in the back of the book -- in the index, next to norman mailer's name, buckley wrote mailer" because he knew would look there first. [laughter] he did not quote mailer on selma. letter, ciences "corrigibly, bill." for me, this is what started off the project. after norman mailer died in 2007, he sold his papers for $2.5 million. a magazine published some of these excerpts from these letters. i was sitting in bed reading and i sat up when i read this particular letter. i said, there is something rich here that i need to investigate. , the enfantailer terrible of the post world war ii left, writing words with backwards in them, sometimes champion socialism, an iconoclast, a libertine, the husband of six women, the lovers of countless more, he once stabbed his wife with a penknife, missing by millimeters her heart, and she did not divorce him until a year after that. [laughter] he loved too had put people at parties. -- to headbutt people at parties. five foot seven inches, like i've already to -- like a bull ready to gorge. somebody that liked to dance the precipice of taste. how good

friends from opposite ends of the political spectrum, conservative william buckley and liberal norman mailer. throughout the 1960's, in public and in their writings, they debated america's political affairs, including vietnam, civil rights, and of the cold war. scholz describes their political differences and close relationships in his book, "buckley and mailer: the difficult friendship that shaped the 1960's." this is part of a day long summit at grand valley state in, grand rapids michigan. >> good morning everyone. i am program manager of the common ground initiative. i am pleased to usher in our first sessiod

friends from opposite ends of the political spectrum, conservative william buckley and liberal norman mailer. throughout the 1960's, in public and in their writings, they debated america's political affairs, including vietnam, civil rights, and of the cold war. scholz describes their political differences and close relationships in his book, "buckley and mailer: the difficult friendship that shaped the 1960's." this is part of a day long summit at grand valley state in, grand rapids michigan. >>