The Big Empty: Dialogues on Politics, Sex, God, Boxing, Morality, Myth, Poker and Bad Conscience in America

Book Description

“Questions are posed,” writes Norman Mailer, “in the hope they will open into richer insights, which in turn will bring forth sharper questions.” In this series of conversations, John Buffalo Mailer, 27, poses a series of questions to his father, challenging the reflections and insights of the man who has dominated and defined much of American letters for the past sixty years.

Their wide-ranging discussions take place over the course of a year, beginning in July 2004. Set against the backdrop of George W. Bush’s re-election campaign and the war in Iraq, each considers what it means to live in America today. John asks his father to look back to World War II, and explore the parallels that can—and cannot—be drawn between that time and our current post-9/11 consciousness.

As their conversations develop, the topics shift from the political to the personal to the political again, as they duck and weave around one another. They explore their shared admiration of boxing and poker, the nature of marriage and love, television, movies, writing, and what it means to be a part of this extraordinary family.

Customer Reviews:

Perhaps one of our few chances left... .......2006-04-02

Growing up in the sixties, I guess I took Norman Mailer for granted.
Boy, I'll never do that, again.
After all, there was a time when people like Mailer, Joan Didion and her husband, John Gregory Dunne, actually had a regular column, each month, in places like Esquire magazine. And, people such as myself could count on brilliant, independent minds, capable of executing a great novel, providing periodic commentary on the times we were living in (through?). And, the books they wrote were still events: much read, much discussed, and looking back, they were actually what kept us, sane- at least those of us for whom sanity was a virtue.
But, tragically, those days are officially gone.
We now have any number of empty, babbling, pundits; essentially employees of General Electric, Westinghouse, Disney, News Corp and/or TimeWarner, whom we allow to define the day's agenda. What's left of the "culture", is divided up among television, movies, the Internet, and radio... probably in that order.
We actually have nothing left that can be referred to, with any seriousness, as a "culture". We just have different corporate entities using different means of entertainment with which they focus our attention on anything other than what it mean to be "alive" or truly "human". It's a very extraordinary, and extraordinarly dangerous period of history to be living in.
I remember someone on some talk show way back in the early 70's saying that "we're the last ones [that generation, not this] who will remember what it was "like".
Well, here is someone who not only remembers what it was like, but can still, at the age of 83, compare "it" to how it is now, and leave one grateful, shell-shocked, aching for a change of guard, and thanking one's lucky stars for the privilege.
Plus, apart from the conversation bewteen Mailer and his son, there is also an essay inserted right in the middle of the book which alone is worth the price. It is called "Myth Versus Hypothesis", and despite the pretentious title, it is one of the best pieces of political writing I've ever seen in my life. It was apparently delivered as the Keynote Address during Harvard's Commencement Ceremony in 2004. I have not been able to find it anywhere on the Internet, so I do not believe it was ever published elsewhere. I challenge anyone to produce anything comparable, which has appeared in recent years in any magazine, newspaper, etc.
Mailer has lived and learned quite a bit in his time. And I can not exaggerate the value of this gem for those of us who can still appreciate the "Real McCoy", or for those who who would genuinely like to briefly step out of their "Orgasmatron" and actually visit what was once the late, great planet Earth.
I once read that the great French novelist and mystic Romain Rolland carried a copy of Goethe's "Faust" with him at all times ("my constant companion") for his entire adult life. I'm not comparing this book to "Faust", or Mailer to Goethe, or suggesting to anyone that they do the same with it. But, I did recall that statement of Rolland's while reading "The Big Empty". Because it reminded me of how there a just a few rare indivifuals in any epoch that can really help make their age TRULY intelligible to their fellow travellors.
Norman Mailer proves that here... in spades.

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This Book Won't Leave You Empty
Empty
Life or Death
The Big Nothing
couldn't put this down

The Big Empty
J.B. Stephens
Manufacturer: Razorbill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1595140069

Book Description

One year ago, a devastating plague called Strain 7 killed three quarters of the human race. Around the world, power systems failed and supply chains screeched to a halt. The surviving population of the United States has been relocated to the coasts; the heartland is now a wasteland called The Big Empty. But seven teens trying to put their lives back together will learn that the abandoned zone holds danger, secrets, and above all, hope.

