Lot 409
Farrell, James T (1904-1979) American novelist, short-story writer, and poet; best remembered for the Studs Lonigan trilogy. Four autograph letters signed ("Jas Farrell"), 18 pages, 10¾ x 8 in., New York, 1968-69. To John Barkham, book reviewer at The Satuday Review. Farrell attempts to secure a column in The Satuday Review, as a platform to gain national attention and deal with material which he will later use in his fiction. The first letter (7 pages) explains his credentials and motives and manner; the second (1 page) enlists Norman Mailer in support, in the third (2 pages) he "might as well let the matter drop. It's a waste of my time to try and write for American publications…I have never had a fair chance … or equal opportunity in my own country, and I'll never get it." The last (8 pages) describes his difficulties: he is without help and was so fatigued that he fell down from exhaustion, but is now well and writing again, and has at least four books ready, including the most beautiful writing he's done; his most powerful novel Invisible Swords is 80% ready and has been since 1955; Adlai Stevenson, Paul Douglas, Hubert Humphrey and Eugene McCarthy have recommended him for the Nobel Prize; he has 50,000 pages of unpublished writing; his best-selling books are out of print, but he continues to work. With a 1 page Farrell manuscript concerning Studs Lonigan: "This work remains a challenge to those who intepret American literature. Few have analyzed Studs Lonigan and some of its admirers attacked, or ignored it, until I had written additional books…these people, originally hostile to Studs L. began to say that they lilked this work -- so that they could knock off later books. This kind of dishonesty is common in the literary political world. JTF."
Estimated Value $800 - 1,000.
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| Realized $600 |
