I 
I 
I 

I 

Curtis Brown, Ltd. 575 Madison Avenue, New York, N. Y. 10022 PLaza 5-4200 

Mr. Peter Abrahams 
Coy ab a 
Red Hills P. O. 
St. Andrew, 
Jamaica 

Dear Mr. Abrahams: 

From the office of Maureen Walters 

December 7th, 1978 

As I'm sure you realize, there have been no sales for the 
past several years on THIS ISLAND, NOW and A NIGHT OF THEIR 
OWN. Therefore, we requested cancellations of the contracts 
and I am enclosing herewith, for your records, letters from 
Alfred A. Knopf formally reverting all rights back to you. 

Sincerely, 

Enclosures 

Cable: Brownrurt • Telex: 422745 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Alfred ·A· Knopf Incorporated 

PUBLISHER 0 F 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

Telephone: (212)751-2600 

Mr. Peter Abrahams 
c/o Curtis Brown, Ltd. 
575 Madison Avenue 
New York, New York 10022 

Dear Mr. Abrahams: 

BORZOI BOOKS 

201 East 50th Strut 
New York, N. r. 10022 

November 20, 1978 

In accordance with Paragraph 15 of the contract dated September 18, 1964 
between you and Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. for the publication of THIS ISLAND, NOW 
(the work), Alfred A. Knopf's, Inc. publication and licensing rights in respect 
of the work are hereby reverted to you, subject to any licenses heretofore granted 
and subject to Alfred A. Knopf's, Inc. right to dispose of any copies previously 
printed. 

A copy of the original Certificate of Copyright is enclosed. 

enc: 
certificate: A 938114 
publication: August 7, 1967 

JR: err 

Sincerely, 

ALFRED A. KNOPF, INC. 

B;-{<( 
Ashbel Green 
Vice President UWI L
IBRARIES



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1ltgistration sf a &tLlfm to ~O~rigbt 

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0.. ol ..... pub&u,oe of fortaan ed.aoe ..... ftSllln&ioa ford.~ ~--LOdlieU.S., 

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UWI L
IBRARIES



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Q:cr fir tr 
'Rcgiscranon of a Q:laim to ~op~rignt 

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UWI L
IBRARIES



Alfred ·A· Knopf Incorporated 

PUBLISHER 0 F 

Cables: KNOPF N EW YORK 

Telephn11e: (212)751-2600 

Mr. Peter Abrahams 
c/o Curtis Brown, Ltd. 
575 Madison Avenue 
New York, New York 10022 

Dear Mr. Abrahams: 

BORZOI BOO KS 

201 East 50th Street 

New York, .N. r. 10022 

November 20, 1978 

In accordance with Paragraph 15 of the contract dated September 18, 1964 
between you and Alfred A. Knopf, Inc for the publication of THIS PASSING NIGHT 
published under the title A NIGHT OF THEIR OWN (the work), Alfred A. Knopf's, 
Inc. publication and licensing rights in respect of the work are hereby reverted 
to you, subject to any licenses heretofore granted and subject to Alfred A. 
Knopf's, Inc. right to dispose of any copies previously printed. 

A copy of the original Certificate of Copyright is enclosed. 

enc: 
certificate: A 756029 
publication: March 15, 1965 

JR:err 

Sincerely 

ALFRED A. KNOPF, INC. 

Vice President UWI L
IBRARIES



( 
\ 

Pait' J «Erttifir a tr 
'Rtgi.srranon of a Q:laim to Q:op~ri_ght 

a u lis maufactur in the U ited States of mwica 

n.11 11 Te C.rtlfy 1bat 1he stalftDN>ljJ 1lr1 fonh oa uus ccrolin~ ba-., bttn made 
a p11n ot lhc rcct>rds ol 1bc Cop1riah1 Oifu:.r. lo ..,11oeu wbttcol the -1 of the 
C01),r~c ~ u lwttU> dued. ' 

.. , ,, ,,#T ., ( .,,,.,, ... . 
l eJI NI ~,.,., • I 1 . ,,., . .. 

I. c.,,,11•• a., _ _.,.,•-' .......... , .. , , 

Name 

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T111, J booa J 

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FDR 

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Peter Abr~ (.., uo1h,11 IJnit.ed ~~ 

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• ~•me of <04.t.q.lryt 

AdJr•• ~AN• &ed Hil la P.O., ~t. ADU , 
J~.:a, a.W. I. 

C: i.11zca1lup 

Add,-. 

(1tt.uo.1,Ju p 

........ .....- ,,.,,._.,, ................. Pw>iltk4 ..:. ...... : If all oc. tubuaaual r-J'I ..,, r~ tat f 1h11 ediuon -
r,ttTIOWJr maaufacnu-ed aod publosbed abr«-1 ,a 1hc Eo~ Ian~. compln.r the followinc spaca: 

0... ol irM pubucatJoo ol fDffJCll ed1tioo 
,, 

II,._, ..,.tt 11 ·-y-. - &1•• ,..iantioa nomber 

y,..,, 
w .. NeS,strMion few dw I~ edition -S. In the U.S. 

C,opy..,.tu O!lx-el Ya No 

Co•/Hdt •II •,/HK,J,i, 1 «II o• •vd '41' 

UWI L
IBRARIES



-:;z.r--/~QOO 

Alfred ·A· l~nopf I ncorporated 

PUB LI SH E R O F BOR Z O I BOOK S 

Cablts: K N OPF .NEW YORK 

Ttl, phoru : (21 2)751-2600 

Mr. Peter Abrah ams 
c/o Cur t is Brown , Lt d . 
575 Madison Avenue 
f\4e.w York , New York 10022 

Dear. Mr . Abr.nhams: 

201 East 50th Street 

New York, N. r. 10022 

January 17 , 1979 

In accordance wi t h Par agraph Thi r d (e ) of t he contrac t da t ed J une 1 2 , 1953 
be'.:ween you and Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. for the publica t ion oi MINE BOY ( t he 
w0rk) , 1 lfred A. Knopf's , I nc. pub l i cation and licemd ng righ ts in r e spect 
oi t he work a re he r eby r evert ed to you, sub j ect t o any lic ense s her etof or e 
gran ted and sub j ect t o Al fred A. Knopf ' s , I nc . r i ght to di s pos e of any copie s 
p1 e.v l ou:Hy l,ri n ted . . 

.m: err 

Si ncerely, 

ALFRED A. KNOPF, INC . 

By-+-t ~.(; _ _._ 

Ashbel Gr een 
Vice Pres ident 

( 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Alfi·ecl ·r • Kn<) f lncorporatert 

P U H L I H E R 0 F 

f'ah/eJ: "NO PF r.. EW YO RK 

'lr l r /1hn11I': (212)751-2ti00 

Mr. Peter Abrahams 
c / o Curti s Brown, Ltd . 
}7 5 Madison Avenue 
N~w York, New York 10022 

De«r Mr . Abr ahams : 

B ORZ OI B O O K S 

201 East S0!h Street 
New Yqrft, N. Y. 10022 

August 22 ., 1979 

I, accordance with Paragraph Third (e) of the contract da t ed J une 12 , 1953 
b e tween you and Alfred A. Knopf, Inc . for the public a t io11 of A WREATH FOR 
U:)0:t-10 ( the work), Alfred A. Knopf 's, Inc . publication and licE!ns i ng rights 
in respect of the work are hereby r everted t:o you, subject t o any licenses 
h ,2ret ofore g ran ted and s ubject to Alfred A. Knopf ' s, I nc. right to dispose 
0[ any cdpies previously pr inted. 

