J. Michael Lennon

Norman Mailer's authorized biographer, archivist, and close friend; Emeritus Professor of English at Wilkes University and Chair of the Editorial Board of The Mailer Review. With Donna Pedro Lennon he compiled the print Norman Mailer: Works and Days (2000; revised 2018) on which this digital project is founded, and he is named here as a founding editor.

J. Michael Lennon is Emeritus Professor of English at Wilkes University and Chair of the Editorial Board of The Mailer Review. He is the author or editor of several books about Mailer, including the authorized biography Norman Mailer: A Double Life (2013), Selected Letters of Norman Mailer (2014), and On God: An Uncommon Conversation (2007, co-authored with Mailer). He co-founded the Maslow Family Graduate Creative Writing Program at Wilkes University in 2005, and his work has appeared in the Paris Review, The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, New York, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, the Times Literary Supplement, Provincetown Arts, Hippocampus, and The Mailer Review.

As Mailer’s archivist and authorized biographer, Lennon spent decades inside the writer’s life and papers — a relationship he made the subject of his own 2022 collection Mailer’s Last Days: New and Selected Remembrances of a Life in Literature, where Mailer figures as his “literary pater familias” beside Lennon’s own father. He also co-edited the posthumous Lipton’s, A Marijuana Journal: 1954–1955 (2024) with Gerald R. Lucas and Susan Mailer, and his essays on Mailer include “The Naked and the Read: Inside the Library of Norman Mailer” (Times Literary Supplement, 2018), a tour of Mailer’s working library.

Mailer and Lennon first met in late October 1972, when Lennon — then teaching in Illinois — covered Mailer’s appearance at Western Illinois University for Sunrise (“Norman Mailer in Illinois,” 72.19), where Mailer screened Beyond the Law and read from the still-unreleased St. George and the Godfather. It was the beginning of a thirty-five-year association.

Role in this project

With his wife Donna Pedro Lennon, Lennon compiled the print Norman Mailer: Works and Days — original edition (2000) and revised edition (2018, which Jerry Lucas helped revise and edit) — building on the earlier compilations of Robert F. Lucid, Laura Adams, and Thomas Fiske. That print volume is the primary seed of this digital edition’s register; its numbered entries and prose are credited permanently in the original-author field of derived pages. In the editorial succession that began in 2026, J. Michael and Donna Pedro Lennon are named throughout as founding editors, with Jerry Lucas as continuing editor (see About this project).

In The Mailer Review

Listed by volume, with the contributor’s note as the journal printed it; the note is repeated only where its wording changed. Search the journal for all of them.

Vol. 1 (2007)

• ““A Series of Tragicomedies”: Mailer’s Letters on The Deer Park, 1954–55” (with Norman Mailer), 1 (2007): 44 — article
• “Gallery Talk: The Mailer Archive,” 1 (2007): 132 — 2007 bibliography · article
• “Norman Mailer: Supplemental Bibliography Through 2006” (with Constance E. Holmes), 1 (2007): 234 — 2007 bibliography · article

J. Michael Lennon is Emeritus Professor of English at Wilkes University, where he continues to teach in the graduate creative writing program. He has published widely on Mailer’s work, including Norman Mailer: Works and Days (2000), and is currently editing Mailer’s letters for Random House, due to be published in early 2008. He serves as Mr. Mailer’s archivist and has recently been appointed as his authorized biographer.

Vol. 2 (2008)

• “Novel Was All,” 2 (2008): 51 — 2008 bibliography · article
• “Norman Mailer’s Best Sellers,” 2 (2008): 270 — 2008 bibliography · article
• “Castle in the Forest: A Conversation with Norman Mailer,” 2 (2008): 421 — 2008 bibliography · article
• “Norman Mailer, First Editions, 1948–2007,” 2 (2008): 515 — 2008 bibliography · article
• “Abbreviations of Books by and about Norman Mailer,” 2 (2008): 518 — 2008 bibliography · article

J. Michael Lennon is Norman Mailer’s archivist, editor, and authorized biographer and has written/edited several books about him, including (with Donna Pedro Lennon) Norman Mailer: Works and Days (2000), Critical Essays on Norman Mailer (1986), Conversations With Norman Mailer (1988),* The Spooky Art: Some Thoughts on Writing* (2003) and numerous essays in journals and magazines. His work has appeared in New Yorker, Paris Review, Playboy, Provincetown Arts, New York, Modern Fiction Studies, New England Review, Narrative, and Journal of Modern Literature, among others. His latest book, co-authored with Mailer, is On God: An Uncommon Conversation (October 2007). Lennon is currently editing Mailer’s letters and researching the biography. Lennon’s documentary, James Jones: From Reveille to Taps, was shown on PBS in 1985. He is Emeritus Vice President for Academic Affairs and Emeritus Professor of English at Wilkes University, where he continues to teach in the MFA Program, and is President of The Norman Mailer Society.

