May 2025 Auction Ends Thursday, May 29th, 5pm Pacific
John Steinbeck autograph letter signed ''love John'' dated 27 March 1959 to his typist Mary Morgan. Written from Discove Cottage in Bruton, Somerset, England, where Steinbeck was writing ''The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights'', his interesting letter seems to discuss a memoir or speech that Morgan was going to write for Joan Blondell, with Steinbeck comparing it to speeches he wrote for Generals during World War II. Letter reads in part,
''Your long and amusing letter arrived this morning. What a goy of a job! Please remember every detail for retelling to me. It should be fun! May I give you a bit of advice out of my own experience? During the war certain generals used to ask me to look over their speeches to be broadcast and wanted them put in my hands, an illiterate fuzzy headed mess. I wanted them to completely rewrite it so that the finished product had no relation to the original. But I soon learned that this had to be my secret. I had to tell the generals that I found very little to change - just a word here and there. And do you know, they believed it? They actually thought they had written it even when they couldn't pronounce it. I don't know whether you should tell miss Blondell this or not. A publisher will soon enough. The use of a pseudonym and other names is no defense against libel action if the people and events are in any way recognizable. Besides, a libel suit is rarely won in America but it costs a hell of a lot to defend yourself. And people sometimes pay off rather than defend.
I do hope you will have time to do my typing. Let me know whether you will or will not. It is not going to come fast and there is no hurry about it so maybe you can. I should hate to have anyone else do it. This morning I find to my horror that I have lost my favorite ball point working pen. Will you help me with this. It is a Cross - an all metal pen and I use a fine line. They even come in gold color and steel colors. I want the steel color. Would you go to Jackson's and get two of them with four refills. They should be labelled 'unsolicited gift' and should come to me here by air mail. Do you mind? I love them because they are so thin and because they write better than any others.
Your beautiful gift sent to the ship was saved. Carrying caviar and foie gras to the Liberte is like you know what. So we saved it. And two nights ago we had the lord of the manor and his wife for drinks. It was delicious and assures we are in very solid with them. They may not have tasted such things since long before the war, if ever. Thanks to you, we can have anything we wish now.
The work moves slowly and surely along. I hate to say this as claimant but I think the best writing I have ever done. However, I may be alone in this. / It occurs to me that you might like a letter of recommendation to Miss Blondell and I enclose one. I remember the inscription but what would you do if someone sent a book by chauffeur. / Let me know anything that happens, but type it on their paper and on her time. / love John''.
Single page letter measures 8'' x 10''. Folds and minor creasing, overall near fine.
John Steinbeck Autograph Letter Signed -- ''I hate to say this as claimant but I think the best writing I have ever done...''
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