Cassette Tape 22 -- Side A -- Letters General / Speaking Engagements -- 31 minutes and 7 seconds Sullivan's Label: 22 a --Letters General / Speaking Engagements [MC298-5-1-016a] [Processor's note -- Margaret Sullivan begins this tape by running through a group of invitations to speak at various events, summarizing their contents. Items she considers potentially important she reads in more detail. This tape begins in middle of a letter.] [Processor's note -- This letter is read in its entirety as the last item on Tape 22, Side B below]. . . the Service will provide hospitality and travel experiences within the USSR for a period of 30 days. U.S. will give round-trip transportation. Is interested in knowing if she is interested in going. Signed Frederick A. Colewell, Chief, American Specialist Branch, International Educational Exchange Service Encyclopedia for Children wants her picture for their anthology, July 12, 1954 February 20, 1961, Barbara Turner, artists and writers cookbook. Los Angeles. Interested in doing a cookbook with a lot of famous artists contributing various concoctions, February 20th 1961 Coe College, Ceder Rapids, Iowa, June 12, 1961. Wants a speaker for its fine arts festival, March 29 through April 9th, 1962 Coleen Margarete of Marymount College, Tarrytown on the Hudson, March 29, 1963, wants Mr. Carson McCullers to speak at the Intercollegiate Literary Forum to be held in the Spring of 1964/ April 12, '61, from Harper's Magazine letterhead, Dear Mrs. McCullers, Writing to ask if you might contribute one of your original manuscripts to be auctioned off May 9th to benefit the Negro students sit-in movement in the United States. Friends Together Corps, from Mr. Marvin Rich 7/14/63 Gabriel Pastel writing for information about Dylan Thomas and her friendship with him. This was written January 14, 1966 from Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, Department of English, asking her if she would be interested in 1966/1967 being the author in residence at Washington State University with the English Department. General Business File: Letterhead, Harper's Bazaar, November 15, 1946. From Carmel Snow, editor. To Whom It May Concern. Carson McCullers is going to New York and while there will be doing many articles for Harper's Bazaar. I would appreciate anything you could do to facilitate matters for her. Carmel Snow October 15, 1946. John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation letterhead. I hereby certify that Mrs. Carson McCullers has been re-appointed by the trustees of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to a fellowship for the period from November 1st, 1946 to November 1st, 1947. The terms of her appointment require her to devote herself during this period to a continuation of creative writing in the field of fiction. Mrs. McCullers is respectively recommended by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to the esteemed confidence and friendly consideration of all persons to whom she may present this letter. From the International Mark Twain Society, March 25, 1946. Dear Mrs. McCullers, for your contribution to literature the Society has elected you to honorary membership. Upon your approval, your election will be confirmed by the executive board. There are no dues or assessments. With personal regards and all good wishes I am cordially yours, Cyril Clements Letterhead, Theatre Arts Magazine, 234 West 44th, November 23rd, '53. Dear Mrs. McCullers, it was so nice meeting you the other evening with the Messieurs Williams and Connolly. Should like very much for you to write something for the magazine and I am wondering it you would give me a ring. [and so forth] Alexander Since WOR station letterhead, 1440 Broadway, New York 18. February 1st, 1950. To Carson. Thank you so much for making a guest appearance on my Martha Dean program. Our listeners enjoyed hearing from you. And she is signed Marion Young (Marion [sic] Dean) To Mrs. Carson McCullers, 105 Thompson Street, New York City. WOR letterhead again. January 12, 1951. Dear Carson McCullers, I am planning to do a program that will include the favorite short poem of each of 12 prominent women and I should very much like to include your favorite along with your reason for liking it so much. Would you mind having your secretary drop me a note before January 22nd if possible, giving me the title and your brief reasons? We will get a copy of the poem ourselves, of course, so she won't have to bother with that. Cordially, Marion Young (Martha Dean) [This is Reeve's handwriting] Answered 1/18/51 "After Great Pain, a Formal Feeling Comes" page 365, Number CLDIII, The Poems of Emily Dickinson, J. Reeves McCullers March 7th, 1951. Thank you letter for including her story in the textbook, Honorial Interpretation, which I am writing for Harper and Brothers, William J. Farma" Joshua Logan [at the top] May 1, 1952. Dear Miss Lasky, I do remember reading The Ballad of the Sad Cafe, several years ago. I am a great admirer of Carson McCullers, and loved The Ballad of the Sad Cafe but at the present moment I am so full of the new show that I can't quite picture what I could do with it in dramatic form. It would require a great deal of study and I haven't time for that, at least until July, so if Miss McCullers would like to go ahead with someone else, I would understand thoroughly. Sincerely yours, Joshua Logan. [Date here 9/12/52. This is from Dr. Henry Goverts of Scherz & Goverts Verlag of Stuttgart/Homburg written from Lichtenstein]. To Mrs. Carson McCullers, l'ancien presbytère. Dear Mrs. McCullers, many thanks for the letter you sent us from France. We do not understand that looking through your files you do not find any correspondence or a contract concerning your novel, The Member of the Wedding. Twenty second August '50 the contract was signed between Houghton Mifflin Company and Parnas Verlag, Scherz & Goverts. Advance was paid directly after signing the contract and all royalties, as the contract says, have to be paid to Marian Saunders, in connection with Ann Watkins, your agent and Dr. L. Morinwitz[?], Zurich. We also sent six copies of the book to Miss Saunders and are astonished to hear that you did not receive them. Hope you enjoy your visit in France and wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 2 rue Gaynemer, Paris, 4/3/53 [or 6/3/53], Dear Carson McCullers, we did not have much time to speak the other day, but your wonderful books are a strong and invisible bond between yourself and those who love them. Of all modern novels that I have read, The Member of the Wedding and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter are those that have touched me the most deeply. I should be very glad