Norman Mailer passed away of acute renal failure early Saturday morning at the age of 84.  He is well know as a writer of both fiction and non-fiction, as well as having been a journalist, script-writer, and essayist.  Much of his writing was left-leaning, and he tended to take an anti-establishment position, but regardless he deserves respect for this: he served in WWII with honor, and wanted to be part of the first wave of invasion troops to go to Europe… he was however sent to the South Pacific theatre instead.  Some of writings, such as “The Naked and the Dead”, were drawn from that experience.  Mailer was also a supporter of U.S. involvement in the Persian Gulf War in 1991.

There is quite a bit more to be said about this man, whether you liked him or not, and here are some places to read more about him: Wikipedia article, AP Obituatry, Pagasos Article.

(Photo: Bob Daemmrich/Corbis)