A c opy of t he original Certifica t •? of Copyright is enclosed. 

e·,c : 
c ~rtifi cat c: A 235697 
Public a tion : May 8 , 1956 

Si ncerel y, 

ALFRED A. KNOPF, INC. 

--/4 I kl-?-- -
Ashbel Green 
Vi ce President UWI L

IBRARIES



A. frecl ·A· Kno11 ~ fucm j}()ratfd 

PU B LIS H E R > F 

( a/,ln: 1. r,,0 1• F N EW \Oll K 

'/tlc/1ho11I': {2ll)7.51-2fi00 

Mr . Peter Abrahams 
c:lo Curtd.s Brown, Ltd. 
57 5 Hadison Avenue 
N .. ~• York, N•?W York 10022 

n,~ar Mr . Ab r-ahams: 

.BORZOI B O O K S 

201 Erut 501ft , 'Ir ed 

New York, N. Y. 10022 

August 22, 1979 

I n accordance with Paragraph Third (e) of t he contrac t dated June 12, 1953 
b1~i-wecn you and lfred A. Knopf, I nc . for t he publica tion of TELL FREEDOM 
( t he work ) , Al f red A. Knopf ' s, Inc . publ ication and l icens i ng rights in 
respect of t he work are h er eby r ever t ed to you, subject to any licenses 
rwre tofor e gr.ante<l a.ncl subject t o Alfr ed A. Knopf ' s, Inc. r ight to dispose 
0 1 any cc,pies previousl y printed. 

Ac py of t he ori gi nal Certificate of Copyrigh t is enclosed . 

ec1.c . 
Certifi cate: 
Publ ication : 

A 146176 
July 21, 19.)l+ 

Sincerely , 

ALP.RED A. KNOPF, INC . 

--le, 1vc14---
Ashbel Green 
Vi ce President UWI L

IBRARIES



MACMILLAN PU BLISH ING CO., INC. 
866 Third Avenue, New York, N. Y. 10022 

Ootober 16, 1979 

Hr. Petor Abrah.ama 
n/o t:urti Br o·w U4. 
575 Ma.d.'lson Avonue 
Ue.· !Cc1r k, New York 10022 

t er..r Sir: 
Referftnoe i s rmule to agreementa d&t ed J UJ'\i!I 6, 1969, Jun,s 23, 1969 and June 23, 1969 
( t Agreemanto") between Alfred A. Knopf, I.no. ( tha t.ben 11Proprletor11

) and Tho Ma.c­
tni.JJ..m Company, now Ma.omilla.n Publl1:1hing Co. , Inc.. ( the "Publiaher•) for paperbound 
u,pri.ut oditi ons of MINE BO'l, ms I l~.ARD NOW end A VRE&TH 10R tJDOMO ~ Peter Abrahams, 
r cepa-c ti ve.1.y ( the •w on:a If ) • 

P1.1bl lnher ru..o egraed to t-.he cancel.lG.t ion c,t the aforesaid e.g~~enta and you have adtlued 
J ubl:i.eho1· that l.'roprletor ht.s i rravoeubly' tnme!'erred, .asaigned and aet over to you ell 
-:- f it.is r i ghts in ·t..ne Works eif feotive ao or -· _ _ _ __ ·- _ _ _ without limite:t.ion or 
J eatt."S.ati•:m. 
~ 'h~i C'ollowing will conot i tute 'the official. aokno-wledgemen t or t he cane-ellu.tion ot the 
1-grel!)xaents and t h• r t urn t.o you ot all publishing rights grairt,ed t o the Publisher i n 
· he, f.greemt,t!t21 . It ia undel'tttood and agreed that, upon cano-1.lati.on, neither you nor 
,.hti Publisher vill ha.vu o.ny further ob.ligation to ea.ch other vith reepoct to tho Agree­
: ents1 exeept GS epoaifiGd bftl.ov. 
: t io understood and agreed t hat the Publisht!r may cont inue t o sall the copieo of the 
1 orko vhich it presently hao in etock, and to pay :you royalties ·thereon in acco-rd&nce 
\:i th ·the f ollowing, a royw.t.y of' aevon and. on$- hal.!' percent (7½1') or the retail price 
1m ea.ch copy sold. 

'!.1, i e further u:nderatood and agre:811 that the Puhliaher reto.inll all righta in and to the 
.n t.rcduct.i.one to t he 'lfork19 ,mioh were oopyrighte<l in the name of the Pu.bliaher. 

·.01.1 oovenMt, ve.rrant and l'(tpresent tha·t you alone are authorized to enter into thia 
~001neni; and thn.t pe.yment11 'to you sbo.ll satiat'J in M.l all ot Publisher• e obligations 
.i.n rocpoot thE11,.eot . 

'?l.et1ee sign e..nd ro~urn both -oopio~ ot tMs letter. A copy aign9d tor the Publisher 
..,in ba aent t o you tor your racorde. 

JI.grilled t-0 end aoc•pt «1 bf: Slno•rel.J' 7ow•, 

MACMIU,All PUB.LISUIN co. , INC. 

,--r- I { ~t- -
iA~-PS!J.'2:- _-_~.;. ~ 2S~ - l ------
EDXTOR V -- --- ------ ----------r\ 

MAGMilJ.AN POBLIST:iINO 00. , INC. , 

FRJ£SIDENT 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Lenr Mi s s Hutchins , 

Coye.ba, 
Red Hill s P. O. 
s t. An drew 

J nzudca . 

Janu~ry 30, 1967 

I have now hod t he question of mJ cltizen shi p clarified, 
f ollowing your le tter of December 28~ 

It t ronspires that I now have duel ci t i zenship - t het of 
the Uni ted Ki ngdom os well as t ha t of Jamaica. I BIL f1 dvisod 
the t it would be perfectly i n order for your peopl ~ t o file f or 
copyri[;ht on the sPme t erms e s f or ol l my other books . 

Mi as Botsey Hutchi ns , 
Afre d A. Knopf Inc., 
501 ,edison Avenue, 
New Yor k 22 , N.Y. 
u. s . .A . 

Yours s incerel y , 

Peter Abr a.hems 

UWI L
IBRARIES



. -
Alfred A. Knopf Inc. 501 Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

December 28, 1966 

Dear Mr. Abrahams: 

We don't seem to have any very recent information 

on one thing we need to know about you: your present citizen­

ship. I find our people ~n charge of copyright need to know 

about that so they can file properly for you on the new book. 

Could you drop me a line and let me know? 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P.O. 
St . Andrews, Jamaica 
B.W.I. 