to meet you again and if you and your husband come down to Paris, let us know and come and see us. I am sending you two books of mine. One is poetry, the other is my first novel. I have heard that you write poems. Have you had any published? I would love to read them. Please give my kindest regards to your husband. Let me tell you again what a joy it was for us to meet you both. Claire Cher Carson McCullers. A mon amor, amiti et mon admiration tres profound. Andrée Chedid 27th February, 1953 To James McCullers, Bachivillers, Oise. From Russell H. Porter, councilor at law, 64 bis rue du Monceau, Paris. Dear Mr. McCullers, this is to acknowledge receipt, with thanks, of your check in settlement of my fees. Yours faithfully, Russell H. Porter Danish translator wants to know if Miss Amelia has any relation to Olive Oyle, Popeye's girlfriend. List of similarities. The note here says answered January 31st, 1953. May 28, 1953. Dearest Carson, enclosed is to assure you and the princess that we have mentioned Botavious Gere. What news have you? From Cyrilly Abels, managing editor, Mademoiselle April 22, 1953. Doubleday and Company letterhead at top. Dear Carson, I am so glad to hear from Frank the you, St. Clair Pugh, Reeves and are all friends and have had good time together. I remember with such nostalgia the days of the Bread Loaf Conference and the interest I've had in your career ever since. You're a wonderful writer and one I have admired and in whom I have never been disappointed. I think it is sad when an author feels he or she and his publisher no longer see eye-to-eye, sort of like the end of a marriage, but if it isn't working, the thing to do is to end it cleanly. As I understand, you have an option which needs to be absolved before you can make an arrangement with anybody else. I want you to know that when and if you are free to consider other publishers, that Doubleday very much wants to publish your work and that we will make a fair contract with you which will include an advance against royalties, spread over a period of time if you feel you need to have additional funds to finish the book. I know you know that I am devoted to you but I am also devoted to a number of my dear friends at Houghton Mifflin, as are several of my associates. We in no sense want to steal you from Houghton Mifflin but if, as I gathered from Frank, that you have decided to leave there, and when you are free, we very much want you. Love, Ken/Ken McCormick, Editor in Chief, c/o Mr. Frank Price, Doubleday & Company, Incorporated, 21 rue de Berry, Paris 8, France. Answered May 4, 1953 Announcement that Natalie DeNici-Murray is joining the company of Rizzoli Editore Corporation 7112 5th Avenue, New York, as January 3, 1966. [On the back] Dear Carson, many, many wishes to you and congratulations. I just returned from [someplace] where my beloved mother died a month ago. I couldn't remain there. If ever you should [something] remember that [so-and-so] cares. Best love, Natalie [smeared letter from] 265A Old Bath Road, Cheltenham. Ascot Sunday. From James. He did not get to say good-bye to her. A decision made with a heavy heart, but he knew that he might be distraught at the straw that broke the camel's back. You go back leaving a trail of clouds of glory which is of less value than the love and admiration which accompany you. The English friend. This is from Malcolm, January 12, 1954. Carson my dear, our session with espresso and bourbon and rambling talk was a happy time last Thursday and already I look back upon it as my last few hours of comparative health. Since then I've been croupy, glum and woozy in the head. In any case, I have given a little thought to some of the more practical notions we discussed and that has led me to this suggestion - to simplify everything, why don't you just send a note to the individuals I have listed at the following colleges telling them that I recommended your writing to them and saying that you would be available for a lecture within such-and-such period of time. I've had professional contacts with all of them and they would take it as quite an order that I urged you addressing them. Also, in that way, we would be free of all the fuss and complications of disappointments that might intrude if I were to make the arrangements, then have to seek you out for confirmation, and so on. I am sure you would have a good response from a number of them and that, sooner or later, all of them would want you. Meantime, I'm checking with the poetry center to find out if we have some available date on which we could have you speak there. I should have a report on that within another day or so. Also, about the writers' conference, possibly at Connecticut for June, I took up the matter with the man who is organizing the event. He was most enthusiastic however is seems that invitations to others have already gone out and we shall have to wait upon those responses to know whether there may still be an opening. I should have word for you on this very shortly. Take care of yourself meanwhile and do just what Dr. Psyche and Dr. Somer tell you to do and I hope that there will be another occasion to be ruminative and gloomy good friends within a very short while. Affectionately, Malcolm 100 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, Massachusetts. The places to write include: Vassar, Bryn Mawr, Sweetbriar, Welsey, Wheaton, Sarah Lawrence, Bennington, Stephens, Connecticut College for Women, the Institute for Contemporary Arts in Washington. January 7th, 1955. From Rosslyn, sending her three copies of her beautiful poem, hoping you will lunch with me at the Cafe Nicholson before too long. This is from the James Simon Guggenheim Foundation replying to her letter of June 27, 1959. This one written July 1, 1959 about her application for further assistance. Needs to be refered to persons who are familiar with your recent works and send us copies for our files. January 28, 1959. New Orleans. Dear Carson, allow me to call you simply Carson as one of your friends. Thank you for your nice letter. Let me send two of the pictures I took on that memorable night. I met later three of those I had met on that memorable occasion. [Comment on New Orleans] According to your advice, I'll arrange matters with your agent when I want to translate your recent work into Japanese. Did you meet Mr. Tennessee Williams on January 12th? Sincerely yours, Mr. [looks like] Tabuko Kurtan [something like that]. Ossabaw Island Project, November 13, 1961. Dear Miss McCullers, I was very honored when Miss Lillian Smith suggested that you might be interested in our brand-new project. We are tremendously excited about it and feel that it will work because such a thing