Barbary Shore

novel by Mailer

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July 18, 2026

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Barbary Shore is a 1951 novel by American author Norman Mailer. It was Mailer's second novel, following his acclaimed The Naked and the Dead.1

The novel was not well-received by critics and received mixed reviews. It is set in post-World War II America and explores themes of political intrigue and disillusionment. The title refers to the Barbary Coast, a historical region in North Africa known for its pirates. Mailer, known for his use of New Journalism, often critiqued the centralized power structures he saw in America. While Barbary Shore did not achieve the success of his other works, it remains a part of his significant literary output.123

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Norman Mailer
His second novel, Barbary Shore (1951), and The Deer Park (1955) were greeted with critical hostility and mixed reviews, respectively. His next important work was a long essay, The White Negro (1957), a sympathetic study of a marginal social type—the “hipster.”
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His second novel, Barbary Shore (1951), and The Deer Park (1955) were greeted with critical hostility and mixed reviews, respectively. His next important work was a long essay, The White Negro (1957), a sympathetic study of a marginal social type—the “hipster.”
Read More