Sincerely, 

• I ,. , 1i 
\. 1 .--::-, • • U '✓ "'flt ..-, 

Betsey Hutchins 
Mr. Strauss' s secretary 

UWI L
IBRARIES



HP1'tH'ii ,;h he c ~ py - eG.:!.1;o d ~ . er. ty­
t-:.-o p-l"'et. 11 wl1icd1 I T" ~!eivnd t.'-'1.is r:orr.i rJ.r 
( P S l oncir•y rma u.:.dr ~' were :pu1i:.c ho ..... id~ j'G 
l1c:re ,'""l u hence no po& tr l berv:;.cn , • 

y or•ly qu~1re:... . :- ~:'l your c<,py u1i • 1,01: 
: l'.ld t.i. pvne; t11nii:l.on i~ on 1w6e: 24 7 3 elc~yc!'l 

l ines dm n wh ,-'L' he i~s ..... r- d a 00 .. .r, 1;,, r. c 
tne ·1~:rt nu·t o.i': oe11 t ericc ;•, d: ' . .tc~:ir\ 

or no'c nowint:. r Jeni~ i ~ thP. i'Cr'l :• "' .. . ' v(,. 

\ e!l , thP ~ iu no~ ihPt r in~c~ded . . b~, o 
th ,:rc:ori:) re;. oved ·i; 1c corrJ, ~ r. ,1ioh r a tor 10 
·t -P. seJ .... e rr: • "·r, v11, ... i; -: --; ,,oo. A·~f:'r .. _ ... ro:.. t 1:.f; 

ev1Jrytl11nu e}se Ge , 3 all r.:. ·.: --.: tv t"' . 

Hnrolo ;" ·~--- l.,H, 9 

I\ f1•ed Ao j,ODf _ :-c. ~ 
ITE~i YO, ... 

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IBRARIES



Alfred. A. Knopf Incorporated 

501 Madison Avenue NEW YORK (22), N. Y. 

December 21, 1966 

Dear Peter: 

I 'm sending you the copy-edited manuscript 

of the twenty- two new pages for THIS I SLAND NOW 

only because I promised to do so . The copy 

editor ' s changes, other than punctuation, 

are practically non-existent . 

Please return this manuscript t o me as 

soon as you can . 

With al l best wi shes at Christmas , 

Peter Abrahams , Esq. 
Red Hills P.O. 
St . Andrew 
Jamaica, B.W. I. 

HS:aa 
Enc . 

As alw~s , 

·>/~ 
Ha/or~~trauss 

P U B L I SHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

UWI L
IBRARIES



JJer,r lforold, 

Cny""1)8 , 

Red Hil ls P. O. 
St . Pndrew. 

I elli very glrd ;ou feel o li ttle better Pbout t~e 

r eve~ no\,. I .Jl."OLi ... t? 110 -0 " th\; ~ 2 c d :.. 11e u .I!~ t e 3 br cl, in 

the no"' t to you within mo xr.01~ "!ihPn u"O d ,..,.fS 0f :.·ccci,, ir c 
~hem ; Pnd I shPll of course be gl Pd to be sppred the chore 
of reP6.in~ gr lleys . 

HProld StrPuss, Es q., 
lfrec , . I nc:,r Inc . , 

501 ri.Pdison Avenue , 
1 fi "!CW ~;; 9 I • 1 . 

I.:. ever , 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Alfred A. Knopf Inc. 501 Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

December 1, 1966 

Dear Peter: 

I like very much what you have done in adding twenty­

two pages to IBIS ISLAND NOW. It seems to me that by drama-
-

tizing the final scenes between Joel and Martha and Joel and 

Clara you have put more emphasi s on the emoti onal lives of 

three of your leading characters, and therefore made the novel 

a more novelistic novel than it was. It is stil l something of 

a political tract in parts, but I think the emphasis is now so 

changed that this i s no longer so important . 

There are a cons i derable number of typographic and other 

small slips in the new manuscript material. I 'm going to have 

this gone over by a copy editor here, and send you the edited 

manuscript (the twenty- two pages only) for your final approval . 

I f you wi ll go over thi s carefully and return it to me quickly, 

I think we can spare you the chore of reading galley proofs-­

that is, if you so des i re . Please let me know about this as 

soon as poss i ble. 

I am very grateful to you for the f i ne job you have done 

on the revisions. 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Red Hills P. O. 
St . Andrews, JAMAICA 

HS:es 

Asal"P 

-Harli~ Strauss 

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IBRARIES



~ Alfred A. Knopf Inc. 501 Madiscn Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

November 21, 1966 

Dear Peter: 

The two copies of THIS I SLAND NOW have arrived safely. 

I'm impressed with the amount of work you have done on t he book. 

I'll read the book through in its new form just as soon as I can, 

probably within ten days, and wr ite you again . 

Peter Abrahams , Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P . 0 . 
St. Andrew 
Jamaica, BRITISH WEST INDIES 

HS: es 

As always, 

~ z. 
Har-bi~ Strauss 

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IBRARIES



,. 

- . 

N "t' . Dr .col d .3 t~"auos , 
Alfred!. Knopf Inc . , 
501 ;,. /"' cti iJOll ... ~ V -~1 U.C t 
NEW YORr 22. r.Y. 

foll:)1vi'J:_; the infG ..... lii ... ti')n cont"ii:ned 
in your letter of 1·:overnber 8 , I 311close 
herewit~1 t~ .. -.."' ".".J~kcd. 011 :'"":;c p:.,oof'c of tJ1-. 
Faber e di tion , cut PS this is prj,n ted on 
both cliua~ Irv ~loo acndins you· copy 
of the P~ber edition of tl1e boc~ itself 
:'or yo-.; tc br:-;r-"c up P!ld so gc t over th.e 
busine~s of the pr inters not turnirif; over 
p ... ,,.,.es . .L bcpe thiid meets che bill . 

}s ever 

-::> . S. J.''he ,., Jd:!. ti on Pl 11r.i ·i;ter i.., to .:ollo<o 
immedirtoly c t ·the end of the :'---ber pol3e 
21! 7 Lnt·'i;or r 1 d run ri(;ut tnrou.gn. ..\nd t.iri.s 
in t urn \~;ill be follo11ed by pf'ge 248 
begiJ:rnine ' • lbe.t---t Josi '1h could no l, sleep . • " 

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IBRARIES



-r. Alfred A. Knopf Inc. 501 Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. l:. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

Novembe r 8, 1966 

Dear Peter: 

31st. 

It was very good to have your letter of Octobe r 

hope that al l goes well, and that I' l l have the 

manuscript or the Fabe r page p roofs on schedu le . 

The question of setting f rom Fabe r 's page proofs 

is a littl e complicated . We wou ld much rather have page 

proofs to set from than the ca rbon manuscript i..f. the page 

proofs are not printed on both s i des of the paper. If they 

are, we can sti l l wo r k f rom page p roofs if you have two sets 
-1C:, 

to send me . The reason for a l l is that our printers wi l l 
, \ 

not tu rn over pages . I f we send them page proofs printed on 

both sides of the paper we have to paste up each page on a 

sheet of manuscript paper, and th is of course requires two 

copies. On the whole, this would still be preferab le to 

setting from a carbon manuscr i pt . 

