Oswald's Tale: An American MysteryIn perhaps his most important literary feat, Norman Mailer fashions an unprecedented portrait of one of the great villains—and enigmas—in United States history. Here is Lee Harvey Oswald—his family background, troubled marriage, controversial journey to Russia, and return to an “America [waiting] for him like an angry relative whose eyes glare in the heat.” Based on KGB and FBI transcripts, government reports, letters and diaries, and Mailer’s own international research, this is an epic account of a man whose cunning, duplicity, and self-invention were both at home in and at odds with the country he forever altered. Praise for Oswald’s Tale “America’s largest mystery has found its greatest interpreter.”—The Washington Post Book World “Mailer is fierce, courageous, and reckless and nearly everything he writes has sections of headlong brilliance. . . . From the American master conjurer of dark and swirling purpose, a moving reflection.”—Robert Stone, The New York Review of Books “A narrative of tremendous energy and panache; the author at the top of his form.”—Christopher Hitchens, Financial Times “The performance of an author relishing the force and reach of his own acuity.”—Martin Amis, The Sunday Times (London) Praise for Norman Mailer “[Norman Mailer] loomed over American letters longer and larger than any other writer of his generation.”—The New York Times “A writer of the greatest and most reckless talent.”—The New Yorker “Mailer is indispensable, an American treasure.”—The Washington Post “A devastatingly alive and original creative mind.”—Life “Mailer is fierce, courageous, and reckless and nearly everything he writes has sections of headlong brilliance.”—The New York Review of Books “The largest mind and imagination [in modern] American literature . . . Unlike just about every American writer since Henry James, Mailer has managed to grow and become richer in wisdom with each new book.”—Chicago Tribune “Mailer is a master of his craft. His language carries you through the story like a leaf on a stream.”—The Cincinnati Post |
Contents
| 39 | |
Oswalds Work Oswalds Sweetheart | 67 |
Marinas Friends Marinas Loves | 135 |
Courtship and Marriage | 165 |
A Commencement of the Long Voyage Home | 195 |
Fatherhood and Motherhood | 241 |
In the Anteroom of History | 297 |
Shock | 317 |
Dark Days in Dallas | 447 |
The Big Easy | 527 |
Protagonists and Provocateurs | 603 |
Denouement | 643 |
The Amateur Hit Man | 731 |
Oswalds Ghost | 759 |
Appendix i | i |
Glossary of Names XV | xv |
Oswald in America | 345 |
Early Years Soldier Years | 347 |
Charity in Fort Worth | 415 |
Bibliography | xxxvi |
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Common terms and phrases
Alik American apartment asked assassination baby called Communist course Cuba Dallas door Embassy everything factory father feel felt Fort Worth friends girl Hosty husband Ibid Igor Ilya interview Intourist Jack Ruby Jackie Kennedy JENNER Kennedy killed knew Komsomol later leave Lee Harvey Oswald Lee Oswald Lee's Leningrad letter LIEBELER live look MARGUERITE OSWALD MARINA OSWALD married McMillan Minsk Misha Mohrenschildt months morning Moscow mother MURRET never nice night Orleans Paine Party Pavel person police Posner Priscilla Johnson McMillan radio RANKIN remember rifle Rimma Robert rubles Ruby Russian Ruth Ruth Paine Sasha shot Soviet Union stay Stepan Street talk tell thing thought tion told took trying Valya visa walked Warren Commission WC Testimony wife woman young Yuri ZIGER