Description:

J. B. Priestley
various, ca. 1935-1940
J. B. Priestley Archive of Correspondence to Literary Publicist, 15pp
Archive

An extensive archive of letters and photographs from notable 20th century writer J. B. Priestley, sent to his American publicity director. Letters range in date from 1935 to 1940, each measuring 7" x 9" and addressed to Ramona Herdman of Harper & Brothers. Totaling 15pp in all, consisting of (7) TLS, (1) ALS on postcard, (1) signed photograph, and (2) additional photographs. Letters have been signed throughout as "J. B. Priestley", with the ALS initialed "J.B.P." Within, the writer mentions a number of his novels and plays, with later correspondence referencing his tenure as a wartime BBC broadcaster. Exhibits varying degrees of creasing and general handling marks, with areas of closed tearing at folds. Photographs show expected edge curling and light toning. Please see images for additional information on contents.

Highlighted excerpts include:

- The Grove, Highgate, February 20, 1935.
"I am sorry to land you in a quarrel of this kind, but I really do take very strong exception to Mr. Chenery's attitude… There was never any talk of it being offered alternatively to a newspaper syndicate… I may point out here that my newspaper rate for articles in this country, is between $200 and $250 for 1200 words. It is no use Mr. Chenery saying he has never had this experience before with an English writer. I have never had this experience before with an American editor."

- The Grove, Highgate, May 13, 1936.
"I had a talk with Gene Saxton about the book, and Cass Canfield knows my views on it, so I do not think there is much left to say, except that I regard it as a very important novel- perhaps the most important I have ever done, and I am particularly anxious that it will be treated very much as a new work, and not linked too closely with things like THE GOOD COMPANIONS and ANGEL PAVEMENT.
I feel that the enclosed stuff for the jacket flap should be suppressed altogether… I think probably, if you want a description of my activities, it ought to cover the last few years and not anything else- stressing the facts that my novels have had a very big sale all over the world, that ENGLISH JOURNEY created something of a sensation, and that my plays have now been produced all over the world, too. Something of that kind…."

- Billingham Manor, Isle of Wight, September 17, 1939.
On 'Rain Upon Godshill': "Although this came out just when the crisis was at its worst, it had an exceptionally good press… Will you please see that copies are sent to Aldous Huxley and Gerald Heard (for comment, if possible), Edward Davison, Claud Bragdon, Alex. Woolcott (if you think he'd like it) and any other useful panjandrums."
On 'Let the People Sing': "I had agreed to read the first instalment, but the day before, when war seemed imminent, I told them I didn't believe people would want to hear my stuff when they were all so anxious, but they… implored me to go and read it, so up I went, read it the very day war was declared, not quarter of an hour after the king made his speech."

- The Grove, Highgate, August 23, 1940.
"…I was beginning to think you had forgotten all about me as I seem to remember writing to you just after the war broke out…
I appreciate your difficulties about giving publicity to the broadcasts. I had some to the conclusion, and the B.B.C. agreed with me, that the best way was to try and get American papers interested… and did a long interview. Unfortunately this was very badly cut and the real point of the thing was taken out, the point being… my sudden and quite overwhelming success as a broadcaster here, which apparently within a few weeks of my beginning shot me up to a popularity only excelled on the air by Winston Churchill…"

John Boynton Priestley (1894-1984) was an English novelist, playwright and social commentator. Priestley's first major success came with a novel, 'The Good Companions' (1929), while his sophomore novel 'Angel Pavement' (1930) further bolstered his career as an established novelist. He later became equally well known as a dramatist, and during the Second World War served as a regular broadcaster on the BBC.

Ramona Herdman worked as the publicity director for Harper & Brothers publishers starting in the early 1930s. An author in her own right, she published three novels between 1936 and 1938, all of which were well reviewed. While her career as an writer ended abruptly, Herdman continued to work for Harper into the 1950s.

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