Peter Abrahams, Esq . 
Red H i 11 s P. 0. 
St. Andrews, JAMAICA 

HS:nl 

Harold Strauss 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Alfred. A. Knopf Incorporated 

PUBLISHER 0 F BORZOI B O O K S 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

Telephone: PLAZA 1-2600 

501 Madison Avenue 

New York (22), N.Y. 

March 1, 1966 

Dear Peter: 

One of the reasons for the delay in reaching a decision about 

· A PASSAGE IN TIME is that I have been in touch with Peter du Sautoy about it. 

I fielt that it would be awkward if he were to push you in one direction, and 

I in another. He tells me that although the characters are not developed in 

th~ way that one might hope, basically he and his readers like the novel and 

plan to publish it as it stands before the end of 1966 . 

In view of this, we have agreed with Miss Winston to publish 

the book in one form or another, but feel that we cannot do so in good conscience 

until we have put our criticisms to you. You may then decide that you want us 

to publish the book as is, and we shall do so. Or you may decide to meet some 

of our criticisms. If the latter, I see no categorical objection to publishing 

a version somewhat different from the one published in England, although I cannot 

speak for Faber on this point. In considering our criticisms, please remember 

that it is a good deal easier to publish fiction successfully in England than 

it is here. 

And now for the criticisms, most of which were briefly summarized 

in my letter of February 8th. The first problem is the shift in emphasis from 

one set of characters to another, and then to still another. The novel seems at 

first to put the relationship of Clara and her husband into the foreground; later 

it is but a minor sub-plot. Martha Lee's private life simply dwindles away, and 

there is no real resolution for the Isaacs family. And the end of the book seems 

very hurried, as if when you reached page 300 you decided you must close the 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Peter Abrahams, Esq. - 2 - March 1, 1966 

narrative quickly, and then compressed the events of four years into ten very 

impersonal pages. 

It is much too late even to suggest the drastic revisions that 

would be the ideal solution. But certain things could be done that would tend 

to give the book greater unity. First of all, to bring in Josiah in person 

much sooner. As it is, it is difficult to accept the evaluations that the 

· characters in this book make of Josiah, since he reaains nothing but a shadow 

through most of it . The conversation between Andy and Martha about the nature 

of man's ambition, in Part II, Chapter II, is almost meaningless since the reader 

may not interpret trbsiah the way they do. There is too much talk about Josiah. 

Some of this should be cut, and a few short scenes added in which Josiah would 

be seen manipulating people or clashing with them. 

Secondly, Joel Sterning should not be allowed to fade away as a 

character, as he now does. A major scene or two near the end of the book involving 

him (and indirectly the Isaacs family) would help a great deal. 

Third and last, Martha Lee's private life should not be allowed to 

dwindle away as it now does. The end of the book could be greatly strenghhened 

by keeping her alive and vivid and human. 

My second major criticism, as I wrote you on Fehruary 8th, is that 

political conflicts are not really transmuted into personal conflicts, as they 

should be in a first-rate political novel. There are potentials for personal 

conflict throughout the novel. You have only to develop them. And this does not 

mean the use of abstract political talk, as in the scene between Josiah and Max 

Johnson. You had the opportunity of a great personal clash here, but you give 

us what amou9ts to a political essay instead. And I certainly don't mean that 

all conflicts should be between Josiah and the people who oppose him. Certainly 

the other important characters in the book do not agree with each other, and there 

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Peter Abrahams, Esq. - 3 - March 1, 1966 

are many possibilities from which to select. You need only replace a good bit 

of the political exposition with a few such scenes to give the novel a more 

novelistic quality. This also would help the narrative pace of the book a great 

deal. Such tension as you do build up is a frozen, immobile sort of tension-­

frozen while the problem is talked out at great length. Showing ppople in action 

would also also strengbhen your characterizations, some of which are shadowy. 

I have a hunch that only a few revisions of this kind would have a very marked 

effect. 

And now I'll pass on some detailed criticism from another editor, 

some of which may be of use to you. 

Page 5: the author goes on too long about the reaction tothe old 

man's death. It strains the credibility of the reader to believe that the death 

of a very old man would shock people. 

Page 6: the last sentence seems to me a gratuitous editorial point. 

Bottom of page 33 and top of page 34: line starting with "when 

things go bad we sometimes wish ... ", another piece of editorializing that shoull ,, 

1, • ,, rJ tL ._}t.__ ll ,..._ f....'--\ ~ • U-1

! , '- c{ l 2 '1 "'"'-
be cut., out of t:h~ c.~ E'.- O • o u 1 

( Page 44: repetition of the word "sweet" in two lines of diagogue 

about two different things is careless. 

~ Page 55: Stanhope's remark that the politicians wouldn't resolve 

l the problem of succession seems rather 

/ to die sometime. 

wasn't . ........___ 

This would have been 

odd, since the old man was obviously going 
~ liu- u~k'ci.,. 1 1 ~ 

cleared up" l ~r -you should clarify why it 

Page 54-58: the conversation between Martha and Stanhope seems 

unreal since it is exposition done in the form of dialogue. Is it neEessary for 

the action of the novel ? 

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I 

f • 
( /Peter Abrahams, Esq. - 4 - March 1, 1966 

Pa ge 62: what is the meaning of the term "margin gatherers", used 

here for the second time ? 

f 
Page 69 to 70 : Max and Martha have dialogue here which again is 

exposition already fairly clearly understood by the reader. Certainly not very 

essenti al to the narrative. 

His general conunent on Part I is, "It takes over a hum red pages 

f or much to happen in this book. The old man is dead at the beginning , Clara 

and J oel have their marital problems, Martha is introduced as Joel's mistress 

in a variety of situations, as a newspaperwoman as well, and yet there seems to be 

no forward movement of the action at all. What suspense is generated at the 

beginning because of the death of the old President is slowly diss ipat ed." 

About the characters he says, "There is no real pull of oppositaen 

to create suspense or tension." 

In Part II, at the beginning of Chapter III, Clara, Stanhope, and 

J oel discuss the meaning of the political activities which have been already 

c l ear to the reader since the preceding chapter. This tends t o diffuse whatever 

point you want to make. 

Page 161 and following : too much abstract dialogue about political 

attitudes. 

Page 164 : Simpson thinks that Martha " i s t oo old for him t o do 

anything about" .his feeling for her. This is rather odd, in view of the fact that 

this woman is having an affair with J oel and seems to be quite attractive. 

Page 200 to 201 : again the author lectures at lengt h after the point 

ha s already been made. 

Page 218 t o 219: the characterization of Josi ah is constantly being 

dimi nished by these long explanations of the people and what t hey need on the island. 

This is not very fruitful as far as fiction goes. 