Vol. 3 (2009)

• “Long Legs, the American Tolstoy, Oswald and the KGB: A Conversation with Lawrence Schiller,” 3 (2009): 29 — 2009 bibliography · article

Contributor’s note as in vol. 2.

Vol. 4 (2010)

• “Hemingway to Mailer—A Delayed Response to The Deer Park,” 4 (2010): 31 — 2010 bibliography · article

J. Michael Lennon, Emeritus Professor of English at Wilkes University, co-authored with Mailer On God: An Uncommon Conversation. He is currently writing Mailer’s authorized biography for publication by Simon and Schuster in 2012.

Vol. 5 (2011)

• “Remembering Norris: Excerpts from an Unpublished Account of Norman Mailer’s Last Days,” 5 (2011): 67 — 2011 bibliography · article

J. Michael Lennon, Emeritus Professor of English at Wilkes University, co-authored with Mailer On God: An Uncommon Conversation. He has recently edited Mailer’s Marilyn for Taschen Books, and is currently writing Mailer’s authorized biography for publication by Simon and Schuster in 2012.

Vol. 6 (2012)

• “Why Mailer and Jones Matter” (with Robert J. Begiebing, Ray Elliott, Warren Mason), 6.1 (2012): 28 — 2012 bibliography · article
• “Gore and Norman in Provincetown,” 6.1 (2012): 58 — 2012 bibliography · article
• “Mailer is Back,” 6.1 (2012): 67 — 2012 bibliography · article

J. Michael Lennon is Emeritus Professor of English at Wilkes University and co-authored with Mailer On God: An Uncommon Conversation. He has recently edited Mailer’s Marilyn for Taschen Books, and is currently writing Mailer’s authorized biography for publication by Simon and Schuster in 2013.

Vol. 8 (2014)

• “Excerpt from Mailer’s Last Interview: The Village Voice,” 8.1 (2014): 17 — 2014 bibliography · article
• “An American Tragedy and The Executioner’s Song: Receptions and Controversies” (with Jerome Loving), 8.1 (2014): 74 — 2014 bibliography · article
• “Mailer’s Brooklyn,” 8.1 (2014): 111 — 2014 bibliography · article

J. Michael Lennon is Emeritus Professor of English at Wilkes University. In 2007 he co-authored with Mailer On God: An Uncommon Conversation, and in October 2013, his authorized biography, Norman Mailer: A Double Life, was published by Simon & Schuster in October 2013. His edition of Mailer’s selected letters will be published by Random House in December 2014.

Vol. 9 (2015)

• “Mailer’s Letters: A Colloquy at the Strand Bookstore” (with Morris Dickstein), 9.1 (2015): 27 — 2015 bibliography · article
• “Introduction to Taschen Edition of Norman Mailer. JFK. Superman Comes to the Supermarket: Edited by Nina Wiener; Text by Norman Mailer,” 9.1 (2015): 46 — 2015 bibliography · article

J. Michael Lennon is the late Norman Mailer’s archivist, editor, authorized biographer. Norman Mailer: A Double Life appeared in 2013, and Selected Letters of Norman Mailer in 2104. His work has appeared in Paris Review, New Yorker, New York, Creative Nonfiction, NYRB, Mailer Review, Playboy and Provincetown Arts, among others. Currently, he is working on a new book, “Sixteen Handshakes to Shakespeare: From Bishop to the Bard.”

Vol. 10 (2016)

• “Note on “The Collision,” Norman Mailer’s First Short Story,” 10.1 (2016): 10 — 2016 bibliography · article
• “Mailer’s Letters: A Colloquy at the Strand Bookstore” (with Morris Dickstein), 10.1 (2016): 75 — 2016 bibliography · article

J. Michael Lennon is the late Norman Mailer’s archivist, editor, authorized biographer. Norman Mailer: A Double Life appeared in 2013, and Selected Letters of Norman Mailer in 2104. His work has appeared in *Paris Review, New Yorker, New York, Times Literary Supplement, Creative Nonfiction, NYRB, Mailer Review, Playboy, Hippocampus, *and Provincetown Arts, among others. Currently, he is working on a new book, “Sixteen Handshakes to Shakespeare: From Bishop to the Bard.”

Vol. 11 (2017)

• “Introduction to the Taschen Edition of Norman Mailer’s The Fight: A Meeting of Giants,” 11.1 (2017): 35 — 2017 bibliography · article

J. Michael Lennon is the late Norman Mailer’s archivist, editor, authorized biographer. Norman Mailer: A Double Life appeared in 2013, and Selected Letters of Norman Mailer in 2104. His work has appeared in *Paris Review, New Yorker, New York, Times Literary Supplement, Creative Nonfiction, NYRB, Mailer Review, Playboy, Hippocampus, *and Provincetown Arts, among others. Currently, he is editing two volumes of Mailer’s work from the 1960s for February 2018 publication by the Library of America.