is needed and because the Island is so wondrous. Miss Smith is coming for almost two months this winter. The enclosed leaflet tells the story as best it can, but the island has be seen to be believed. We are so hoping that sometime you can come. Please let us know. Most sincerely, Mrs. Clifford B. West. April 10th, 1963. Marymount College. To Miss Carson McCullers, we are very happy to learn that you will be able to participate in our literary forum to be held in the spring of 1964. The fee of $300 is acceptable to us. Since we are still in the process of organization, we can give you no further details at present. We will get in touch with you no later than June 1st, the end of the school year. Sincerely, Helene Margret From Robert S. Phillips, 315 Comstock Avenue, Syracuse 10, New York. April 8, 1963. Dear Mrs. McCullers, thank you for your kind note and the return of my manuscript. I find I will be unable to visit you on the date you suggest, April 18, 1963. I think sometime in June would now be better, preferably early June. Do you remember the bibliography of your work, published in Bulletin of Bibliography in January of '59? I have a supplementary checklist of 70 articles of criticism on your work which Bulletin of Bibliography will publish sometime in the future. T his will bring your bibliography in that periodical up through '62 and should be of use to future scholars of your work. My wife and I were very moved by your piece on Isak Dinesen in the Saturday Review; a beautiful recollection. Sincerely, Robert Phillips This is from Equity Library[?[ Theatre 226 W 46 Street, New York 36, April 12, 1963. To Carson McCullers, our production of your play, Square Root of Wonderful, will open on Friday, April 19th. We invite you to come. May 13th 1963, stationary, Charlotte Observer, from Harriet Doar. Dear Mrs. McCullers, of course I meant to write earlier to tell you how pleased I was to meet you in your home and have lunch with you. I looked everywhere here for a copy of The Movie Goer which I liked so much. I think everyone else will, too. It was on every paperback shelf for a while, but now it seems to have disappeared. If I run across it somewhere I will send it on and if you've already read it it doesn't matter. I was glad to see Clock Without Hands is out in paperback. Our paperback columnist mentioned it recently. I believe it will be remembered as peculiarly significant. Will look forward to your next. Sincerely, Harriet Doar This is from Michel Fabre. First a postcard. Dear Mrs. McCullers. [Well, the address was 8 Norfolk Terrace, Wellesley 81 or 8, Massachusetts.] Thanking you for your kind letter and appreciation of Richard Wright's genius which touched me greatly. Yes, I can ask Ellen Wright about the dates. I already saw her about it in Paris. She also tends to forget about dates. But I was mostly interested by your impressions of Richard and I am very grateful for your answer. I hope that what I can write will not be undeserving of your kind wishes. Sincerely, Michel. This is April 29, 1963. This is the initial letter asking for her help on a doctorate thesis for the Sorbonne on the life and works of Richard Wright. I know that Richard Wright appreciated the way you wrote about Negroes, especially in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. He also expressed his admiration for your writing in a much later letter to one of his Dutch friends and Madame Hélène Bokanowski states it in her article, "Carson McCullers: un literal[?] metaphysique, L'Arche, March 1947. Could I ask you whether in a way or another, you exerted some influence on Richard, or he on you? Also I know from Ellen Wright that they occupied your flat sometime in 1941 in Middagh Street but she does not exactly remember when. Is it true, too, that you took the apartment the Wrights vacated when they left it for one on Boulevard St. Michele in July 1946? I have to be very accurate, even in the chronology. [Three letters from Margaret Sullivan about the visit on December the 6th, 1965 in reply to two letters from Carson McCullers, then a final letter to Mrs. McCullers] [Processor's note--Sullivan does not read any of them.] April 7, 1967 from Doubleday & Company, Inc., Publishers, 277 Park Avenue, New York. Dear Carson, it was so good to be with you. You asked me about where films are rented and I checked about. One is Brandom Films on West 57th Street. They have a catalog, both domestic and foreign. If they don't have what you want, Tillis Willoughby will. I hope your trip to Ireland was absolutely gorgeous. Love to you, Tim McCormick. On Rastar Productions, Inc., Columbia Pictures Corp, 1438 North Gower Street, Hollywood, California 9028. March 10, '67. Dear Carson, it is good to know that you had such a pleasant a visit at the Plaza. I have heard from the Seven Arts Office, Floria, Bobby and so many of your friends that Manhattan was just as pleased to have you as you were to be there. You are so sweet to mention thanking me when I am so very grateful to you, not only for your friendship but for the pleasure I have had producing Reflections. I ran Reflections again last week. It is now fine cut; about ready ready for scoring. I am always most critical of anything in which I have an emotional commitment, however I can't tell you how pleased I am with the picture as it is, an almost flawless job by John Huston. I know that you are going to be pleased because we have all been honorably bound to your work. Marlon is once again the greatest actor in the world, Elizabeth is a provocative Leonora, Julie Harris and Brian Keith are superb, as always, and the boy Anaclito are really damn good. But mostly the feelings, the thought and the marvelous writing of Carson McCullers permeate the film. You have really inspired John Huston and everyone else connected with the picture to do their best work. I hope the critics, the public and most of all you, Carson dear, share the same enthusiasm and excitement when the film is viewed. Love, Ray Stark, RSJAR P.S. -- Now that you are really in the writing groove, why not do a sequel in which Penderton turns heterosexual after he is appointed the commandant of a girls' military academy? OK, so you don't like my ideas. