Mornings with Mailer: A Recollection of Friendship

In the spring of 2003 when Norman Mailer was 80 years old, he invited an improbable companion into his life: Dwayne Raymond, 40 years his junior, originally from a small town in Oregon, and now a waiter at a restaurant in Provincetown, Cape Cod, where Mailer spent most of his final years. Over the next half-decade, Raymond became Mailer's aide in all matters professional and private. Raymond assisted him with four books he published during this time, including his final novel "The Castle in the Forest". The two spent many hours together each day talking, cooking, and researching new projects. As Raymond's responsibilities grew, so too did his friendship with Mailer, who taught him how to navigate his own personal challenges. In this poignant memoir, Dwayne Raymond presents an alternative portrayal of a writer who is frequently described as controversial, combative, and verbose; the Norman Mailer he depicts is a comparatively temperate, comprehensive man whose quirky, human qualities far outweigh the disquieting legend. Beautifully written and honestly portrayed, "Mornings with Mailer" is a personal and revealing story of a great writer, his Man-Friday, and their unlikely, but enduring, relationship.