The Executioner's Song

The Executioner's Song is a true crime novel by Norman Mailer, published in 1979, which tells the story of the execution of Gary Gilmore, a convicted murderer who was put to death by firing squad in Utah in 1977. The book is based on extensive interviews with Gary Gilmore, as well as with his family and friends, including Mikal Gilmore, Brenda Nicol, and Nicole Baker. The novel explores the American justice system, the death penalty, and the psychology of Gary Gilmore, who was a convict at the Utah State Prison and was executed by a team of National Guard soldiers from the Utah National Guard.

Background

The book was written by Norman Mailer, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author known for his novels such as The Naked and the Dead and The Armies of the Night, in collaboration with Lawrence Schiller, a journalist and photographer who had interviewed Gary Gilmore and his family and friends, including Mikal Gilmore, Brenda Nicol, and Nicole Baker. The research for the book involved extensive interviews with people who knew Gary Gilmore, including his lawyers, Ronald W. Peterson and Robert Moody, as well as with officials from the Utah State Prison and the Utah Department of Corrections, such as Noel W. Allred and Thomas W. Patterson. The book also draws on court records and other documents related to the trial and execution of Gary Gilmore, including the United States Supreme Court case of Gregg v. Georgia.

Plot

The book tells the story of Gary Gilmore, a convicted murderer who was sentenced to death for the murder of Max Jensen, a gas station attendant, and Ben Bushnell, a motel manager, in Utah in 1976. The story follows Gary Gilmore's life from his childhood in Oregon to his execution by firing squad in Utah in 1977, and explores the circumstances surrounding the crimes he committed, including his relationship with his family and friends, such as Mikal Gilmore, Brenda Nicol, and Nicole Baker. The book also examines the American justice system and the death penalty, including the role of lawyers such as Ronald W. Peterson and Robert Moody, and the impact of the execution on the community, including the Utah State Prison and the Utah Department of Corrections.

Characters

The main character in the book is Gary Gilmore, a convicted murderer who was put to death by firing squad in Utah in 1977. Other important characters include Mikal Gilmore, Gary Gilmore's brother, who was a musician and a writer, and Brenda Nicol, Gary Gilmore's girlfriend, who was a model and an actress. The book also features a range of other characters, including lawyers, judges, and officials from the Utah State Prison and the Utah Department of Corrections, such as Noel W. Allred and Thomas W. Patterson, as well as journalists and photographers who covered the trial and execution of Gary Gilmore, including Lawrence Schiller and Norman Mailer.

Reception

The book received widespread critical acclaim upon its publication in 1979, with many reviewers praising Norman Mailer's writing style and his ability to capture the complexity of Gary Gilmore's character. The book won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1980, and has since been recognized as a classic of American literature, alongside other works by Norman Mailer such as The Naked and the Dead and The Armies of the Night. The book has also been praised by authors such as William Styron and Joyce Carol Oates, who have noted its insight into the American justice system and the psychology of Gary Gilmore.

Adaptations

The book was adapted into a television movie in 1982, starring Tommy Lee Jones as Gary Gilmore and Christine Lahti as Brenda Nicol. The movie was directed by Lawrence Schiller and won several awards, including two Emmy Awards. The book has also been adapted into a stage play and an opera, and has been the subject of numerous documentaries and academic studies, including works by scholars such as Hugo Adam Bedau and Ernest van den Haag.

Themes

The book explores a range of themes, including the American justice system, the death penalty, and the psychology of Gary Gilmore. The book also examines the impact of the execution on the community, including the Utah State Prison and the Utah Department of Corrections, and the role of media in shaping public opinion about the death penalty, including the work of journalists such as Lawrence Schiller and Norman Mailer. The book has been praised for its nuanced and thought-provoking exploration of these themes, and has been recognized as a classic of American literature, alongside other works by Norman Mailer such as The Naked and the Dead and The Armies of the Night. Category:American novels