A Philosophical Launch: Of a Fire on the Moon Ignites into MoonFire

A Conversation with Lawrence Schiller, J. Michael Lennon, and Nina Wiener

Authors

  • Nicole DePolo Fisher College Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.68910/3a3nyz28

Keywords:

Moonfire, Of a Fire on the Moon, technology and media

Abstract

In 1969, Life magazine chose Norman Mailer to cover the moonshot in a series of three installments which became the longest serialized feature ever to appear in the publication. Compiled into one volume in 1970, Of A Fire on the Moon was called the Moby-Dick of its time. In 2009, to mark the fortieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, Of A Fire on the Moon was reimagined by Lawrence Schiller and Benedikt Taschen, and published by Taschen Books as MoonFire. Abridged by J. Michael Lennon and illustrated with iconic images from the Life and NASA archives, the book recaptures the global impact of man’s first steps on the moon and the resonance of Mailer’s coverage of the event.

Author Biography

  • Nicole DePolo, Fisher College

    Nicole DePolo is a full-time Associate Professor of English at Fisher College and a part-time Associate Professor of Liberal Arts & Sciences at Berklee College of Music, both in Boston. She serves as the Vice-President of the Norman Mailer Society and Co-President of the Board of Governors for BRAWN (Boston Rhetoric and Writing Network). She holds a Ph.D. in Editorial Studies from the Editorial Institute at Boston University, an MFA in Creative Writing from Wilkes University, and a BFA in Illustration from Rhode Island School of Design. Her doctoral dissertation, “Norman Mailer’s Book of the Dead: A Companion to Ancient Evenings,” was completed under the direction of Christopher Ricks and includes a critical edition of the second chapter of Mailer’s ancient Egyptian novel, “The Book of the Gods.”

The Mailer Review v.16: 20 Years of the Review

Downloads

Published

2026-11-04

Issue

Vol. 16 (2026): Special Edition: 20 Years of the Review

Section

III. Genre, Form, and Method

How to Cite

DePolo, Nicole. “A Philosophical Launch: Of a Fire on the Moon Ignites into MoonFire: A Conversation With Lawrence Schiller, J. Michael Lennon, and Nina Wiener”. The Mailer Review, vol. 16, no. 1, Nov. 2026, pp. 115–127, https://doi.org/10.68910/3a3nyz28.