MAILER SOCIETY
The annual business meeting of the membership of The Norman Mailer Society (“NMS”) was convened at the beginning of the Society’s thirteenth annual conference at Provincetown, Massachusetts, on Thursday, October 1, 2015, with President J. Michael Lennon presiding. On behalf of the NMS, President Lennon began by expressing thanks to David Light, Phil Sipiora, and Donna Lennon for their efforts in organizing the conference and to Eric Anderson for hosting it at The Provincetown Inn. Others acknowledged included Maggie McKinley, Nicole DePolo and Random House Publishing Co., which placed a $3,000 ad in The Mailer Review and provided discounted copies to the conference of the Mailer novel Tough Guys Don’t Dance.
Other announcements included the Society’s expression of its deep sadness on the passing of Vice President Barry Leeds, whose sister Linda Field and daughter Ashley Leeds would be attending the conference. A travel fund for attendance at future conferences is being established in the name of Barry Leeds, with the first funding of $5,000 coming from Ashley Leeds. Additional contributions of approximately $1,200 have been made to this fund.
Mike Lennon announced that the 2016 conference will be at Monmouth University in Long Branch, New Jersey from September 29 to October 2, 2016. Long Branch is the birthplace of Norman Mailer and his sister Barbara Wasserman. The Dean of Arts and Sciences and the Chair of Monmouth’s English Department are Mailer fans and look forward to having the conference next year. The facility and campus at the 2016 conference will be outstanding and the University is pleased to be hosting the conference. Mike Lennon also acknowledged the presence of Alex Gilvarry, a novelist and alum of the Norman Mailer Center Fellows program, at this year’s conference.
Gerald Lucas gave a report on the status of “Digital Mailer,” established for the presentation of material dealing with the life and works of Norman Mailer. Its name is being changed to “Project Mailer” and its website is projectmailer.net. The Society has obtained these names and domains, including mailerreview.org. The project includes material from the bibliography Works and Days, which has approximately 1400 bibliographical entries and will enable researchers to easily access Mailer’s works on any subject on which he had written. Included also in Project Mailer are the podcasts being assembled and uploaded by Justin Bozung, who has already posted 16 episodes including rare archival material. There are 233 members of the NMS Facebook page, and the Society now also has a presence on Twitter and Instagram. Thanks were given to Elizabeth Mailer for her generous contribution to the project. Mike Lennon made special note of the research and discovery of archival material by Justin Bozung, including an extraordinary 1958 conference including Norman Mailer, Ralph Ellison and others.
A reading of Mailer’s Tough Guys Don’t Dance will be performed and recorded during this conference. President Mike Lennon thanked Ken Vose and Bonnie Culver for their work in preparation of this important part of the conference that will take place at The Provincetown Inn, The Pilgrim’s Monument and the public library.
Minutes of the 2014 business meeting were provided. A motion to approve the minutes was made by Barbara Wasserman, and the motion was seconded by Bonnie Culver. The minutes were approved.
Marc Triplett, acting as temporary chair of the Nominations Committee, reported on nominations for the Executive Board. Maggie McKinley was nominated to the office of Vice President. Her nomination was seconded by Robert Begiebing, and she was elected as Vice President. Justin Bozung was nominated by the temporary chair to serve in the Board position that had been held by Barry Leeds and expires in 2016. The nomination was seconded by Jerry Lucas, and Justin Bozung was elected to the Executive Board. Board Members whose terms expire in 2015 were nominated by Marc Triplett for reelection to a new three-year term expiring in 2018. Those nominated for reelection are Lawrence Shainberg, John Buffalo Mailer, Barbara Wasserman, Carol Holmes, Denise Pappas, Gerald Lucas, Bonnie Culver and Susan Mailer. Nicole DePolo seconded these nominations. Those Board members were reelected by the membership.
David Light, on behalf of Nicole DePolo, made the presentation of the Lucid Award Committee, which had been chaired by Barry Leeds. David, noting that the decision was again an easy one this year, announced that the Lucid Award, consisting of a plaque and a check in the amount of $250, goes to J. Michael Lennon for Selected Letters of Norman Mailer. Mike Lennon accepted and expressed his thanks for the award.
Mike Lennon provided an update of the status and activities of The Mailer Review in the absence of Philip Sipiora, the Editor, who could not attend for the reason that he was required to attend to Donald Kauffman in his illness. The Review will be 425 pages and will be published very soon. It will include an essay on The Executioner’s Song by Mark Edmundson of The University of Virginia. The Mailer Review is moving toward an online presence and is also assured of another year in print. Thanks were given for the support of The University of South Florida, including its volunteers and other forms of assistance in production of the Review. The future of the Review will include examination of ways to keep the publication going in its printed form in the most economical way. The generosity of contributors has assured The Mailer Review of its ability to meet continuing expenses.
The financial report for the past fiscal year was presented in writing to the membership and was reviewed by Treasurer David Light, who offered some comments regarding the financial state of the NMS. The balance of funds is $67,169. The NMS has the money to do what it needs to do. The written report summarizes the receipts and expenses in a simplified manor. Conference registration fees pay for the conference. Donations of $10,500 have been received, thanks to the campaign President Lennon embarked on the raise money in the last year. The 2015 conference costs will total approximately $6,000, up from approximately $4,000 in 2014 for the conference hosted by Wilkes University. The biggest ongoing expenses other than for the conference include The Mailer Review and the premium for the Lawrence Schiller life insurance policy. The past year saw approximately $23,000 in receipts and $17,000 in expenses. The receipts do not include amounts received and to be received for the Barry Leeds travel fund.
Mike Lennon offered concluding comments. The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas has sent notice of fellowships to be awarded for Mailer research scholarship in the amount of $3,000 per month for up to three months. Application may be made now. There is also a $1,200 travel stipend and $1,700 travel stipend for international travel. David Light was commended for the program material provided for the 2015 conference. The program includes a cover photograph of Norman Mailer and Barry Leeds.
Lennon noted that Larry Schiller will be present for the conference and will share information regarding future plans and activities of The Mailer Center. Gerald Lucas read a message from Phil Sipiora, who sent his regrets that his obligations for the care of NMS member and long-time friend Don Kauffman made it impossible to attend the 2015 conference.
The meeting concluded with announcements from David Light regarding the locations for the sessions and other matters relating to the conference in Provincetown.
There being no other business to come before the membership, the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Marc Triplett
Secretary, The Norman Mailer Society