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Harlot's Ghost

A Novel

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About this listen

With unprecedented scope and consummate skill, Norman Mailer unfolds a rich and riveting epic of an American spy. Harry Hubbard is the son and godson of CIA legends. His journey to learn the secrets of his society - and his own past - takes him through the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the "momentous catastrophe" of the Kennedy assassination. All the while, Hubbard is haunted by women who were loved by both his godfather and President Kennedy. Featuring a tapestry of unforgettable characters both real and imagined, Harlot's Ghost is a panoramic achievement in the tradition of Tolstoy, Melville, and Balzac, a triumph of Mailer's literary prowess.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©1991 Norman Mailer. (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved. Grateful acknowledgment is made to the following for permission to reprint previously published material: FABER AND FABER LIMITED: Five lines from “The Waste Land” from Collected Poems, 1909-1962 (pp. 27-28), © 1964, 1963 by T. S. Eliot. Rights throughout the world excluding the USA are controlled by Faber and Faber Limited. Reprinted by permission of Faber and Faber Limited. THE NEW REPUBLIC: Excerpts from “Unofficial Envoy” by Jean Daniel, December 13, 1963, and excerpts from “When Castro Heard the News” by Jean Daniel, December 7, 1963. © 1963 by The New Republic, Inc. Reprinted by permission of The New Republic. Genre Fiction Historical Literary Fiction Mystery Political Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense Espionage Fiction Exciting Latin American Haunted Imperialism Russia Soviet Union Imperial Japan Socialism Suspense
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Great writing.I suspect more fact than fiction. Highly recommended. Norman Mailer at his very best

Excellent piece of work.

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Richly textured spy novel brilliantly performed. Enter a world of double dealing and triple dealing - where the currency is sex , secrets and betrayal. A vivid and authentic portrayal of American power and politics in the Kennedy era .

Intriguing, compelling, authentic.

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Fascinating tale of the CIA in late 50s, early 60s. Horrifying in many ways. how much is true, probably more than is possible to believe. Narration and performance was great. But it is really long and at times can be difficult to fully follow, in part I think this is intentional giving a sense of the deception, half and fabricated truths and superstitions of the characters. Ultimately, it lacked the closure I desired, in part because the sequel was never written. Probably the best novel to get a sense of the neuroses that governed the CIA and American foreign policy during the period.

Fascinating, immersive, very, very long

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