• Letter ID: 1751
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1947-01-31
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  Jan. 31, 1947 ; Harvard 

Please try to prevent the selling of A Song of the Lark [sic] to a moviemaker. Doesn't want the money. Has received a generous inheritance from her brother Douglass and doesn't need any more money.   Willa Cather   [Stout #1751]

• Letter ID: 1737
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1946-08-28
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  Aug. 28, 1946, from Northeast Harbor, Maine ; Harvard 

Has refused Viking's request for material for a Portable Cather, as has Alfred Knopf. The worst form the anthology has yet taken.   Willa Cather   [Stout #1737]

• Letter ID: 1734
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1946-06-01
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  June 1, 1946 ; Harvard 

Has asked Alfred Knopf to see that no radio adaptation of any of her work will ever be allowed. Legal counsel believes they could win a court case over this. If people just listen they will forget how to read. Has been kept in town by illness of several friends; otherwise would be in Maine now.   Willa Cather   [Stout #1734]

• Letter ID: 1731
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1946-05-13
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  May 13, 1946, telegram ; Harvard 

No, will not approve radio performance of Ántonia.   Willa Cather   [Stout #1731]

• Letter ID: 1730
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1946-03-29
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  Mar. 29, [1946] ; Harvard 

Has finally finished reading The Practical Cogitator, first prose anthology she ever read. Enjoyed many of the individual selections, but wishes the book were shorter. Prefers to read people in historic context. Sorry for bad handwriting, but hand is in Dr. Ober's brace again. P.S.: Really, doesn't he think anthologies reflect superficiality in the times?  Willa Cather   [Stout #1730]

• Letter ID: 1728
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1946-02-12
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  Feb. 12, 1946 ; Harvard 

Just back from three weeks in the hospital for minor surgery. Sorry to say has not read The Practical Cogitator very thoroughly, but enjoyed the section called "How to Compose Your Life." Can read only larger type, at least for a while. Also, quick changes in his book from one thinker to another are jolting. Alfred Knopf says he has heard good comments on it.   Willa Cather   [Stout #1728]

• Letter ID: 1716
• Addressee: Houghton Mifflin
• Date: 1945-09-28
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Houghton Mifflin,  Sept. 28, 1945, from New York, telegram ; Harvard 

Will Ferris Greenslet be in Boston the first week of November?   Willa Cather   [Stout #1716]

• Letter ID: 1714
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1945-08-23
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  Aug. 23, 1945, from Northeast Harbor, Maine ; Harvard 

Does not object to proposed Italian translation of My Ántonia, though dislikes any transaction with Viking. Italian translation of Death Comes for the Archbishop very good. Surprisingly, French of Archbishop is not—at any rate, the first version, which she rejected, was not, with absurd footnote defi- nitions of western terms such as "a religious order" for "trappers." When back in New York will send name of woman who translated Archbishop into Italian.   Willa Cather   [Stout #1714]

• Letter ID: 1707
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1945-05-09
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  May 9, 1945 ; Harvard 

Glad to hear My Ántonia and The Song of the Lark keep selling so well. Believes O Pioneers! would, too, if Houghton Mifflin had not insisted on putting it out in a cheap edition a few years ago. Does he know whether Ford Madox Ford is still alive? Ford disseminated a misleading report of her and Isabelle's visit to A. E. Housman, and it keeps popping up. Members of Isabelle's family bothered by it. Expects to write her own account some time. Ford was often untruthful, but if still living won't say flatly that his report was a lie.   Willa Cather   [Stout #1707]

• Letter ID: 1702
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1945-03-20
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  Mar. 20, 1945 ; Harvard 

Very nice of him to be so understanding about Miss Lewison's book. They can discuss it later.   Willa Cather   [Stout #1702]

• Letter ID: 1700
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1945-02-26
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  Feb. 26, 1945 ; Harvard 

Did not read the manuscript after all, and is returning it. Just having it about is bothersome. Would ask Isabelle to read it if she were still alive. Dislikes books being written about living authors.   Willa Cather   [Stout #1700]

