Skyhorse, an independent press, has become something of a last refuge for authors. Some argued that publishers have become too fearful of provoking controversy or becoming targets of critical social-media campaigns, and have pulled back from publishing provocative or polarizing authors. Still, the company’s decision unleashed yet another debate over “cancel culture” and censorship. “The Mailer family and Random House are united in support of Norman’s work.” Random House is proud to publish Norman Mailer, and intends to promote his work significantly for the centennial, in tandem with the publication by Skyhorse of the anthology,” he said. The literary agent Andrew Wylie, who represents the Mailer estate, wrote in an email that there hadn’t been any falling out between the Mailer estate and his longtime publisher. You can’t cancel Norman Mailer.”Ī spokeswoman for Random House said in a statement that it is “factually incorrect that Random House canceled an upcoming book of essays by Norman Mailer,” adding that the book was never under contract and that Random House continues to publish much of Mailer’s backlist. Mailer added: “I don’t think they have any interest in trying to cancel Norman Mailer. “They didn’t feel they were the right house to do this book right now.” “Why did Random House pass on this book? I think it was because this is the first commercial book of Norman’s that’s going to come out in the era we’re living in, and there’s going to be a lot of questions,” he said. Mailer said he doesn’t blame the company for passing on a single title and noted that it continues to publish the bulk of his father’s work. Though he was disappointed by Random House’s decision, Mr. “The reasons that were in that piece were news to me,” John Buffalo Mailer said. Wolff wrote that the publisher was also swayed by “a junior staffer’s objection to the title of Mailer’s 1957 essay, ‘The White Negro.’” The fate of Mailer’s collection, however, generated a heated debate on social media this week, after the journalist Michael Wolff reported in the newsletter The Ankler that Random House had canceled its planned publication of the title because it determined that Mailer - who was famously brash, physically violent, misogynistic and pugnacious in attacking those who disagreed with him - had become too controversial. Publishers that have longstanding relationships with authors often get a first look at their book proposals and manuscripts and are given the opportunity to make a pre-emptive bid, though it isn’t unusual for authors and agents to take their work elsewhere if the offer doesn’t materialize or meet their expectations.
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