Customer Reviews:

This Book Won't Leave You Empty.......2005-12-16

When a respiratory disease makes all wrong in the world, an adventure is about to begin. The actions starts when a teenage girl, Keely Gilmore, a girl whose mother hung her out to dry, begins to receive mysterious e-mails, but she is not the only one. Along with six other teens, they stride to reach a common goal; a better life.

Strain 7 has taken over half of the human population. About every human being on Earth has lost a loved one. The president is a former sports reporter that has declared an unlimited government. But now, the teens are trying to escape.

The Big Empty was a book for the complex reader. But when I look back, my favorite scenes are very confusing and you have to reread them sometimes to understand them. One is at the beginning when one of the teens is shot on his grandmother's farm. I also liked when all the characters met up. The end left me buzzing for hours after I was done with the story.

My favorite character had to be Michael, a teen whose father was a business man and seemed to know the art of trade. He was a rebel who was a natural leader and stood up for the right thing. My least favorite character is Michael's ex-girlfriend Maggie, a ditsy girl who is totally oblivious to the world around her. She was annoying and reminded me of Dory from "Finding Nemo" and Maggie wasn't funny.

All though this story takes place in an alternate present, many modern day teens can relate to the characters. This book is a killer read.

Empty.......2005-12-02

A deadly strain of a respiratory illness has decimated the world's population. Everyone is familiar with death as Decontamination Units round up the dead. The newly self-attested President has declared martial law and evacuated all surviving US citizens to the coastal cities to pull their resources. With the lack of a working population, everyone must survive on food rations and protein shakes. A year later, the story to The Big Empty begins. Keely, a former prep-school student, Irene, a medical school wanna-be, and Jonah began their individual treks toward Novo Mundum, a secret utopia nestled in the evacuated zone nicknamed "The Big Empty." Along the way, Keely's path crosses with Amber, a pregnant juvenile delinquent set on catching up to the boyfriend who abandoned her. Irene's path is joined with Diego, a teen recently shot by a soldier for being in the big empty. Finally, Jonah is joined by Michael and Maggie, an odd couple escaping from a crime they did not commit. These seven teens all coincidently end up in the city of Clearwater, avoiding soldiers and the renegade group "The Slash," while trying to locate the safe haven of Novo Mundum.

The plot sounds EXCELENT! I was thrilled when I read the back synopsis... After reading the book, I was disappointed. This plot has so many avenues for twists, turns, surprises, close calls, and adventure. I felt like Mr. Stephens missed all of them. All of the characters winding up in the same city was a little too clean cut. For an area without any supplies, the group never seemed to have trouble surviving without drawing unwanted attention. Most of the characters were two-dimensional and bordering on stereotypical. In developing his characters, Mr. Stephens left little to the imagination. Like the other reviewer noted, he did much more showing than telling. All of the characters thoughts and motives were laid clearly out without leaving the reader any of the excitement of inferring. This constant strand of character thought also resulted in annoying repetition. I was never able to fully believe in the characters or connect with any of them. Instead, I felt it was a distant read and I really didn't care what happened to them in the end.

The underlying concept of this book merits 5 stars...the writing deserves 2.

Life or Death .......2005-09-28

Could you imagine losing over one-forth of the U.S. population and evacuating many states because of one disease, the Strain 7? People everywhere not knowing what to do with themselves, because many jobs are now worthless. Quit imagining. A small group of people who can't stand the outer world form a town letting people join only to make them stronger.
One of the many things I liked about this book were the different lives all seven people were leading to have all ended up at the same place. Another thing I liked was the drama that happened to each person because there was never a dull moment. One of my dislikes would have to be the ending because it wasn't how I had expected it to end.
I think that if you have ever read The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants then this would be a great life drama story for you to try.

The Big Nothing.......2005-06-02

I'm sorry, I'm confused. Someone actually believes this novel deserves to be called a novel? When I read what it was about, I was excited. I thought it would address the issue of corruption, and maybe go into what the disease was or soemthing. Maybe there would be a connection with the disease and the government? Maybe they could have gone into more detail about the disease? And I'm not some old boring I-read-news-journals-every-day person. I like sci-fi and fantasy and teen novels! but I expected more.