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC. August 1, 1967. To Mr. Carson McCullers, Nyack, New York. Dear Mr. McCullers, at the request of the President, I wish to acknowledge and thank you for the communication of July 29, 1967. The President appreciates your taking the time and trouble to give him your views on the legislative proposals for the control of rats. In carrying out the activities of the federal government, it is always helpful to learn of individual reactions to present and proposed programs. Thank you again for your communication. Mrs. Golda Hale, Congressional Services Staff. June 28th, 1966. University of Oregon writing to ask about acquiring her manuscripts. Esquire letterhead, from Rust Hill, Fiction Editor, November 26, 1958. To Carson. Here's your article in its most recent form for you to read when you're down in Washington. As you go over it preparing for the session, you will perhaps yourself will have thoughts on what to add or subtract. Meanwhile I am enclosing a tear sheet of the Faulkner interview which we did in December which is very well thought of around here now. You will notice that it's an interview combined with an original by Faulkner, and it was thought that if we could create some sort of form similar to this for your article we'd be in business . Bob Denton, art director, has seen the drawings of your neighbor, Marielle Bancu, and says that he is very anxious to do, along with your article, one of her portraits of you. It seems to me that this would make an awfully nice section for us. The problem remains, still, what I am going to be able to get away from here and talk with you, but I certainly hope that it won't be long. It is wonderful to hear that you are back at the typewriter again. Love, Rust December 16, 1958, to Carson from Rust Hill. Again, here's your copy of Reflections in a Golden Eye which you kindly lent me for the introduction by Tennessee Williams. I've had it in the office here. I've been afraid of its getting misplaced. Now it seems impossible that I will get up to Nyack until after the 5th of January and hope that you will bear with me until then. Much love and Merry Christmas. August 12th '58. Look Magazine to Carson. Dear Carson, how awfully nice of you to invite Harold Hayes and I to lunch and would Tuesday or Thursday of next week be alright with you? I'm going to be out of town for the rest of this week, but will give you a ring on Monday. I think you will like Harold very much. He is a young man of charm and of considerable good literary taste. January 29th 1958 to Dr. Hervey Cleckley, care of McGraw Hill Book Company. Dear Dr. Cleckley, my sister Carson gave me this letter on Christmas time to forward and it slipped my mind until now. She's trying to learn typing again and this is the first letter she's typed. I urged her to send it to you in spite of the errors. Very good wishes, Margarita G. Smith Reed from Valley Cottage, New York. January 7th, 1958. Dear Mrs. McCullers, income tax forms have arrived for earnings in 1957. If I recollect correctly, my salary earned with you can be declared by me. I hope you'll speak with your accountant to state that you had stenographic expenses in connection with your Broadway play for which compensation was made. Therefore office supplies, typewriter rental[?] and repair, trips to New York, plus typing services, both for another lady and myself, can be held as legitimate expenses. As the only track of what I earned is by check, I think a total amount of roughly 170, and as I would declare that amount in my '57 earnings, I would ask that your accountant send me a letter or a statement one his notepaper of what I earned from June to Labor Day and subsequently, an amount I think of approximately 190. I trust you got your blue manuscript and the musical brown back manuscripts safely. I forgot to mention I saw Julie Harris in The Country Wife. She was not fitted for a buxom, not too naive, but pretty dumb-bell-ish country wench. It was magnificently staged and the acting was superior. Hoping this Russian Christmas and New Years thing's the best, Helen Nebelstein [or something] August the 7th, 1958. To Carson McCullers from Laura Bergtuist has written you, I think, about our interest in the journal you've kept of your experiences in analysis. I would be most grateful if you would be able to set aside some time to see me. My home is in Ossining and I would happy to stop by or see you in town, whichever is most convenient for you. Sincerely, Harold Hayes, assistant to the publisher, Esquire Magazine. [The note at the bottom.] Not keeping a journal. Intend to write something when analysis is completed. Glad to show it to you then. 8-11-58 Max W. CBS News letterhead, August 1st, 1958. Miss Carson McCullers. This is a small but affectionate note to let you know how every much I enjoyed spending the day with you "The Seeking Years", on our other religious television program, Look Up and Live. The play really came off quite well and won for Don Kellerman a Sylvania Award in public affairs programming . I, and Don, would be interested in your reaction. It was a pleasure to meet you, Carson, and I do hope we will see each other again before the summer is out, perhaps on a Sunday afternoon when I take the family for a drive. Best wishes and warm regards to you, Max and Mariella. Robert H. Young, producer, public affairs department. [This is obviously from a malcontent reader. The article "Notes from the Author", in The Saturday Evening Post. I wrote it when I was 17 and my daddy had given me my first typewriter. [My daddy is circled.] Now the note says: I was going to read this story until I read the note printed above. When I came back from the sink after being sick and wiping my mouth, I opened the book. The part that turned my innards inside out was "and my daddy had given me my first typewriter." Oh, brother! "my daddy"[underlined twice]. How old are you? Seven? Why not just "my dad" or "my father?" Here's another letter from an Elsie Gillsy in Lexington, Kentucky, September 15, 1956. Dear Carson McCullers. I am addressing you that way without Mr., Miss or Mrs., not because of any lack of respect, because I don't know which to use. In fact, that is what this argument is about that we want you to settle for us, please. One night while my boy friend was waiting for me to get ready, to get ready to go out, I mean, he picked up a magazine and read the short story by you, "Who Has Seen the Wind." When he came in, he showed it to me and asked if I had read it. I said, "Not yet, but I am going to. I like her stories." He said, "What do you mean, her stories. Isn't this Carson McCullers a man?" I told him I thought I had read somewhere that you were a woman. So then he showed me the part where someone asked Ken, the hero, a question that embarrassed him and you said, "his scrotum tightened and he tried desperately to look unconcerned" and then he, not Ken, but my boyfriend said "What would a woman know about that?" I said, "You may be right because I am a woman and I wouldn't know about it. I have been asked a lot of embarrassing questions and if my scrotum ever tightened, I never noticed it." I thought that fool would