B007RT1UH4 EBOK (109 page)

I’ve also discussed with them the possibility of my writing a preface for it, in the old generation-later tradition of Norman Douglas’
South Wind
, Clive Bell’s
Art
&c. though that might run into production (i.e. $) problems: if that should occur it might inevitably take some wind out of your & John K’s introduction in your book though I’d make an effort to not, and of course your
Reader’s Guide
would be suitably noted. Should it proceed I’d send you a copy promptly.

For the moment all they want is corrections; anything else I mention alarms them in cost terms, not even certain yet if they intend a hardcover, tradepaperback or both busy out there doing cost accounting sales projections all of the market madness that publishing has become.

Meanwhile as they race to some kind of finish line I would appreciate the above (any further corrections or an Imprimatur) & this further favour, since I am between 2 addresses this season of the year & forwarding is fanciful if you could send any response to both below. I’ll let you know of any further developments, disappointments &c.

Yours

W. Gaddis

Steenken
Madonna
: WG followed a 1921 book in identifying the donor of this painting as Herman Steenken (R 254), though a 1938 archival study disqualified him.

the list: enclosed with this letter were three legal-sized pages of corrections, about eighty-five altogether, most of which had been made for the Meridian edition, and all of which would be made for Penguin’s 1985 reprint.

Picasso
Night Fishing
: this painting was acquired by New York’s Museum of Modern Art in 1952, but the novel’s chronology implies Wyatt saw it there several years earlier.

South Wind
, Clive Bell’s
Art
: Douglas added an introduction to his 1917 novel in 1925; Bell’s 1914 book of art criticism was reprinted with new introduction in 1949.

To Al D’Amato

[
American attorney (1937– ) and conservative Republican senator from New York (1981–99) who defended the Reagan Administration’s support of the Contras.
]

Wainscott, NY

27 May 1983

Dear Senator D’Amato.

I appreciated your detailed response to my recent letter protesting Administration policy and actions in Central America.

In the light of past revelations I would seriously question Administration figures as to Cuban ‘advisers’ and Soviet weaponry in the area as I and much of the electorate do the validity of those last ‘elections’ in San Salvador; and I with many others believe strongly that in pursuing the Administration’s present course we are doing the Marxist-Leninists’ work for them throughout Latin America, and the Soviets’ throughout the world.

The killing of our Commander Schaufelberger and the expanded US adviser-training program in Honduras reported in this morning’s paper reflect not only the cynicism of Administration policy but even more painfully its contempt for the US Congress: its manipulations are an insult to the intelligence and the integrity of a serious man like yourself, and even to those in the Senate and the House with a good deal less of either.

I will surely appreciate your keeping my views in mind as the situation continues to deteriorate, since they are not simply my views but those of a growing number of Americans very deeply—and at times feeling quite helplessly—concerned for our country’s future.

Yours,

William Gaddis

Commander Schaufelberger: Albert Schaufelberger, a Navy Lieutenant Commander who was assassinated in El Salvador on 25 May 1983, the first of an American military advisor there.

To Ralph Sipper

[
American rare-book dealer, editor, and critic (1932– ), who had sent WG his edition of the essays of American mystery writer Ross Macdonald (1915–83) entitled
Self-Portrait: Ceaselessly into the Past
(Capra, 1981) and asked WG to contribute to a memorial volume published in 1984 as
Inward Journey: Ross Macdonald
.
]

235 East 73 Street

New York, New York 10021

27 May 1983

Dear Mr Sipper.

I believe that some weeks ago you were kind enough to send me a copy of Ross Macdonald:
Self Portrait
, with an accompanying letter requesting an appreciation of his work from me for a book you are publishing with Knopf. I have the book but have somewhere misplaced the letter (& address) & hope this may reach you despite its unpromising response.

Unfortunately & quite simply, I am just not acquainted with Ross MacDonald’s work (though know the name of course) & cannot picture who at Knopf might have recommended me for your project flattering as it may be. Because of the usual backslid pressure of work I’m not in a position to take enough time out for it to do your project justice.

I do appreciate your intentions & hope they prosper,

Yours,

William Gaddis

To Steven Moore

[
A special session on WG’s work had just been approved for the annual Modern Language Association convention, to be held in New York City at the end of 1983. It was organized by Miriam Fuchs (a former student of Kuehl’s and a contributor to
In Recognition of William Gaddis
); the panel consisted of her, Frederick Karl, myself, and Kuehl, though the latter fell ill and was unable to attend.
]

Wainscott NY 11975

12 June 1983

Dear Steven Moore.

To yours of 7 June—& then some.

Again thanks for the corrections, forwarded along to San Diego (where Harcourt has taken refuge) though some ‘irregularities’ remain as material for your glosses & bait for future PhDs. As yet no word from Harcourt on whether or not for a preface though I’m not pressing them; but am threatening them with the MLA: incidentally I didn’t at first grasp Fred Karl in this, then realized he’s the same I met at dinner recently & who produced my serious reading assignment (after the frivolity of the new Kissinger), his book on Conrad. Quite heavy artillery.

No further thoughts on the MS study for the moment.

On the count of that drawing for Bert Britton for your book an easy solution: I’ve somewhere the same drawing on an 8x10 page with a small splotch on one line which was why I put it aside & did the clean one for BB; the splotch could easily be retouched & I could send the thing to whomever/ wherever at Syracuse when the time comes, no BB &c permissions necessary.

Now I’d postponed the following but since you persist in your folly these observations on various items in the
Reader’s Guide
may be of interest or diversion. It is not exhaustive. [...]

Yours,

W. Gaddis

Fred Karl: Frederick
R.
Karl (1927–2004), American literary critic, and a neighbor of WG’s in the Hamptons.

new Kissinger: probably
Years of Upheaval
(1982).

his book on Conrad:
Joseph Conrad: The Three Lives
(1979).

these observations: these 3½ pages of notes are omitted because most of them have been incorporated into the online version of the
Reader’s Guide
at the Gaddis Annotations Website.

Top: Frederick Exley and WG, summer 1983.

Bottom: John Sherry, Donn Pennebaker, and WG, Sag Harbor, July 1995 (photo by Chelsea Pennebaker; taken at Donn Pennebaker’s 70th birthday party).

To Steven Moore

Wainscott

26 June 1983

JUST A BULLETIN: After 20 years of wrangling, & taking a hard look at cash flow, cost accounting, public reading habits & B Dalton et alia, the CHAIRMAN (Mr Jovanovitch) has decided to do the gentlemanly thing & return to me the rights to
The Recognitions
. Our (my & my agent’s) next step uncertain & I in no rush, just want to savour the thing as my own again for a while though of course it would be a pain to have any sort of demand created by your Syracuse Press (I’ve sent them the drawing) effort & the MLA with only the squat & speckled Avon available (though they now have notice of 6 months to get it off the stands).

I’ll let you know as things develop or do not,

Gaddis.