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aaa1~1ona~ ma ~~er ~. 
(To follow on on page 247 of t he Feber page proofs with only a 

spacing to show t ho passage of t i me ) 

Martha Lee decided to s pend t he evening alone , and a t home . 
t el ephoned 

St erning h~d/x~x2k~a her at t he offi ce shortly after she hed s ooken 

t o Stanhope . He had sounded di s t urbed , unhappy and s he h~d been 

awar e of hi s need for comfort . All she had t o do was a sk him t o 

pi ck hsr up and he woul d hPve jumped at it And t hey would have 

dri ven up into t he quie t hills to wa tch t he sun se t or e l se to 

s ome secl ude d beqch t o swim an d then to lie and be at pea ce and 

t e l 4 a littl e . She hnd no t a sked h i m; and hi s pride h ad f orbade 

hi m to beg . So he hed t ol d her - and she was awar e of h i s xxxx~~Em 

disappoi nted wi thdrewa l - thn t he had an i mpor tan t business dinner 

t hat evening . 

She had relen ted a l ittle, i n spi t e of h rself . 

11 You c Bn come by efterwar ds , i f you like . " 

"It might be l e t e, " he SF! i d . "We arc nego t i A 1..ing wi th an 

EAs t ern Trade Del ogp. tion on behalf of the government; an d you know 

how t helile t hi ngs C An go . " 

" I ' ll be up . " 

"Al lrigh t . Mar t he - " 

"Ye s ?" 

A peu c , then: "No thing . " 

She s ci d , mnking her voice col d and i mper sonal: 111.v:y s tory on 

i.:r . Ju otice Wr i ght h r s be en k i lled beceuse truth i s rolative and 

with ::- pai nt of departure . So my new editor· says . " 

"I s ee . " His voice , now, had grown col d too . 

"And your frien d , John Stanhope , wi ll .;oon be in t he sar e 

posi t i on as N'.tr . Jus tice Wri gh t . I n1P.y not even bother to wri t e 

about it when 'the time comes . " 

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2 

Sternin& had remained s ilent at the other end of the line 

so t r>r thap hed ~ni d, hPrshly: "L,,. ter then , unless you chPnt:e 

your mind" and hun& up on him. 

~ydi o , the maid waa off for the evening , &one to the pictures 

with the l~tes t boyfriend; but with the iTeDt Labr~dor bitch, 

Sheba, for compcnion , .Mrrtha Lee wa ' neither ofreid nor al one . 

When dPrknesG fe ll she flooded t he little house wi th l i ghts , 

turned off the muoic ohe h~d been l istening to , end switched on 

the television t o ca t ch t he early evening news . It \'vaG all very 

csrefully oelectcd and edited and the preoence of the Eastern 

Tr~de Deleg tion took up Pbout half t he fi lm footage sho\m . Then 

there was a new li~t of things put on ~pecific licence , t hi ngs 

th t could not be i mpor ted without the permission of the trade 

mi niGtry. Thi s one was longer then all the previou ones h8d been ; 

i t in~luded all brands opiri to, cigcrettes, chocola t es , perfumes ; 

shoeo ebove a certain prices and a XXWl~ l on& li~t of frehh , tinned 

and frozen food Pnd ve&c t ablea . 

"Its ~e t tin ii drabber , " Martha murmured. 

For an~wer Sheba bounded up and dash~d borkin& to the door: 

then tnere w~J arlaumK.JUix knockin& a t the door . he woman awitched 

off t he tezeyigi on , lit a cicqrette and went after the do~ . 

'Who is it! " she c~lled , no t openin~ the door . 

11 Simpson , ~ius Lee: Andrew Si tp on . " 

'' ',h R t do you wnn t?" 

"May I come in? 11 

"No . I don't wAn t to see you; I don 't want to see anybody. " 

"?leose . " 

"I ' m not opening . Tell ln!l w at you \van t .c1d then ;:o nway. " 

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3 

Reassured , though not entirely disarmed , Sheba re t rea t ed s i x 

feet f rom the door but i n l ine with it and went down on her belly 

in the position heral dry describes as coucha~t. 

Mar tha remained sil ent, wai t i ni' , for the spPce of hel f a 

minute then said " Well ?" . 

"Its al lrii'ht, Miss Lee, " Si mpson SPid from the other side 

of the door . "Sorry t o bother you . " 

She heard hi m turned away; and without knowini' why she opened 

the door . Then she herself turned from the door and walked beck 
room 

to her si t t in{d Sheba remai ned quie tly on 4'Uard , wa tchin~ the man . 

"Shu t the door behind you , " ... artha called from the l iquor 

cabinet. 

Si mpson came s l wwl y i nto the well- l it room , escorted by Sheba 

who onl y considered her job done when Mar t h~ murmured 11 All right, 

~irl " , permi tti n" her to rel ax compl e t ely end curl up on her 

f avourite rui'• 

"I CAn onl y offer you r um , " Mar tha ssi d without turnini': t hen 

added with a sti n~ : "Unless you've brou&r:ht your own whisky. I hear 

that• s the f ashion un der your new di spensetion . " 

"A litt le rum , please , " Si mpson murmured . 

She poured two drinks then turned t o him . He seemed unchani'ed, 

not linvested with the cockiness of victorious youth she hed 

expec t ed to see i n his fAce , hi s eyes, his bearini'• I f enythin~ , 

he seemed a litt l e sobered by the responsibilities of power . 

"Well ? Whe t does the ~rea t Josiah and his f aithful Presidetial 

Secretary want of me t hi s time?" 

"May I sit down? " 

"Of cour11@ n'. She waved an erm to embrace the house , the land 

and everyt hin/ on it. "Of course . You may s i t or stnnd or t ake or 

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--

4 

reject or i mprison or r elease by simple Presidential decree . You 

are t he new gods of power, so why a sk ! You want to s i t? So you s it. 

Its all e ma tter of power , isn ' t it? D'you think I want you in my 

house? But you represent power so I open t he door on d you wa l k in . 

So l et us cut the sociAl crap. Whe t do you want?" 

"I 6ame t o see you ; personall y , privatel y, sociAlly , as a man , 

as fl frien d. 11 

stared 
For a moment Martha Lee/E%2X%BK a t him i n speechl es s be-

wil derment, then she threw back her head and l et out an ugl y , 

derisive snor t . "'fou wh t!" 

"I came to see you." 

"Priva tely? Socially? Not to t ell me the ~r ea t J osiah wants 

this or tha t? Not t o try out your latest idea? Or pPrade your l ates1 

vic t ory?" 

"No . Perso~lly , pri va tely ; nothing el se . " 

" Well, well , "said r.:artha Lee . "Thi s is something and I'm 

fle ttered. And now thP t you've seen me personall y and privately and 

f or nothing , will you kindly get the hel l out of here . I don't 

want t o see you!" 

"I l ove Mona Wright, " Andrew Simpson said quietl y . " I l ove 

her despera t e .1y . " 

A stillness as physi cal as fl cool breeze swept over Uartha 

Lee di spelling the har sh and stri dent an~er with i n her . And now, 

freed of t he blindness of her an~er, she saw and f el t t he new 

sombreness about the young man . 