die laughing. He just roared and later on, after we got to this party and everybody had had a few drinks, he told the whole crowd what I had said. They very nearly kidded me to death. I was so embarrassed. If anything was going to tighten, that was was the time for it, but nothing did as far as I could tell. Then on the way home he was kind of high. He got to arguing that you must be a woman at that because a man would know that an embarrassing question did not cause tightening of the scrotum, so he has been on both sides of the argument. But anyway, he suggested that I write and ask you. I am enclosing a stamped, addressed envelope for your convenience in replying, if you will be so kind. Yours truly, Elsie Gillsy This letter was mailed from Virginia Dawls, care of McMillian, 39 5th Avenue, New York City, September 13, 1944. It is mailed to Mrs. Carson McCullers, Columbus, Georgia. Please Forward. And they do, from Columbus to 127 South Broadway, Nyack, New York. The letters says, I hope you won't think this letter terribly queer in its way but it is sort of a fan letter, the first of its kind. After meeting you on the train from the south last week I read your book, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Wonderful. Hope she has had good news from her husband that he will soon return to the United States. Give my love to your mother Cassette Tape 22 -- Side B -- Letters to and From Floria Lasky Concerning Taxes Sullivan's label: 22b - Tax Lasky [MC298-5-1-016b] This concerns Reeves and Carson's Income Tax Form for the year 1950. The form has been copied by Mother. The employers given is General Teleradio, Inc., occupation-credit manager, Reeves' Social Security Number 246-01-6972. Total earnings before deductions $956.31. On the other side, the net income is listed as $58,775.06. Tax paid/due was $3,320.32. This is itemized by Mother on a form. Now, a letter from Warshaw & Clarke. Irving Warshaw is given the CPA here. 50 Church Street, New York 7, New York. March 25, 1953. To J. Reeves and Carson McCullers, ancien presbytère, Bachivillers, Oise popove[?], France. Dear Carson and Reeves, your joint federal income tax return for the year 1950 was recently examined by the Treasury Department. You undoubtedly recall that the year 1950 was the year in which you reported a gross income, principally as a result of royalties received from Member of the Wedding, of $83, 716. Against this gross income we had deductions on your return of $23,564. These deductions included the following, among others: travel expenses, wardrobe expenses, entertaining expenses, cost of massages, and various other professional expenses. At the time that the return was prepared, we advised you that the Treasury Department would deem the cost of massages and so forth as being a purely personal item and not deductible as a business expense, that they could, in such cases, be deductible as medical expenses providing that the total of all your medical expenses, including the cost of such massages, etc., exceeded 5% of your total income for such years. Such, of course, was not the case for your returns for this year and therefore this item of a course of massages, etc., is not allowable as a business expense, could not benefit you as a medical deduction. We also advised you that the Treasury Department may take the position that some portion of your travel expenses to Europe should be deemed personal. We further stated to you that the Treasury Department may take the position that wardrobe expenses are not an allowable deduction for an author. As a matter of fact, the Treasury Department is today even disallowing wardrobe expenses, in many cases, for actors and actresses unless incurred in connection with wardrobe used on the stage. We further advised you that the Treasury Department may attempt to disallow some portion of your entertaining expenses and various other expenses which were paid to a very great extent by cash through the means of cash checks drawn throughout the year since such expenses are difficult of direct proof. Upon examination of the return the revenue agent first proposed to disallow the following expenses: travel expenses - 50% ($2,458.25); wardrobe expenses - 100% ($1,327.23); entertaining expenses, etc. - $900; the cost of massages, etc. - 100% ($2,436.60). Total - $7,032.08. The result of such proposed disallowance of $7,032.08 of business expenses would have resulted in the assessment of additional federal income taxes in the amount of $3,968.64. Irving Warshaw and myself then spent an afternoon debating the entire matter with the agent and finally agreed with him, subject to your approval, to the following disallowances instead of those first proposed by said revenue agent: wardrobe expenses - $1,236,23; courses of massages, etc. - $2,436.60; and portion of travel expenses - $500. You will thus note that we were allowed, as a result of our further conference with the revenue agent the greatest portion of the type of expenses which were subject to disallowance by the nature thereof and by reason that they were paid in a great extent in cash and therefore difficult to prove. We recommend, especially in view of the fact that the Treasury Department is becoming more and more strict on the question of allowable deductions where the expense cannot be directly or specifically proven, that the proposed disallowances, totaling $4,173.83, be accepted by you. The additional tax on account of these proposed disallowances will amount to $2,354.86 instead of $3,968.64 as originally proposed by the revenue agent. When you are finally billed for such additional tax, there will be an added interest at the rate of 6% per annum which amount of interest will be deductible on your income tax return for the year when paid. Therefore the correct, true net cost of the interest will be less that 6%. I enclose herein Form 870 [and so forth]. From your last letter received about a month and a half ago, I was under the impression that you might be returning to the States fairly soon. I now understand from Floria Lasky that your plans are not fully settled. In the interim, I have requested from the Treasury Department an extension of time within which to file your federal income tax return for the year 1952 as well as an extension of time within which to file your estimated tax return for the year 1953. However, since your plans as to returning apparently are unsettled, I shall prepare this return based upon the available information that I have and shall write to you concerning it in the very near future before filing said return. Incidentally I am sending Floria a copy of this letter. Best wishes to both of you, from Irving Warshaw and myself, David