Vol. 12 (2018)

• “Norman Mailer’s Pieces and Pontifications: A Note on Its Origins,” 12.1 (2018): 72 — 2018 bibliography · article
• “Naked and the Read,” 12.1 (2018): 128 — article

Contributor’s note as in vol. 11.

Vol. 13 (2019)

• “Note on Norman Mailer’s “The Last Night”,” 13.1 (2019): 8 — 2019 bibliography · article
• “Interview with Susan Mailer, Author of In Another Place: With and Without My Father, Norman Mailer,” 13.1 (2019): 109 — 2019 bibliography · article

J. Michael Lennon is the late Norman Mailer’s archivist, editor, and authorized biographer. Norman Mailer: A Double Life appeared in 2013, and Selected Letters of Norman Mailer in 2104. His work has appeared in *Paris Review, New Yorker, New York, Times Literary Supplement, Creative Nonfiction, NYRB, Mailer Review, Playboy, Hippocampus, *and Provincetown Arts, among others. He has recently edited two volumes of Norman Mailer’s work from the 1960s for the Library of America.

Vol. 14 (2020)

• “Touchdown Twins: James Jones and Norman Mailer,” 14.1 (2020): 29 — 2020 bibliography · article
• “Norman Mailer: Works and Days: June 2020 Update” (with Donna Pedro Lennon, Gerald R. Lucas), 14.1 (2020): 204 — 2020 bibliography · article
• “Provincetown’s Boswell: In Memory of Chris Busa,” 14.1 (2020): 238 — 2020 bibliography · article

J. Michael Lennon is the late Norman Mailer’s archivist, editor, authorized biographer. Norman Mailer: A Double Lifeappeared in 2013, and Selected Letters of Norman Mailer in 2104. His work has appeared in *Paris Review, New Yorker, New York, Times Literary Supplement, Creative Nonfiction, NYRB, Mailer Review, Playboy, Hippocampus, *and Provincetown Arts, among others. Currently, he is editing two volumes of Mailer’s work from the 1960s for February 2018 publication by the Library of America.

Vol. 15 (2021)

• “Looking for Joan Didion: Norman Mailer’s Opposite,” 15.1 (2021): 23 — 2021 bibliography · article
• “James Baldwin: Preacher Vs. Writer,” 15.1 (2021): 282 — 2021 bibliography · article
• “Dread Persists,” 15.1 (2021): 288 — 2021 bibliography · article
• “Dread Persists,” 15.1 (2021): 288 — 2021 bibliography · article

J. Michael Lennon is the late Norman Mailer’s archivist, editor, authorized biographer. Norman Mailer: A Double Life appeared in 2013, and Selected Letters of Norman Mailer in 2104. Currently, he is editing a new edition of The Naked and the Dead for 2023 publication by the Library of America. His collection, Mailer’s Last Days: Remembrances of a Life in Literature, will be published in Fall 2022 by Etruscan Press.

Vol. 16 (2026) — forthcoming

• “Hemingway to Mailer: A Delayed Response to The Deer Park,” 16.1 (2026): 37 — forthcoming
• “Foreword,” 16.1 (2026): ix — forthcoming

J. Michael Lennon is the author of the biography, *Norman Mailer: A Double Life *(2013), editor of *Selected Letters of Norman Mailer *(2014), Critical Essays on Norman Mailer (1986), and editions of Mailer’s work published by the Library of America, Little Brown, Random House, and Taschen Books. He served as Mailer’s literary archivist, and is the founding president of the Norman Mailer Society. He teaches in the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing at Wilkes University.

Vol. 17 (2027) — forthcoming

• “From CIA to Hitler: Mailer’s Unfinished Sequels” (with Robert Begiebing), 17.1 (2027) — forthcoming

J. Michael Lennon is a writer, editor, archivist, teacher, and the co-founder of the Maslow Family Graduate Creative Writing Program at Wilkes University. He has written or edited fifteen books, including Mailer’s authorized biography; a memoir, Mailer’s Last Days: Remembrances of a Life in Literature (2022); edited three volumes of Mailer’s work for the Library of America; and, recently, Lipton’s: A Marijuana Journal, 1954-55 (with G. R. Lucas and Susan Mailer). He received the Ph.D. from the University of Rhode Island and is married to Donna Pedro. They live in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

Related pages

• Mailer's Last Days: New and Selected Remembrances of a Life in Literature | Lipton's, A Marijuana Journal | Robert F. Lucid | About this project
• Norman Mailer in Illinois (72.19) | The Blood of the Blunt (12.1) | The Mind of an Outlaw: Selected Essays of Norman Mailer (13.1) | La Petite Bourgeoise (14.1) | The Thalian Adventure (15.1) | The Fight (Taschen edition) (16.1)

Cite as: /people/j-michael-lennon
Last updated: 2026-10-24