"You ' d better sit down , 11 she sa i d. 

" I t ch~nges nothin4' , jne said. "J osiah had to do what he did." 

"Qnd you love t he jud~e ' s dau~h ter . " 

"Yes." 

"Si t dovm , " she SP.i d a~ain, t akin~ his gl ass and ii'Oin" t o 

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5 

liquor cabinet f or fl refillo Without t urning she asked: "Have 

you seen Mona? I mean since-" 

"No; she won 't see me and I can't force myself on her . 11 

She turned and c prried his drink to him. He s a t re l axed and 

calm; a men reconcil ed to A cruel necessity, suffering its cruelty 

but XHR.ID'.«± not fighting it. 

No l onger Youn" Andy, Marthe Lee tol d hersel f: never again 

You .Andy. 

"What do you wen t me t o do?" 

He mus t ered e smile , but no t wi th the da shin~ chari of ol d . 

He raised his shoul der sli ghtly , gestured deprecatingly wi th his 

ri~ht hPnd; 8 very Jewish movement tha t brought t he i mage of J oel 

Sterning t o Martha's mind. 

"No thin~ , " he SF' id lightl y . 

Onl y comfort , she told hersel f . And that is wha t I do not 

hPve for you. 

"Have you eaten? 11 She forced hersitxf to be brisk and busines 

like . 

11 I 'm not hungry. " 

"Well , I am! Give me a hand And l et ' s make a quick curry, 

In di an style . Come ! " 

She led t he wey into the little kitchen . By the time he got 

t here she hPd t~ken P piece of s teak out of' the refrigerator anu 

wes now down on her knees i n a corner picking out onions from a 

vegetebl e box. "Better take off your jacket. There's ~n apron 

behind the door . You 'll hPve t o dop the onion~;they always make 

fl mess of my eyes . 11 She looked up briefly PJld noted t he sliiiht 

wry smile t hat tugged at one corner of his mouth. It tugged a·t her 

he~r t. It woul d h8ve been ee s ier if he hPd wept for it was a time 

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6 

t o weep . "Pl ea se fetch me my drink and help yourself t o ~mother . " 

When he r eturned with the drinks she was s i tting a t the kitche 

table cutting the eet into nee t little cubes. She took a long 

swi g at t he gl ass he handed her , then waved him to the sink where 

e small moun d of onions were ready f or peelin~. "It' s l ess 

devast a ting i f you do it under running wp ter. " 

"All of them7"he ~sked. 

"All of them. 11 

For t he space of ten mi nutes they worked in silence . When 

the woman ha d done dicing t he mea t she wen t into the si tti ng room , 

piled a stAck of records on her player and switched it on. She 

reduced the volume so that t he folk songs of the isl and, sung by 

na t ive singers , swept softly t .. rough the li t tle house . Then she 

ga t hered up her bottle of rum and container of i ce ~nd carried 

them into t he kitchen. 
preparing 

Si mpson hed nearly fini ~hed/~RKX±Kg t he onion~ with onl y the 

faintest hint of wetness a bo~t his eyes. 

"My eyes would heve been runnlilng like taps by now, " she sAid, 

re f i lling their gl asse s . 

"A r acial weaknes s, " he l aughed. uNot enou~h black in you . " 

"Li2r , " she retorted. "My bleck Lydi a i s even worse . " 

"That ' s becRu::3e she doesn't feel black , " he t e,rned. "I think - . 
I 'll do a scholarly tome on race And reduce everything to a matter 

of f eelin~. And you know something, if science goes on as it is 

now do inge with people abl e to reshape their f eatures and 

lighten or darken their complexion a t will race will, i n a rel2tivel; 

short time , be l Pr gely a mat ter of f eelin~. " 

"And of loyal ties , " she sAid, thinking of Max Johnson, wonderini 

how he WF.!S making out in the l and of his bir t h but ffltt.4rn?.tus2ti-

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7 

to which he had returned as a stranger . 
a 

She mode/quick, abrupt gesture of face , eyes , body , hands , 

mind , turned eway from Si mpson , scooped up t he pl Pt e of diced 

onions ~nd poured it into the saucepan of hot coconut oil . There 

was the sudden hiss of t he explosi ve mee ting of boil ine oil and 

wa ter . A wave of hot steam repl Pced t he almos t invisible bluish 

haze the boiling oil had given off . And the smell of onions 

browning permeated the kitchen Pnd spreed t hrough the little house . 

"Yes , of course; and of l oyalt :tes , " Andrew Si mpson sai d ~ cpught 

up in Martha Lee' s new mood ; thinking of MonP Wright Pnd her f e t her , 

the ueat judge now in detention. Then , a hard unheppy edge to his 

voice, he added : "The questi on is l oyf'll ities t o what , Miss Lee? " 

ft nd without we.i tin~ for an answer he took his drink Pnd went qui ckl y 

in to the other room. 

She stood over the onions , stirring them so t hRt they browned 

evenly, making a little ritual of it which he l ped to bl unt the edge 

of thought and feeli ni:t. When the oni ons were done she squared her 

shoul ders es t hough for s ome hard effort then , wi t hout turning end 

making her voice louder t han all the other noi ses of t he house , she 

celled: "The onions are brown . " 

And when she sensed his pre sence back in the ki t chen she sai d: 

"The red tin on the top shelf. It s Ays pure Madras cur ry." Then 

''You .l{llOW l didn ' t mean to get at you. " 

"I ..mow , " he s~id. He fl?Ve her the curry and she put two heaped 

sponnsful on the bro\m onions And kept up her stirring. 

"Now the meat , " she sAid; and when he handed it t o her she 

put i t in cube by cube , ensuring that ePch piece wa compl etel y 

covered with curried onion goo befor e putting in the next; and all 

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8 

the whi e keepin up the stirriri~. Wh 

were ., 
inte rated i n to a beautif ul &ol 

nnd bub lin~ 11 o a iniatur ar~ecite-~tir1in 

the flr:ime of t fi r, vezf low, covered ne p 

v: "oo , pupping 

o cnno , she turned 

an left it to 

si mmer. She scrubbed her bnnds vigorous~y ut ther as no ge tting 

awa,, f rom the clin nn ... ell of tne curry-or.ion-me::. t com 1ina tion . 

o o f in lr an hour, then s he 

for the i _ns roo . 

She set her ki tch,n ti er 

nthered un her ~1 or and ma 

Si mpson Sc st rin ,. 1.n t ac, 1. fr. s ed d..r·ink untou bed ; 

no longe.c dashing anu ·o .li 1.e , a very mortel oun man now whob 

sharp ar,d strong and clear visi6n hPd be.n 

di fuseu by hur t and uncertainty. 

ir ,1ulse to speek words of comf'ort . 

, r thr- .u 

nci blurred and 

fo ht down t he 

11 How di o. you thi nk j t would be. 11 xnR.x«xxasxxnXEx 

±«XB«..x.XXKllJ![ . 

"Like thi e," t e rnurmared . 

