Just back from Canada and finds his discerning review. Realizes that the deep meaning of both of last two books is moral character of the French. Appreciates his sending her the telegram from Edward Sheldon; glad he finds the book rings true. Willa Cather [Stout #1077]
No, cannot agree to radio or phonograph renditions of her books. Hates the exaggerated manner of many readers in such recordings, how they turn the works into sentimental nonsense. [Stout #1250]
No, does not give permission to use "Old Mrs. Harris" in anthology. Willa Cather [Stout #1370]
Appreciates his kind words in his Second Reader, three years ago now, and appreciates his reprinting of Kenneth Grahame's Golden Age, as well as his bringing to her attention the paper on Boswell by Pottle. Recommends Johnson without Boswell, recently published by Knopf. Is it really he who is acting in The Man Who Came to Dinner? Such a surprise! Recommends French Hospital, where nurses speak French and even cooks are French. Had very good care and good food. A Catholic hospital, but nurses not nuns, so no black habits about. One accompanied the wife of ex-president of Chile on airplane when President Roosevelt provided her transportation back to Santiago. American airmen so fine—keep up her faith in America in spite of Communists having gotten hold of much of the country. Willa Cather [Stout #1533]
Will write a proper letter on December 6 and make the suggestions he asks for. Has only recently come home from the hospital. Willa Cather [Stout #1598]
Has also been in the hospital recently, having her gall bladder removed. Wishes the surgeon hadn't insisted on Presbyterian Hospital. Appreciates his sending her the Nolans' letter. Glad to hear Robert located a church and served mass. Isn't a Catholic, but believes spirituality is helpful. Believes the anthology for soldiers should have lively material such as they liked reading themselves when they were eighteen or nineteen. Sarah Orne Jewett too quiet and subtle. Young people want to read something that seems like real life to them. Aren't interested in style and form. Hard to think of what would be good. Classic American literature too far removed from present-day experience, and new books often too preoccupied with social problems. They might like some of the early Robert Frost or even some of Longfellow's poems. Perhaps simply an edition of Huckleberry Finn would be best—the most thoroughly American book ever written. Glad he likes Sapphira and the Slave Girl, and particularly glad he liked the epilogue, which retells one of her most important actual memories. Still vividly remembers the moment when Nancy entered the room where her mother and Grandmother Boak and she were waiting, and remembers the afternoons she spent in the kitchen with Nancy, her mother, and Grandmother Boak. [Note: No mention of Cather's mother.] Willa Cather [Stout #1600]
Was away two weeks at Christmas [?]. Wants him to know she had no personal reason for reluctance to approve using an excerpt in his anthology, but prefers to leave such matters to Alfred Knopf, who was out of town when second request, dated December 10, came. Wishing him a happy new year, although it seems unlikely to be possible. Sometimes wonders why human life was put on the planet at all. Willa Cather [Stout #1609]
Taking time out from responding to soldiers' letters to indulge in the pleasure of writing to her and Irene. My Ántonia is twenty-five years old now. It did not sell many copies at first but kept growing and steadily sells four to six thousand a year (though not this past year). Archbishop sells more, but its special appeal to Catholics inflates the market. Moviemakers keep wanting Ántonia, but won't sell it. Had to fight Alexander Woollcott when he wanted to put it into an anthology. Allowed the Readers' Union in England, which serves veterans of the First World War who missed out on higher education, to put out a paperback edition of 20,000 a few years ago, now out of print. Doesn't mean to brag, but feels proud and happy that people still care about the book. Hopes it is a satisfaction for her as well. Enclosing a letter from a Lt. Harrison Blaine that she would like to have back. Willie [Stout #1633]
On September 30, 1946, the bank sent receipt of her $200 gift to the Red Cloud Hospital Fund, a little amount given to be polite. Carrie Sherwood's October letter, which lay unseen until January 22, enlightened her as to the very real need in Red Cloud for the hospital, which she did not fully understand before. Apologizes for mentioning him and the Peoples-Webster County Bank when dealing with the Stern & Reubens firm. Trusted the old man, an expert in copyright law, who used to manage her complicated taxes, but the man to whom he turned over the account, Alexander Scheer, is her natural enemy. PS: Will write a better letter to Trix soon. Dealing with foreign publishers has been grueling. Willa Cather
Must refer to her as Miss Guiney due to long history of admiration, though such a habit does not mean she feels distant. Returned from travels in the West recently, and is glad to be back. Typically is longing for it, but got her fill during the recent trip. The people seem so fat and overconfident, as if they are trying to meet the expectations of Owen Wister and Remington. The land in Arizona and New Mexico is amazing, though. As Balzac commented, the desert has both all and nothing, God without humankind. That line has to be lived awhile before its profundity sinks in. The spirit gets lonesome in a place where the only history is geologic. Glad she liked "Alexander," but thinks "The Bohemian Girl" is even better. Mrs. Fields did not like it, however, but she just could not get past the crudeness of the characters' behavior. Will Guiney let her and her sister rent the cottage? Did she know Andrew Lang or the unfortunate Mr. Stead [possibly William Thomas Stead, British writer who died when the Titanic sunk in April 1912]? Mrs. Vermocken writes that she loves Guiney's house, and hopes she can see it (and Guiney) soon. Was planning to stay with Mrs. Fields in October, but work is keeping her in the city. Willa
