Of a Fire on the Moon

Of a Fire on the Moon

Company type	Book
Industry	Publishing
Founded	1970
Headquarters	Boston , United States
Products	Nonfiction book

Of a Fire on the Moon is a nonfiction narrative authored by Norman Mailer, originally serialized in Life during 1969–1970 and subsequently published as a standalone book in 1970. The work presents a documentary-style and contemplative portrayal of the Apollo 11 Moon landing through Mailer's unique viewpoint.

Writing and publication

Mailer composed his comprehensive report following visits to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center and the Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center located in Houston, as well as observing the Saturn V rocket launch at Cape Kennedy. The narrative, spanning approximately 115,000 words, was crafted during focused writing periods at his residence in Provincetown, Massachusetts. It appeared in three segments between August 1969 and January 1970, titled A Fire on the Moon, The Psychology of Astronauts, and A Dream of the Future's Face.

Ralph Graves, Managing Editor of Life, highlighted in the introduction to the initial installment that this was "the longest nonfiction article Life has ever featured in a single issue."

Upon completion of the series, Mailer corresponded with Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong, underscoring his intention "to depict the space program on its grandest scale rather than its minutiae."

The book version was published in 1970 under the title Of a Fire on the Moon; however, in the United Kingdom, it retained the original magazine article name, A Fire on the Moon.

Critical reception

Early critiques of Mailer's work were varied. Morris Dickstein, writing for The New York Times Book Review, described it as somewhat excessive in style but nevertheless significant: "While it may not be precisely the technological impact study we required, it remains important and offers much for reflection." Meanwhile, Kirkus Reviews characterized it as "a contrived volume . . ., an epic self-mockery" concerning Apollo 11's importance. Subsequent evaluations differed; for example, Alvin Kernan’s scholarly analysis in his 1982 book The Imaginary Library interpreted it as indicative of Romantic literature's waning influence. In 2014, Geoff Dyer of The Guardian praised it as "a remarkable accomplishment" within the genre of New Journalism.

Coffee table edition

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Moon landing in 2009, a condensed and limited edition titled MoonFire was issued, showcasing photographs from both NASA and Life magazine. This deluxe coffee table edition was encased in an aluminium box designed to mimic the cratered lunar surface and stood on legs modeled after those of the Apollo Lunar Module. The package included a numbered print of Buzz Aldrin’s famous Moon portrait, enclosed in plexiglass and autographed by Aldrin himself, along with a genuine lunar meteorite. Only twelve copies were produced, each priced at $112,500.

Norman Mailer had passed away two years prior to this special edition’s release. A conventional hardcover edition followed in 2015.

Painting on first edition cover

The initial edition’s cover (published by Little, Brown & Co in 1970) features Le Monde Invisible, an oil painting from 1954 by René Magritte. Mailer references this artwork in Chapter 5 ("A Dream of the Future's Face") within the first section ("Aquarius"), describing it as "a striking depiction of a room with a massive rock positioned centrally on the floor." The dust jacket from 1970 indicates that this painting is part of a private collection.

Editions and title variations

1. Serializations in Life magazine:

   Part I: "A Fire on the Moon" — Life, 29 August 1969.

   Part II: "The Psychology of Astronauts" — Life, 14 November 1969.

   Part III: "A Dream of the Future's Face" — Life, 9 January 1970.

2. Of a Fire on the Moon — Little, Brown & Co, Boston, 1970.
3. A Fire on the Moon — Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1970.
4. MoonFire: The Epic Journey of Apollo 11 — Taschen GmbH, Köln, 2009.
5. A Fire on the Moon — Penguin Classics, London, 2014.

Resources

• Collection of Norman Mailer's research documents, handwritten drafts, and manuscripts. Held within the Norman Mailer archive at the University of Texas.