I ill to II 

H in C. u u~ruck . She t ou .t: He ' oin• t t up 

t . 

I .n 
' he ia. " .J! 1 

.in r eel awful . I ll.y lf-
' 

t f .... . 
' 

nt of v J. t of t C p e-

C . I t n , ewi.1.n nt, 

I .., at n f.11 J. f t ,J_ll r ; 

r 1 • 

ic.: u t t u'd ex c·ced things 

0 

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9 

But I didn' · lie. I re.member • c n ..... n · hn Stanhop, ut 1 

friends ' i : i ·.,h J, el 5 te nln " u the ::i:: ac.., cro , ·l . Arl It 

1 . to -. ..... e ~ ieved • n it I 

believe n thet publ~c off icie~s c · n t 1 v p r aonr~ t ion .. 

with pea e wh e int reo o arc o :.ic polic;:,· . 

c c·,·, o.re n n ii... f ·u· l. • poli y , on Ul Si e , 

o you e·e 

• r · t at -11~ tii:,e . J.t t i .. , t t· · ~ t ' 1" ' d t o l> iri tene , 

i t· beco· i:r: .;;ents of public p.; icy. llut th t ' uot • at I ' 

tir'in . et. '~he poi1: t i tha i; i a e:r ...,i, le f or 

8.!,U ... i..,pl y . ' Hu i~ l u ... in OD l n 

rau ht, g t lA.P i:i one unchare.c .::ri..,tic e:..ay • ovcment n t 

t. tl1c l i tl liquor cp,n. bine t f or ~ 

hint of ay in h1s movement . 

Se, y u 're be in be cc use you can 't see thing.., as simpl y and 

cleorl y 8,1y; more . 11 

Yv J! 11 he id hrr shly. "Ye s!" 

" k d • u are en ry with God rind wi th man . Ind u p ... et end 

unh:- py bee· u ... e you c,...n ' t hFive your woman and be e ero of t he 

revolution t00 ! ell, it would t.ecu that ' s how it is , "Ar . Presi dent: 

Secretary. Perh ~ ym;_ nm•, understrmJ l..oH John Stanhope "'nd MPx 

John son f e l ·11 . • 

"But wh t \'tC did .. vs ri ' .1t , haa. to be done , if we were ~o get 

She turr. e iler back on hiJL t hen and wnlked avross t h .r-oom 

to tle open v1iudow. Outside, the ni6Iht \.a~ bl ack and ... ocnless; '.Jut 

the .}'y es clear of c loud .. nd the s t ars :Uun brieht ,md low over 

the e r " 1,, . 

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10 

From inside the room Sir.p:.-.;011 ..3poKe again 9 i n .... i.; ten tly: "You 

don ' t ispute that we ho.d to do what we di d?" 

"I dispute nothi ng , sne retorted without tu.rnine . '' You've 

rllllI ensured thRt no dissen tin~ view i s he~rd loud nnd clenr . 

You 've cuffled me so it is sillJ to co e here and ask whnt I 

think of Pny v i ew you or your mPster put forHEnd . In the silence 

you ' ve rccated there are no voices except your own t o listen to . 

Is t hvt what you f i nd so hPrd to live with?" 

"No! 'lie crin l ive with thR t b4ccuse it is an unh~ppy ne.cs~i ty. 

What i~ hrrd i s that the necessity should hPve ari sen ; w.1at .:.s 

ho.rd is thet selfishness and vested interest mede such drasbic 

mef1 sures necessary. " 

''Then you ought to be happy , l ndy, " she swung obout fin..:. 

looked across the room ot him . "You should f in d comfort in be:.ng 

right end hnving the st::-ength to stri ke down those who are selfish. " 

"I cone to you for co:r: fort end you mock ne , " he s?id , but 

c Plmly, almost light. He remembered how i t hr=>d been on that night 

thnt Deemed. a lifetime riwoy no\, when he hed token her to Josi ah 

ond there had been that flosh of intim~cy be~veen them. 

The ti;ner went o~:f in the kiechhen . 

She sPid: "The food is reE'dy" , pointed to a drawer end e dded , 

"You l oy the table rind I'll get it. " Then she went bris.h.l y t o the 

kitchen . 

Si mpson opened the dr~wer and foun d the tablecloth and the 

knives . I t ½as the nm memory of the intimacy of that night thet 

h~d brought here noH. There was t he irrational hope tha that long 

remerbered moment might be recaptured and with it some of the 

essurance and inner trnnquili ty thp "!. h-=3d been par t of his make- u_1 

i Tl thni::o n c ,ra 

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11 

~hey ete in s ilence , wPshing down the hot rich curry with 

D chilled light la.o-er produced. in the island. !lertha used her 

fingers to break the breed and dip it in the curry goo an d after 

o while Simpson ~oandoned his knife Pnd fork and fol lowed sui t. 

The measure of his enjoymen t of the food surprised him: the lPst 

time he had experienced this kind of sensuel plePsure WAS t he 

night Mone h?.d mode him make love to her . The remembr~nce of it 

WAS an arrow of sweet-bitt er grief . 

When they h~d eAten Nart ha rose ~nd cl eered the t~ble . fnd 

i t was while s he passed cl ose to him t hPt Simpson reAched out and 

go t hol d of her , one h~nd on her thin bony arm , the other on her 

waist . She pulled Away. He held on , lightly but firmly. She 

bec~rre very still, very calm, very rel~xed, very remote . She 

cocked her hefld to the right fin d looked into hi s free with 

expressionless Chinese eyes . 

Wha tever Si rrpson•s original impulse , holding on to the woman , 

f eeling the warmth of her flesh, evoked~ sharp undercurrent of 

sexual desire . The look in his eyes becPme Fl pl cPs. 

For n wild morn.en t the womnn v,~s possessed of fl otrong urge 

to comfort this unhrppy young man with her body . She h?d done a s 

much for other men Pt other times , and not el l of t hem ~s worth­

whil e ms this one . Then the moffient pessed. Not this one . The 

expre$sionl e ss eyes c~me to life , looked at hi~ withe hint of 

mockery. She le t out a coarse gurgling l augh , tinged with teasing 

vul garity. 

"So that ' s it: belly f ull, now P pi ece of tAi l 1 Sorry, me 

l ove, thB t' d not prrt of & pl an . Loyr lty or wha t ever else you 

want to Cf'll it ends here. I ' m no substitut e for your Mona and 

n o comforter of l onel y young men, no t even if they ~re Presidenti ~ 

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I 

12 

SecretPries! No piece of tFil from me , ducky ! No t now! No t ever ! " 

'.!:hen she let out he:r czuel deliberate l ,=,u~h ~gain . 

All expression went from Andrew Simpson ' s hnnnsome f ree . The 

normr-illy vibrPn t bl~ck-brown ski n becPme tinged wi th~ gh~stly 

hint of green . His eyes seemed li f eless ~nd suddenly sunk f pr 

bPck in his skull. He let go his hold on MarthP Lee es though 

burn t by t he t ouch of her . Then 9 without a word 9 he pushed brck 

his ch?ir as he rose from the t Pble And wa l ked out of the little 

house . 