Warshaw. [There is a letter in answer to this from Reeves McCullers dated April 5, 1953 from Bachivillers, directing him to pay the tax and asking about provisions for living and working abroad.] Here was an earlier letter dated July 31, 1952 to Reeves and Carson at Bachivillers. Dear Carson and Reeves, I was very happy to receive your letter and to learn that things are going well in your new home. I sincerely hope that you both will be very happy there. The data which you sent all seems to be in good order and taking this information plus the bank statements and cancelled checks, which I have been receiving periodically from Floria Lasky, I've been able to make some analysis of your tax position for the year 1952. Needless to say, any figures which I'm going to give you in this letter will constitute a very rough estimate. However, since you requested such an estimate, I am glad to give it to you, for what it is worth. It looks as though your total estimated income for the year 1952 will be about $43,800. Assuming that we can take estimated deductions and exemptions against this income of about $13,800, that will leave a taxable income of about $30,000. Your total taxes on such income will be about $11,000. You probably recall that for purposes of estimating tax which has to be paid currently during 1952, we use an estimated tax figure of $5,800. Your paying this $5,800 quarterly with your first check having been paid on March 15th, 1952. After making the quarterly payments totaling $5,800, there will be a balance of taxes to pay of about $5,200. I note that you asked for a rough estimate of your "retained income". It is very difficult to make any estimate of retained income since I have no idea of how much you will be spending in Europe. I can and have made a guess as to allowable estimated deductions against taxable income, but I have no idea of what your personal expenses are or will be. You have, of course, used certain monies this year making capital investments. For example, you have paid off your mortgage on your house, you have bought a new house in France, and you have bought stocks. This has reduced your bank account but unquestionably it was a good idea, especially in the case of the stocks, since you will be earning income on your money. If you are interested in how much money you will have left in the bank at the end of the year, you might work on the following premise. Take the cash balance in the bank as of June 30. You tell me that you expect to receive $4,000 from Houghton Mifflin. Assume that you will also receive approximately $1,000 in dividends for the balance of the year. Deduct whatever you think you may spend during the balance of the year. This would give you the amount of money you should have left in the bank before taxes. You have already paid $2,900 on account of federal taxes for the year of 1952 by two quarterly payments on your estimated tax. Assume that you will have to pay an additional $8,100 in taxes on account of 1952 income. Deduct this from the balance you arrive at above and this should give you an idea of much money you will have left in the bank after paying taxes at the end of 1952. Actually, your final payment on '52 taxes will not be made until 1953. I hope that this gives you the kind of information that you were seeking. It is, of course, a little more difficult to do this by mail than it is in a normal conversation. However, since according to your lawyer, you only expect to get back to the States about every two years, we had best start to learn to discuss these things by correspondence. If you have any questions, or if any of this is not understandable to you, please write and I will attempt to clear up any questions you might have. In any event, I shall be glad to hear from you from time to time and learn how you both are and how you are progressing in your new surroundings. With best wishes from both Irving Warshaw and myself, David. And another letter on September 11, 1952. Dear Carson and Reeves, I received your letter of August 31 and was, of course, glad to know that all is well with you over there. We shall, of course, attempt to take a travel expense deduction for your expenses in returning to America in May for the conferences with Robert Whitehead regarding the dramatization of the Ballad of the Sad Cafe. Probably it is not a 100% certain that the tax department will allow the deduction since, if they take the position that your trip to Europe was not 100% for business purpose then they will also take the position that had you not gone to Europe the expense of returning to the United States for a business conference would not be necessary. We shall, of course, argue strongly in favor of the deduction. I am certain that at worst we will work out some compromise. At best we will get the full amount allowable. The letter from Robert Whitehead will certainly beofa great aid in securing the deduction. The third quarterly installment of your '52 estimated taxes is due September 15th. I've asked Floria to forward a check to me. Then here's one on January 13, 1953. Carson and Reeves, enclosed you will find a copy I sent today to Floria Lasky which I think is self explanatory. [It says here that he's going to make a larger over-payment on taxes to avoid any kind of penalty.] Based on very rough calculations, it looks like they may have a total tax liability for the year 1952 of about $10,600. So far this year they have paid on account of their estimated tax $4,350. The government has the right to assess a penalty where there is as substantial underestimation of tax. One of the tests of such substantial underestimation lies in whether or not 80% of the final tax has been paid by January 15th. In order to avoid any possible penalties for underestimation, we recommend that the final quarterly payment of estimated tax due January 15th be made in the amount of $4,500 rather than $1,450. This will ensure that more than 80% of the final tax was paid by January 15th. If our rough estimate of total tax liability is, by any chance, far too high, no harm will have been done by paying $4,000 at this time. Any over-payment can simply be applied against the 1953 estimated tax, the first payment of which is due March 15th, 1953. Will you, therefore, please draw a check to the Director of Internal Revenue in this amount? Attach the check to the declaration and mail to the Director of Internal Revenue, Custom House, Bowling Green, New York, New York. [Sullivan--This was January. The letter about the investigation of the tax was dated March 25th, 1953.] [Now here is the Floria Lasky, Fitelson & Mayers File.] First letter, dated July 31, 1953, to Mr. Reeves McCullers, ancien