Happy New Year! I hope the year ahead brings health, stability, and renewed intellectual energy to you and your work.
I am writing to share several important updates regarding Society activities, publications, and leadership.
First, plans are underway for the 2026 Norman Mailer Society Conference, which will take place at the Sirata Beach Resort in St. Pete Beach, Florida, from November 4–7, 2026. A formal call for papers and additional details will be distributed soon.
Second, the Society website has been redesigned and expanded. While some links or features may still be in transition, the goal has been to improve usability, visibility, and content coverage. New features have been added, including a page highlighting Society members’ online scholarly and creative work. I encourage you to explore the site and to let me know what appears broken, incomplete, or missing. If you would like your own work featured, please send me the relevant links.
Third, The Mailer Review now has a dedicated website. Volume 15 has been posted in its entirety, with several articles available in HTML alongside the traditional PDFs. I invite you to explore the site and share feedback on features or functionality you would like to see developed. Submissions can now be made directly through the journal website. Additional improvements are forthcoming which I will announce in a later update.
Relatedly, we are actively seeking reviewers for the journal. If you are willing to serve, please register here. From this pool, I will also be assembling the journal’s editorial staff. I have already contacted several members about expanded roles, but if you are interested in serving beyond reviewer duties, I would be glad to hear from you. Likewise, if you have questions.
Phil and the current Review staff are assembling volume 16 which will be published in 2026. Volume 17 is already in the works and will be out before the conference in the fall. Again, stay tuned for more information.
Finally, I want to formally note that I have stepped down as President of the Norman Mailer Society, beginning January 1, 2026. It has been an honor to serve in this role, and I am deeply grateful for the trust and support you have shown me over the years. Please join me in congratulating Matt Hinton as the Society’s new President and Robert Dean Lurie as our new Treasurer. I am confident the Society is in capable hands.
Thank you for your continued engagement, scholarship, and commitment to the work of Norman Mailer studies. I look forward to remaining involved and to seeing the Society continue to grow.
With best regards,
Jerry