Description:

Steinbeck John

John Steinbeck, Busy Writing America and Americans, Declines Esquire Invitation

 

1p ALS inscribed overall in black felt tip pen and signed by American writer John Steinbeck (1902-1968) as "John Steinbeck" at center. On watermarked cream paper with "John Steinbeck, 190 East Seventy-second Street, New York 21, N.Y." letterhead, written on February 2, 1965. In near fine condition, with expected light paper folds and minor edge toning. Page measures 8.5" x 11."

 

"Dear Bryan [sic Dobell:

 

Thank you for your invitation to participate in the Esquire Symposium. I can't do it but I am deeply sensible of the compliment of being asked.

 

Yours very sincerely

John Steinbeck."

 

Byron Dobell (1927-2017) had invited Nobel Prize winning author John Steinbeck to participate in the Esquire Magazine Literary Symposium scheduled as part of the 1st Annual Fine Arts Festival at Chapel Hill, North Carolina between March 30 - April 5, 1965. Steinbeck would have been part of a two-panel discussion examining "The Novelist as Journalist."

 

Dobell was the managing editor at Esquire in the 1960s. Sensitive and encouraging of new writers, the newspaper, magazine, and book editor is credited with cultivating the literary careers of Tom Wolfe and Mario Puzo. Dobell also promoted experimental writing; his protégé Wolfe created the style now known as New Journalism, which combined objectivity and literary license.

 

John Steinbeck, known for his terse writing style and sympathetic portrayal of American life, won the Nobel Prize in 1962. Steinbeck's most famous works Of Mice and Men (1937) and The Grapes of Wrath (1939) explored the experience of poor agricultural migrants during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. His last novel, America and Americans, would be published the following year.

 

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

We do our own in-house worldwide shipping!
Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. ***PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR SHIPMENT TO BE SENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE ON FILE WITH INVALUABLE, YOU WILL NEED TO INFORM US OF THIS AS SOON AS PAYMENT IS SUBMITTED FOR YOUR WINNINGS*** Shipping and handling costs are competitive as we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000