• Letter ID: 1697
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1945-01-31
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  Jan. 31, 1945 ; Harvard 

Sorry to hear about Miss Lewison's manuscript; doesn't enjoy seeing appraisals of her work. He had better send it. Suspects the bibliography may not be complete as to translations. Probably she didn't know about the Hungarian Shadows on the Rock, for example. Enclosing a list for his own use.   Willa Cather   [Stout #1697]

• Letter ID: 1693
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1945-01-24
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  Jan. 24, 1945 ; Harvard 

Won't sign an agreement with a Spanish publisher now. Was ill with influenza two weeks, and hand causing trouble. Takes it out of brace two hours a day to write on a story in which she is very interested. Christmas was over eventful, so many letters from soldiers that they became emotionally wearing.   Willa Cather   [Stout #1693]

• Letter ID: 1681
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1944-12-09
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet [from Sarah J. Bloom, secretary],  Dec. 9, 1944 ; Harvard 

Please return Archibald MacLeish's letter.   [Stout #1681]

• Letter ID: 1680
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1944-11-25
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet [from Sarah J. Bloom, secretary],  Nov. 25, 1944 ; Harvard 

Cather's hand is again a problem, and she is unable to write. Enclosures are self-explanatory.   [Stout #1680]

• Letter ID: 1679
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1944-11-20
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  Nov. 20, 1944 ; Harvard 

In response to proposal for a translation to be published by a house in Barcelona [mentioned by Greenslet in Nov. 17 letter], will think about it after she receives a Dun & Bradstreet report on them. P.S.: Right hand is hurt again.  Willa Cather by Sarah J. Bloom   [Stout #1679]

• Letter ID: 1675
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1944-10-13
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  Oct. 13, 1944 ; Harvard 

Returned a week ago from vacation. Is glad to divide royalty from Armed Services edition of My Ántonia evenly. Puzzled by reference to a proposal for Spanish and Portuguese translations for marketing in South America, having heard from a friend that a translation was being made in Spain to be sold there. This proposal Greenslet presents doesn't sound very profitable. Let it go.   Willa Cather   [Stout #1675]

• Letter ID: 1655
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1944-01-03
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  [from Sarah J. Bloom, secretary] Jan. 3, 1944 ; Harvard 

Cather having difficulty with her hand. Was working on something she enjoyed and overdid it. Will take up business correspondence again soon.   [Stout #1655]

• Letter ID: 1643
• Addressee: Greenslet, Ferris
• Date: 1943-10-22
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Ferris Greenslet,  Oct. 22, 1943 ; Harvard 

Has received two letters from him. Since he mentions he has been fishing, assumes he is well. The second [saying that they need to reprint O Pioneers! and would like to do so with another company's imprint along with their own on the title page in order to utilize that company's quota of paper, under wartime rationing] is most unwelcome. Why should her books be victimized, since they are not long and do not sell huge numbers? Understands that in England the system is to trim down popular hits in order to protect small-market books. This might mean, for example, trimming part of the margin off The Robe [ Douglas ] to save paper for printing Julian Huxley or T. S. Eliot. Is not signing the consent form he sent.   Willa Cather   [Stout #1643]

• Letter ID: 1641
• Addressee: Houghton Mifflin
• Date: 1943-10-14
• Repository: Harvard University, Houghton Library, Cambridge, Mass.

To Houghton Mifflin Company,  Oct. 14, 1943 [typed form letter supplied by Ferris Greenslet with letter showing the same date; postscript added in Cather's hand] ; Harvard 

Gives permission to print copies of her books published by Houghton Mifflin with a second publisher shown as distributor, under War Production Board Order L 245 and Interpretation no. 1 of that order. Other aspects of contract with H.M. to remain the same. P.S.: Agrees to Literary Classics, Inc. as the least objectionable cooperating "publisher," though dislikes their advertising.  Willa Cather   [Stout #1641]