My post ref blurbs from correspondence

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Author Message   Richard Fulgham (Unregistered Guest) Work-in-progress guest Posted From: user-2ivekqm.dialup.mindspring.com Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) Posted on Friday, September 03, 2004 - 05:22 am:    Now I can tell you. Norman Mailer and I began a nice pen-pal relationship back in 1971. I got him to correspond with me by promising that I would never ask him for help of any kind. I kept my word. Of course I'm not going to use his personal letters. By the way, he is not at all like Time Magazine portrayed him back in the '50s and '60s. He's given me a wealth of hard won knowledge and a very real emotional support -- even when I kept dipping into suicidal depressions bacfk in the '70s. I had supper with him and his family August before last. He's kept me going and he's been through a lot of unfair persecution and humiliation, as well as plenty of praise and big time literary awards. He suffered the worst and enjoyed the best because he is brave. I could give him a call but not to ask him to use his letters in a commercial way.   Laurel Johnson Unity Member Post Number: 3348 Registered: 01-2002 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) Posted on Friday, September 03, 2004 - 05:46 am:    The truth behind the public persona is always somewhere in between the hype and the reality. Yes, you are right. I cannot think of any famous writer who has been publicly praised and vilified more than Mailer, except maybe Kerouac. I'm glad you had his support andfriendship during good times and bad, Richard. He is a man of many layers and depths. You are right to keep your promise to him.