is something to be salvaged from his focus on dynamism and activism. The quality of his prose is excellent, despite his flaws.
**A Private Mixture**

Mailer defines his political views as a "private mixture" of different ideologies. This mix may not have made sense at the time, but now it's possible to reconcile the inconsistencies into one worldview. It's refreshing to read a comprehensive and well-written moral calculus and primer for action that's less than 300 pages long.

The first thing one should be aware of regarding Norman Mailer is that approximately 8 years prior to penning The Armies of the Night, at a party, he nearly committed murder. He stabbed his then-second wife, Adele Morales, with a penknife in the chest, narrowly missing her heart, and also in the back. Subsequently, he attempted to prevent others from rushing her to the hospital. Fortunately, his efforts were in vain. For this heinous crime, he ultimately received a suspended sentence and probation, largely because Morales, out of concern for their two children, declined to press charges against him, after he was involuntarily committed to Bellevue Hospital for 17 days. Throughout the remainder of his long life (he passed away in 2007 at the age of 84), he showed no remorse whatsoever, except for a single mention of regret to a talk show host near the end of his life.

The Armies of the Night is Mailer's account of the November 1967 March on the Pentagon, in which he and numerous other literary and antiwar luminaries, including Robert Lowell, Dwight MacDonald, and Dr. Benjamin Spock, participated. In the first part of the book, titled History As a Novel, Mailer recounts his personal experience of the march in a third-person novelistic style, referring to himself as Mailer. The second part, The Novel As History, presents a straightforward historical account of the march. Mailer's contention is that social history cannot be written as objective history because, in the simplest terms, there are not only an abundance of personal viewpoints, but the entire affair is essentially a matter of personal perspective.

History As a Novel is mainly interesting as a vivid portrayal of Mailer's simultaneously outsized ego and profound insecurity. He endeavors to be self-deprecating, yet for the most part manages only to be self-pitying. He even subjects the reader to a whiny comparison of being arrested at the march with his "previous" experience of being arrested and the subsequent torment of fearful uncertainty after "assaulting" (not almost fatally stabbing in the chest and back) his second wife.

The Novel As History, since it pertains to the event rather than him, is far more engaging. He offers some rather disturbing descriptions, both his own and through extended quotes from witnesses and newspaper articles of the time, of the extreme brutality, including horrific beatings and clubbings, in which female protesters were singled out for the worst physical savagery. This is a part of the history of the 1967 March on the Pentagon that I personally was ignorant of. Subsequently, of course, it was justified, excused, condoned, and covered up, both by the Pentagon and the media. However, throughout my reading of this undeniably vivid and gripping account of soldiers beating women into a bloody pulp, I was also marvelling at the schizophrenic denial, implicit by omission, of Norman Mailer's own misogyny and violent, indeed murderous, personal history with the women in his life, women he had vowed to love, respect, honor, and cherish.

#1 of 26: Very, very good.

New York Magazine's New York Canon is an extremely interesting and significant collection. It presents a curated list of various elements that are considered representative of the essence of New York. This canon likely includes everything from iconic landmarks and cultural institutions to renowned personalities and influential events. Each item on the list has its own story and significance, contributing to the rich tapestry that is New York City. By exploring the New York Canon, readers can gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the unique character and魅力 of this vibrant metropolis. It serves as a reminder of the city's past achievements and a source of inspiration for its future. Whether you are a long-time resident or a first-time visitor, the New York Canon offers a fascinating glimpse into the heart and soul of New York.

Given the lunatic self-importance of this book's first section, which is a third-person novel with the author as its hero. There are also some truly annoying prose tendencies. For example, in this book, the things that are like other things are outnumbered by things that are "not unlike" other things by at least five to one. And Mailer has apparently never seen an authority figure that he couldn't best describe physically by assigning them a position on an American football team. However, the fact that "The Armies of Night" ends up being more fascinating than it is irritating is truly a remarkable testament. It shows what a smart, perceptive, and talented motherfucker the author was who wrote it.

In this nonfiction novel, Mailer presents a vivid and complex portrayal of the “Mailer” character. He is depicted as a glowering, self-important drunk, with his main life objective seemingly being to drown in a combination of whiskey and public praise.

Mailer himself admits that his attendance at the 1967 March on the Pentagon is a concession to his moral opposition to the Vietnam War, even though he would have preferred to practice this opposition at the posh cocktail parties he often attended. Reluctantly, he participates in the march, but he flings contempt in every direction – at the young, the old, the radicals, and even at himself. Interestingly, Mailer reserves praise only for those who view him with skepticism, perhaps to reveal the angry and disturbed man hidden beneath the surface.

The Mailer character is unappealing in many ways, aside from some occasional acts of kindness, like when he plays games with kids in jail. Additionally, his every negative comment can be seen as a meta-act of elaborate, tongue-in-cheek self-abasement.

Unfortunately, his writing style is quite egoistic and rather conflicting. When he writes about “Mailer” in the third person, his wives, his favoritism for his sons over his daughters, makes a few flip remarks about Vietnam, provides a brief history of the civil rights movement and key players, and indulges in much self-congratulatory exaggeration about the cool NY literary parties he attended.