Don't get me wrong, the storyline sounds great. I was genuinely excited about reading it. But the author can't get the idea of showing and not telling. The characters seem cookie cutter and bland. When they are stranded in the middle of a big empty space with some weird cult type thing after them, I would expect (and hope) to feel frightened for them. but I wasn't. Because I was actually kind of rooting for the bad guys. "Go on! Eat them up! Make something happen!" It's not that I don't want the good guys to prevail, but I didn't feel I knew the characters. The author talked about their past and what made them go, but I never felt it in my heart. I felt that the author was telling a heap of lies.

I was also incredibly dissapointed with the ending. I expected some showdown of some sort, but they manage to make it to the "paradise" without ever even facing the dreaded, merciless cult. For a group of seven teenagers, they hide from a great powerful cult rather well.

Stephens goes into the whole entire "I'm depressed. My mom/dad/boyfriend/girlfriend/sister/brother just died" routine before we get to know the characters. Therefore I felt absolutely no sympathy. In other books, like Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, I felt great sympathy for the main character and felt sad and angry right along with them. However, I felt strangely detached from Diego and Maggie and Keely and everyone else in The Big Empty. They didn't seem real to me.

Sephens needed to have gone into more detail about the government and the disease. I'm really interested in how the "president" came into power and what this disease is. I think Stephens should have begun the novel earlier and brougth us through the pains of the character instead of dropping us off in the middle of their crisis.

Maybe this book will work out when combined with the rest of the series, but it doesn't work alone. And I doubt many people are going to read the second after reading this.

couldn't put this down.......2004-12-11

I'm now usually a sci-fi reader, but a friend gave me the Big Empty and once i started reading I couldn't put it down. The characters really hit me, and though they live in harsh times, it's doesn't have the weirdness of scifi stuff that puts you off. I can't wait to see what happens to Michael and Amber and Keely.

The Big Empty: Contemporary Nebraska Nonfiction Writers

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The Big Empty: Contemporary Nebraska Nonfiction Writers

Manufacturer: Bison Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

A Different Plain: Contemporary Nebraska Fiction Writers

ASIN: 080329011X

Book Description

A vast, barren landscape or a place of subtle natural beauty; the middle of nowhere or the gateway to the cultural and historical riches of the West; many things to many people and a cipher to many more—the great state of Nebraska is by force of circumstances a place of possibilities. What these possibilities are and what they promise are precisely what the writers of The Big Empty tell us.

Exploring the state from its rural reaches to its urban engines, from its marvelous ecosystems to its myriad historical and cultural offerings, these narratives evoke Nebraska in all its facets. Writers as diverse as Ron Hansen, Ted Kooser, Michael Anania, Bob Kerrey, Mary Pipher, Delphine Red Shirt, and William Kloefkorn, among many others, bring a wealth of perspectives and styles to topics such as the Oregon Trail and the Cheyenne Exodus, farming and Internet cafés, politics, weather, and family secrets. The result is a portrait whose broad strokes and rich detail capture the mysterious character of Nebraska.

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THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!!!

Desolation Angels #3 (The Big Empty)
J.B. Stephens
Manufacturer: Razorbill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1595140085

Book Description

In the third installment of The Big Empty, the teens are on the run after making the shocking discovery that the leader of Novo Mundum, the secret community hidden in the middle of the evacuated Big Empty, is developing a new, even more dangerous virus.
The group faces a challenging trek through the forbidden zone as they search for someone they can trust. In a journey that will test their survival skills like nothing they've experienced so far, the teens' relationships are pushed to the breaking point, with one couple ripped apart for good. An unexpected reunion with someone from their past will prove to be a turning point-but will this familiar face bring salvation or ruin?

Customer Reviews:

THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!!!.......2005-10-14

I have read the who series, and oh my gosh this author is amazing. This book is so descriptive. You have to read it! Hope you enjoy The Big Empty Desolation Angel, and the rest of the Big Empty series.

