Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Charlie Rose's Tuesday, May 11, 2010 conversation with Norris Church Mailer - a memoir called "A Ticket to the Circus" about her life with Norman Mailer

CHARLIE ROSE: Norris Church Mailer is here. For 27 years she was
married to one of this country’s great writers, Norman Mailer. When she
first met him at a party in Arkansas she was a high school art teacher
named Barbara Jean David and she wanted her book signed. A relationship
ensued, and she followed him to New York City for the rest of his life.

In addition to a career in acting and modeling and painting, she is
also a writer. She recently published her third book, a memoir titled "A
Ticket to the Circus." I’m pleased to have my friend Norris Church Mailer
toe this program. Welcome.

NORRIS CHURCH MAILER, AUTHOR: Thank you, Charlie.

CHARLIE ROSE: When you first met him what did you think?

NORRIS CHURCH MAILER: Well, when I first saw him I was expecting this
old guy because I knew he was as old as my father, anyway, since he’d been
in the war.

And I had walked into this party which I finagled to invite myself to
because it was for the English faculty of the college and I was teaching at
the high school. I heard he was going to be there and I really wanted to
get my book signed because I had aspirations to be a writer. I subscribed
to the "New Yorker" and I thought I was an intellectual in Russellville,
Arkansas.

So I was allowed to come to the party and walked to the door, and he
was sitting in front of the window. And I was wearing blue jeans, and I
thought I’m not going to change clothes for this. I’ll be very casual.
And everybody was dressed hundred their suits and ties and English faculty

You can view the full interview here, or you can read the transcript here. See also: A Ticket to the Circus: A Memoir, Charlie Rose - British elections / Nouriel Roubini / Norris Church Mailer (May 11, 2010), Cheap Diamonds: A Novel

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