 Cover of the first edition | |
| Author | Norman Mailer |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Joe Caroff[1] |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Rinehart & Company |
Publication date | 1948 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 721 |
The Naked and the Dead is a novel written by Norman Mailer. Published by Rinehart & Company in 1948, when he was 25, it was his debut novel. It depicts the experiences of a platoon during World War II, based partially on Mailer's experiences as a cook[2] with the 112th Cavalry Regiment during the Philippines Campaign in World War II.[3] The book quickly became a bestseller, paving the way for other Mailer works such as The Deer Park, Advertisements for Myself, and The Time of Our Time. He believed The Naked and the Dead to be his most renowned work. It was the first popular novel about the war and is considered one of the greatest English-language novels.[4] It was adapted into a film in 1958.
In 1998, the Modern Library ranked The Naked and the Dead 51st on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century.
- ^ "Joseph Caroff Biography". Sergott Contemporary Art Alliance. 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
- ^ "Norman Mailer Interview". Academy of Achievement. Chicago, Illinois. 2015. Archived from the original on 23 March 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
- ^ Brower, Brock (24 September 1965). "Never the Champion, Always the Challenger". LIFE. Vol. 59, no. 13. p. 109.
- ^ John Bear, The #1 New York Times Best Seller: intriguing facts about the 484 books that have been #1 New York Times bestsellers since the first list, 50 years ago, Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 1992, pp. 31-39