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Paradise City (The Big Empty, Book 2)
J.B. Stephens
Manufacturer: Razorbill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1595140077

Book Description

The secret community of Novo Mundum promised everything seven teens craved when the world they knew crumbled around them. But soon they realize that Novo Mundum is far from perfect. In fact, someone inside has the power to create an even scarier crisis than Strain 7. This second installment takes readers deeper into the post-apocalyptic America from The Big Empty, following the characters as they uncover a shocking truth about the identity of the traitor

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The Big Empty
Des Dillon
Manufacturer: Argyll Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1874640084

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Futuristic intrigue

The Big Empty
James Luceno
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0345374495
Release Date: 1993-11-01

Customer Reviews:

Futuristic intrigue.......2002-07-03

Good story, set in a post-galactic-war future. Muse is a former intelligence operative who was implanted with cybernetics that allow him to communicate directly with machine intelligences/AIs. His wartime experiences have left him all but shattered, and emotionally unable to handle the "noise" of interaction with technology.

The peacetime government is beginning to investigate the postwar activities of some of the intelligence services' former ranking officials. When they try to find out about a particularly shady mission, Muse is identified as a possible source of information, and is summoned back to the capitol planet under the guise of a review of his disability benefits.

Naturally, the people who were involved in said shady mission would prefer it if Muse never arrived back home.

The story, characters and settings are refreshingly original. Luceno doesn't waste time explaining things that any SF veteran should be able to figure out on their own. In this regard, the book reads like the best of Joe Haldeman, though Luceno definitely has a voice of his own.

If you like hard SF, look this one up in a used bookstore near you.

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The Big Empty: Essays on Western Landscapes As Narrative

Manufacturer: Univ of New Mexico Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0826314732

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THE EXPATRIATE - Collected Short Stories: The Watchmaker; The End; Our Passion Lit the Night; The Nurse from Outer Space; Keeping Fit; Uncle Philbert and His Big Surprise; Straight Poker; After Dinner Butterflies; The Empty Room; Too Bad Galahad; Brothers
Matt Cohen
Manufacturer: General Publishing - New Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0773671900

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Here in the Big Empty
Mark Sanders
Manufacturer: Backwaters Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0976523140

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"...I must speak the truth."

shows the obstacles many experience on their paths to God

Soul Psychology: Keys to Ascension (The Ascension Series)
Joshua David Stone
Manufacturer: Light Technology Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 092938556X

Book Description

Modern psychology deals exclusively with personality, ignoring the dimensions of spirit and soul. This book provides ground-breaking theories and techniques for healing and self-realization. Topics covered include: the development of personal power and the functioning of the conscious and subconscious minds; unconditional self-love and the inner child; the Christ Consciousness and how to achieve it; physical immortality, and psychic self-defense.

Customer Reviews:

"...I must speak the truth.".......2001-06-22

The first couple of chapters of this book had some good reminders. In fact, the book is sprinkled with good thoughts and ideas. I was very glad to have found it in on my bookshelf this week.

It's not very well written, however. Whole chunks (multiple-paragraph chunks) are repeated a number of times in the book, ver batim. (I got it the first time.)

Stone talks about the importance of transcending the ego, yet his ego gets in the way a lot. He has a chapter of "Pitfalls and Traps on the Path to Ascension". He forgot one: Vanity in your spiritual achievement / superiority. It must be difficult to write a book like this with your ego on the side, but a good editor should have been able to help with this.

He also warns against being judgmental, yet he devotes a chapter--a long chapter--to ripping traditional therapy to shreds. He justifies his judgment as "wielding the sword of discernment". ("Psychiatry is a nitemare. I hate to be so blunt and don't mean to be critical; however, if I am going to wield the sword of discernment, I must speak the truth.") This was just the most blatant example of judgment.

Nevertheless, the book does have some thought provoking ideas and interesting techniques. You just have to work hard to get to them through the extra text. If this book had been properly edited (for repetition and ego, for example) the book would have been less than half as long, and easier to read. You might find it a worthwhile read, but be prepared to skim.

shows the obstacles many experience on their paths to God.......1998-11-03

I found this book to be a great help in showing me the many pitfalls people take in their path to self mastery. Shown from a perspective of mastery, it clearly explains how one can avoid and see through trouble areas in one's life and reach the calm depths of inner peace. This is a book of transpersonal psychology. It will give you many tools and exercises for you to use throughout your day that will help bring you levels of refinement quickly.

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Soul Psychology: Keys to Ascension

Manufacturer: Light Technology Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GVPOJU

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Soul Psychology: Keys to Ascension
Joshua David Stone
Manufacturer: Light Technology Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K6Q6ZC

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