Notebook

News in the papers of poor Norman Mailer’s breakdown.  One headline said, “Author Mailer Stabs Wife.” Don misread this as, “Arthur Miller Stabs Wife,” and said to himself, “Why don’t they mention Marilyn Monroe?” We agreed that,  if it had really been the Millers, the headline would have been, “Marilyn Stabbed By Mate.”

Christopher Isherwood, diary, November 23 1960.