presbytère, Bachivillers, Oise, popovay[?], France. Dear Reeves, both your letters have been received and I am sending them on to Carson as you wished. Carson arrived in very poor state of health, very disturbed and her affairs in a state of bad confusion, due to the folly there. My only advise would be that you try to straighten out and make good on all the financial and property problems as soon as possible, as that seems to be one of the things that is depressing Carson terribly. I think that you should sign over ownership of the car immediately to Carson by getting in touch with Mr. Porter and that you should do everything else possible to make good the damage that has been done. I am on my way out of town and expect to be back in a few days, at which time I will write you again. Best, Floria February 1st, 1956. Dearest Carson, on January 19th we sent you the papers to be signed in connection with the opening of your mother's deposit box so that we can complete the estate matter. You probably were in New York when it arrived, but now that you are back, would you kindly sign and return it immediately? Love, Floria V. Lasky cc:Miss Rita Smith Both of those letters have been copied, so please do not copy again. [Now continuing with bills, here's one from Charleston, South Carolina, a railroad express something sent to Carson by a Mrs. someone Sasperilla or something], 443 Church Street in Charleston, South Carolina and there is something I don't know what.] [And then a travel service bill] From Brillo Griffith, 59 E. Central Avenue, Pearl River, New York and the bill/order is for April 8, 1963 was made for one round-trip air ticket to Charleston, South Carolina, starts on April 12th [it looks like] and ending on April 15th. For above, $77.81 by Didia Ortiz And here's a book from the Old Spanish Book Mine, invoice for book by Young, Angel in the Forest, $4.50. [Note at the bottom.] Your conversations with Sally Abelis and my thanks. Paid by check. 6/3/63. And then a refund, duplicate payment on an invoice from Houghton Mifflin $51.56 [All the bills] [This is called "Causes"] Here's an American Civil Liberties Union announcement of a luncheon with Herblock as speaker, February 6th, 1954 . "Civil Liberty -- Right or Privilege?" And the report of the American Civil Liberties Union from January 1951 to June 1953 This is addressed to James R. McCullers, care of Whitehead Productions, 105 W. 55th Street, New York, then forwarded to Nyack. Here's an invitation to the Fresh Air Fund to write an article on the need of children for the fresh air fund, given by the Harold Tribune and to want her to write an article similar to the one here given by Miss Lillian Smith, links child aid to new world. Also says sending young ones to country helps brings peace and order. Date is December 8, 1949 for her article. Here's one from Redbook Magazine about a National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy will present the Eleanor Roosevelt Peace Award to Dr. Benjamin Spock at a testimonial dinner on November 2nd, 1963. This letter is August 5. They hope she will listed as a sponsor. Here's a local crisis. 8/7/63 about the erecting of a nine story apartment house on the west side of Piermont Avenue opposite Salisbury Manor. This is a letter mailed July 19, '63 from Grove Press about the New York State Court of Appeals highest court has just banned The Tropic of Cancer in the entire state of New York because of obscenity and fears there will be drives to extend censorship to other books. So the answer is to join in an amicus curia brief filed with the Supreme Court of the United States, involving censorship of The Tropic of Cancer. [And so she did.] The brief is filed by August 25, 1963. The amica of more than 100 other editors, authors, publishers concerned that a bookseller can be put in threat of jail for his readiness to distribute a work such as Tropic of Cancer. We consider this incompatible with freedom of expression and the right to read. We ask that an end by put to the censorship of books. A long list of illustrious names beginning with Gay Wilson Allen, ending with Thomas Yoseloff. Among them Louise Bowman, Harvey Bright, George Brockway, Harold Clurman, Mark Carroll, Pascals, John Dos Passos, Ferlinghetti, B. Smart, Gelber, B. Gellsman, Harry Goldmann, Griffith [and so forth], Mailer, Malamud, Marla Mann, Ken McCormick, Carson McCullers, Terry McWilliams, Daniel Melchor [and so forth]. And then the final letter from Mark Van Doren, Falls Village, Connecticut, July 24, 1963, reporting the developments of the test-ban situation since she joined in the open letter to President Kennedy. We have every reason to believe that this letter played its part in the president's decision to make his speech of June 10th when he announced the resumption of negotiations in Moscow, now in progress. Now they are forming a citizen's committee for a nuclear test ban is being formed [sic] so, your signature is needed here as well to include her name on the advertisement. Here are lectures, requests, translations, reprints and so forth The first is from Bermann Fischer/Querido Verlag, Amsterdam. To Mr. Carsen [sic] McCullers, care of Houghton Mifflin, February 10, 1950. Dear Sir, we are intending a publication of a memorial book for Klaus Mann. Many friends are going to do this: G.A. Bolgese, Lyon Foote Venga, Carlos Schwartz, Bruno Walter and others. Mrs. Erika Mann gave us your address and asked us to invite you, too. Send your reply, please as well as your contribution to the address of Mrs. Erika Mann, 1550 San Remo Drive, Pacific Palisades, California as quickly as possible. Deadline on March 10th. Here's a letter from Alice Ceresa Bigleone di Via Rigi, la Simonette, Vence, Alpes-Maritimes, France. Date 20/3/50. She writes because she is doing an article on Carson and she speaks of the Italian translation of Reflections in a Golden Eye. In the Italian edition you write like a tired, captious lady. She would like to do her own version. And a supporting note is included there, care of American Express, Nice, February 16th, 1950 from someone named A. Hamilton Gibbs, Lakeville, Middleboro, Massachusetts, and he's writing in care of his publisher, Little Brown to recommend that this young Italian authoress under her maiden name, Alice Ceresa has made a great success in Italy, read some of her work, distinctly in the vein of Pirandello. She might be able to help her with the matter of the publishing world and being translated into Italian. [Processor's note: according to Wikipedia, Marguerite Chapin, better known as Marguerite Caetani, Princess of Bassiano, Duchess of Sermoneta, was a publisher, journalist, art collector and patron of the arts. Born in Waterville, Connecticut, she