If I were to recommend this book to someone, that person would have to be quite an accepting and open-minded individual due to the strong leftist ideas presented in the novel. However, the book as a whole isn't that bad. It does offer a different and more analytical perspective on some of the most influential political events that took place. The only drawback is that to truly understand everything, one would have to read the book very carefully, which might seem like a chore.

I rate this book 3 stars because it is indeed a challenging and very knowledgeable read. However, there are some extreme comments that make the reader question what exactly they are getting themselves into. Overall, it was a decent read.

Brilliant!

This is an immediate, vivid, and engaging fly-on-the-wall account of some serious world/historical events that have had a significant impact on America.

It is a classic, and rightfully so.

What's interesting is that Mailer said he was surprised when he discovered the refer-to-yourself-in-the-3rd-person voice, which was the essential narrative innovation of the book.

He recalled that when he was a student at Harvard, he was assigned "The Autobiography of Henry Adams" and thought the third-person referential move was strange. He put the book aside and didn't think about it for years.

However, later on, he found himself using this narrative technique in his own work, perhaps unconsciously influenced by that earlier encounter with "The Autobiography of Henry Adams."

This shows how literary traditions and innovations can have a lasting impact, even if they are initially overlooked or misunderstood.

Overall, this account provides a fascinating glimpse into Mailer's creative process and the evolution of his writing style.

It also serves as a reminder of the power of literature to capture and convey the essence of historical events and their significance.

In ‘The Armies of the Night,’ Norman Mailer engages in an interesting play with the distinction between fact and fiction. There is a good reason for this: this work is mainly focused on various distinctions. It delves into the differences between individuals and groups, the self and the perceived self, as well as individuals and the government. Mailer frequently and conspicuously inserts his pseudo-fictional counterpart. This is done to create a certain distance between the complex and often difficult facts of the matter and the reader. I believe Mailer aims to overwhelm the reader, but not all at once.

However, the egotism (or perhaps it is narcissism?), sexism, homophobia, racism, and general ignorance present in the work make it a challenging read. I am also uncertain as to whether Mailer truly understood existentialism. Although important questions are raised and poignant ideas are put forward for discussion, it is difficult for the reader to pay attention to these when Mailer constantly refers to himself in the third person. He seems to be saying, "Look at me, look at me!" instead of allowing the reader to become fully immersed in the work.

All in all, ‘The Armies of the Night’ can be a good conversation piece, but it is a rather dull read.

I have a distinct memory of reading this book during my college days and having a certain liking for it. However, when I revisited it more than 40 years later, the experience was markedly different. The book was highly lauded in its time, winning both the prestigious Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, perhaps due to its rather innovative style. Nevertheless, I would not recommend it.

The initial part of the book, titled "History as a Novel," which centered solely on the author, failed to engage me. The antiwar demonstration that served as the subject matter was indeed a significant event. But for Mailer, the most crucial aspect seemed to be his own presence. The narrative lacked absorption, as Mailer was completely self-absorbed to the point of narcissism. He made numerous peculiar comparisons in this section. For instance, he likened his hangover to the effects of napalm, a comparison that would surely seem inappropriate to those who have actually suffered from napalm burns. He also compared the minimum security prison where he was briefly detained to a concentration camp, which was a rather stretch. Then he speculated that perhaps he received a longer sentence than other demonstrators so that he could meet a fate similar to Oswald, being gunned down in jail by Jack Ruby. It all seemed a bit excessive.

Mailer provided muddled explanations of the stances of both pro-war and antiwar advocates. His portrayals were overly simplistic and failed to seriously grapple with the complex issues at hand. He resorted to a great deal of stereotyping, particularly when it came to southerners, members of the New Left, and the military personnel he encountered at the Pentagon. His observations of Black people were especially noteworthy. From reading this, one might assume that Mailer had very limited contact with the Black community. He presented Blacks as some sort of exotic other. His imagining of what a Black demonstrator might say to a Black soldier assigned to guard the Pentagon was perhaps one of the most embarrassing passages I have ever come across in a book.

Book 2, "the Novel as History," was marginally better. Mailer abandoned his self-focus and attempted to present a factual account of the negotiations leading up to the demonstrations and the demonstrations themselves. Parts of this were interesting, mainly due to the contributions of other journalists whose work was quoted in this section. Eventually, however, he gave up and conceded that it was not truly possible to provide a completely factual rendition of events, given the plethora of conflicting versions.

The best part of the entire book was the final five pages. Here, Mailer shared with us what happened to the most dedicated and uncompromising of the protesters and the sacrifices they made in坚守 their principles. The writing in this section was compelling and powerful, as the acts described were of such a nature. It stood in sharp contrast to Mailer's own story, where he seemed mostly preoccupied with getting out of jail so that he could attend the next party.

Yes, I'm certain that I must have overlooked something, considering the high regard in which this book is held. But I'm content to leave it behind and move on.