This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/1/2025
John Steinbeck typed letter signed ''John'', written to his typist Mary Morgan regarding his books ''Once There Was a War'' and ''The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights''. Dated only Wednesday (likely early 1958), Steinbeck updates Morgan on his various projects. Corrected for minor typing errors, letter reads in full,
''Dear Mary: / I haven't had time to type out the whole story for you, but the enclosed is the slightly rearranged ending of the story. It is the story of an elf in Algiers during the preparation for the Italian Invasion. You may make any use of this you wish. The book will be called Once There Was A War, and it will be published in the Early Fall by Viking Press. It is a compendium of all of my war pieces with a new introduction.
Well we're off to England. I expect you to hold the fort. We'll be back the second of July and will soon after that go to the country where I will start to work. I do hope that by the end of the summer you will be able to come back to King Arthur because I am going to go to work hard on it.
Meanwhile hold the thought and thank you very much for the Tom [Steinbeck's son] matter. He is very fond of you, and so am I. / Yours, / John''.
Single page signed in pencil measures 8.5'' x 11''. Folds and light creasing, overall very good plus condition.