married an Italian aristocrat and became the founder and director of the literary journals Commerce (fr) (in France) and Botteghe Oscure (in Italy). Sullivan's comment about "one of those terrible letters from Marguerite" probably refers to the handwriting and not the content.] One of those terrible letters from Marguerite at Nimfa, January 14, 1953. Darling Carson, how happy I was to see your name on the manuscript brought to me one morning. I find it beautiful and am so happy to print it in my spring issue. Perhaps it will make you begin to finish the book also, as all who read it in Bottheghe Oscure will long to see the rest. I remember what you showed me one day here at Nimfa. How much I liked it and how much you have perfected it. I am sure it is going to be your greatest work. I thought so already when I read those fragments here, but now I am sure of it. I gave it to the Becks to read and they are crazy about it. I am sending you back the Frank book and the Becks and I think that if anyone tries to make a play of this, it must be you. No one else should attempt it. Just in this moment I am dried up financially but next month I hope to be more or less afloat again and you will tell me what I should give you and if I can't give all at once I will give it in several tithes, if that is alright. Do you mind the cold? Here if freezes every night but is glorious weather and we lunch out every day. [Tammerlane?] has more less decided to do it's story in the spring issue where I shall have several celebrities. This is, they consider, the least interesting English/American part since the revue exists. Perhaps this is a better idea, really, as long as they really do bring out Dozier's story in the spring. He has taken so much trouble about it. They're going back to America in March, so if he is on that side, perhaps he can do something about it. probably. I like him so much. Darling Carson, so much love and loving thanks, and a great hug. Love also to Reeves, mon Reeves. Do I put note, "Work in Progress", "First Chapter of a Work in Progress" or what? January 27, 1953, Bachivillers. Dearest Marguerite, we have been having terrible weather here and have thought of you often and pictured you sitting in the Nimfa sun eating grapefruit from your lovely garden. We are snow-bound here half the time, but being Southerners we don't really mind it . Carson was so happy to get the letter and know that you liked the work she sent. She is busy this morning on the Anne Frank play and asked me to answer your letter . "Work in Progress" sounds good to her as a subtitle. About paying for it, we will leave that entirely to you as to the amount and when you would find it more convenient. There is some minor litigation in New York about the play, not involving Carson, so we may not go over until mid-March. In the meantime Carson will start on the first draft here and when it is finished, we will go over to consult with the producer and director, hoping to finish the whole business up by June or July, and back to our cottage here, I suppose. In general, things are well with us here, but we will be glad to see the spring. When will you be coming back? Love to the Becks and to yourself from both of us, Reeves February 8, '52. Tokyo, Japan. Request to translate her work by Sho-kagimi[?] On the note in margin, Answer-No 4/13 JRM To Sir, Carson McCullers, esquire. South African Broadcasting Corporation, to request to broadcast in South Africa The Member of the Wedding at a fee of 12 guineas. From Ordillo Licetti in Sao Paulo, January 29, '57. Requests translation rights for Brazil. 133 North Congress, Athens, Ohio. 8 August, 1958. From Mrs. Lauren K. Davidson and her husband, teachers of American and English Literature, getting together a photography collection of contemporary authors. [Sullivan-Might write and see if they did it.] Note at the bottom, "OK, come along. 8/11/58" April 3rd, 1958. Dear Carson. A man named Grant Gaither owns a book called Caleb My Son by Lucy Daniels, which he thinks would make a play. Do you know this novel? If you have any interest in dramatizing it, I will get you a copy, should you not be aware of it. Audry Wood From Botteghe Oscure, Marguerite Caetani, editor, via della Botteghe Oscure, Roma, 12 March 1958. Dear Mrs. McCullers, Princess Caetani asked me to send you copies of the Botteghe Oscure 11 with excerpts from Clock Without Hands. I am mailing them today. She further tells me that it is possible you are coming to Rome, which is a charming piece of news, indeed. I don't know whether you remember our meeting at the Princess's in Rome or not. I am from Mobile and brought you sea shells. But I do hope that if you come you will give me the pleasure of your company for dinner in a special and secret trattoria in Trastevere where we can talk Southern and laugh bawdy and contemplate the folly of the world. All my very best wishes to you in the hope that we may meet. Sincerely, Eugene Walter June 13, 1958. Dear Miss McCullers, as a follow-up to our recent telephone conversation I wish to give you the most recent information we have in regards to a group of writers we hope to be able to send to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in early September of this year. As you know, an agreement on East/West exchanges was signed between the U.S. and the Soviets January 27th, 1958. This agreement provides that a group of American writers will be invited to the Soviet Union and vice-versa for the purpose of establishing contacts, exchanging experiences, becoming more familiar with the public and cultural life of both countries. The International Educational Exchange Service of the Department of State has given me the responsibility for the selection in '58 of five to six writers who will be invited to visit the Soviet Union. Unable now to make any definite commitments but we should like to ascertain your interest in being included in the group of U.S. writers to be selected for this exchange, should it become a reality. It is hoped that the group of writers will be ready to leave the U.S. about September 1st. Under the terms of this exchange, the U.S. Department of State will furnish round-trip transportation and the Soviets will. . . [Processor's note--A fragment of this letter is the first item of tape 22, side A. As a convenience to researchers, the fragment is copied here to complete the letter.] . . . . . . the Soviets will provide hospitality and travel experiences within the USSR for a period of 30 days. U.S. will give round-trip transportation. Is interested in knowing if she is interested in going. Signed Frederick A. Colewell, Chief, American Specialist Branch, International Educational Exchange Service