MPr thA Lee closed her eyes nnd held on to herself Pnd let hirr. 

go . 

Outside , Pt the gP te , Andrew Si mpson ~11 but collided with 

Joel Sterning, coming in to CPl l on Mertha Lee . 

As s oon Ps Sterning looked into her fpce he knew tnrt KU% 
1.;ire d An Li 

she wPs Pl l knotted up, rnd becPuse he w~s/ixxanx the di nner 

for the En stern 1rl1de DelegAtion h::>d bored hi m t o the poin t of 

irritPtion , it 8ngered him thPt Andrew Simpson's presence could 

h~ve so Affected her thrt she did not r e spond to hi s need. 

"A.."'ld whPt did he want? " His irri t Ation broke through . 

u Cor.ifort , " sn.e ::,·,id coldly. "And being A mfln it me r-int one t hin, 

''No t giving it to him seems to hBve upset you. " 

She choked down the quick retor t thFlt sprrnB; to rr.ind . He 's 

tired ~nd ~~ER% fed up ~nd I ' m not helpin~, she told herself. 

"It wouldn 't hr:ve ref'll.ly comforted him , 11 she s~id mildly. 

He poured , drinK for himse~f Pnd rr.oved restlessly ebou t the 

room. She thought: I should nnve done th~t for him; en f such 

gesture woul d help ease his bloody-mindednP.ss . 

"And ~t hat ' s the only rePson why you didn't e i ve it to hi m?" 

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13 

"Please, Joel 9 " she rour·-:r.u.red . 

He turned i:>nd et?.red et her with heed cocked to one side . 

Spoilin,~ for P. fight , ~he thoug'1t 11 registerir.~ tila chcll enging 

posture . I 3ho~ld h nve been more deMr>ndina e flr.Licr; I shoul d 

h,,vc n3dc hiJ.J come to n.e; it ,.r1s 1,,rong no t to . 

•· Vlhr t' ::J hoppe.ned to the orove..cbir>l Lee honP..Jty? Con:e , tell 

nie: would JOU hrv:: bedu.ed him .irnd you bnen certain o-: t he comfort 

pr:irt? Aftt:r ol l, he 1 3 one of your people 11 cnti tled 'to the speci ri l 

compassion you r eserve for t hof::le bo.r·n here . •• 

"Drop i t, Joel 9 p ler-·se . " 

"Is it thnt hf'rd to rm~wer?" 

She s i a hcd . ftft._11 rj_~ht , Joel; ~ince you ere determine d to 

h~ve it: I mi ~ht hove . If 

11Is 'mi4iht' the best you can do?" 

'' 1'11 ribht1 I v7ould hPve ! ' 

" Thnt• s be titer! Thr-t ' s how the public .1rnow tne ~reP t Mi.as 

rlrir -thA Loe : strpight nnd honest &lld upright! 11 

Lookinli in to his eycs 9 very sensitive now t o hl s t..ood, she 

reFlised he wr-.::3 enjoyinQ; ltln..:Jelf!' 9 tl11:}t i.;hj_s n7rbfll violence on 

her WPG P plcr- su.~r-ble rclei:' se 1 a l,f!eur:d nti j B cursing to the 

i narticu.lnte . H['ct he ci~en P differe u ~ r..an
9 

r men ')f th-J islP11d 

pcrh~pc 01 one r~ror. Cl ditfe1ent cultu.1·nl b.,cke"0Ut1c'.. he n.i ght h~ve 

sought thil1 releflse by knuok.in~ her do,•:n* 

" I th::111: yc,u be t tor co O tJ 0 f: 1 . ,. 

Hu th.le\, l,rc .h. his he13 d Pnd 1.-1..ghec.q it W'S r lLi:rtbJess
9 

mocking 

SOtJl d . 

'Jusi, like th~ t! \!hf.!n Lt.e V'i t..n•i.s she f:WY8 eor..e 9 \vhen l t cePses 

t o plei se she s~yo go . Just 111..c tb.::1t! 

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14 

Y She lo~rnrcd. LlCr h€rd so th::_ ·li :.:.he should rrnt :.:.ee his face . 

"l<''orgi ve me , ~he nurLtuI'ed: L.he 1 .. csitrtecl thcu f!dded " I 

thougnt you • a done rnd not being ~ s~~lte myself l uo not ueve 

the se1,1l tic crpr➔ci ty to eppeB1· .nobler for being Kicked . 11 She 

felt the c:1r>r1ge of rncod ln thc1 r·ooilq it ~.Ell:) P S if F curren't of 

clect1·ic1 ty h d been turned o:ff. l'he.cc wes no need to loo.;c up 

to see t;he c:1··:rJ.zecl oxp1•eszion on bi::i f .'." t?e. In plrce ol t he b:bight 

hlnt of hLLn~n ~ruelty of r- mo~~nt ago tne eJes , now 9 will be 
the 

i:sua.rded aud c 0 lm and wi t;1 p, touch of/sombre desolF Ll on which is 

p"'rt r nd pr rcol oi the .:rno•.lleu.:;e of jub t how n l m.1e ePCll one of us 

rcP.Lly i s on t:1is er>rth: knowi ng OL' not .1.mowini:; tniz. i :3 the reAl 

gr-p be tween innocence encl e..cper .i..cnce . j,nd the r ricial thing is still 

Lhe eeaiest wa ~pon with which t o iorce eACtl o~her bPck in to our 

prrticulFr rlonenesd. 

He srla: ,:I'm sori"'y . .?erhPps I h Pd better go . " 

She looked u p then r•nu 8 rnr11in~ sHw the inn t of teflrs ir1 her 

P-yesr 1)Ut he k i'HH'w !Jhe woul d uot; t,110\'t then to -~r1.e over. She 

che»cu Pt uor upper li p. 

if I ' d risked you. to conie here to ea-~ . InstL?Pd you }..,r, d your Eastern 

t.t· r ders Pnd I h "'u Andy Sir ... p~on . " 

"•il101t ,you v1ould h f"V0 be;dded h"u you beeri s .... re it would vwrk . " 

But ae could not , now , revi vt lli~ ~n__;;e.L· Pt tne thougnt. 

Ile turned. to t:-ie Jli .LuoI er blnet t.1:1en , b..l t sue moved n.ore 

q_ui c-<.ly 9 got there ::'ir s t nn~ fixed r- drin.K: for hizr. . 

' I snoula rn 1ve ta.Jien n cn"nce, 11 he s Pid musingly , recrilling 

th:- t i 'rr-off 6.ri 'f n ef'rly five ye"'rf;j rigo w:-:on .!-1e .1.~a suggos t ed in 

thi~ very room thr>t they live toge ther openly Pnd so force Cl t=!rr-

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1 5 

to di vorce h i r., o 

' I h; d son~t,1in{i to sny -'i. oo , rei.ierr.ber ~ 11 

ifa ~hrugged sli ght l y . She urve n i IL ,;!1c u.ri:.L .. , t11ey l ool::ed 

in to e r ch o thor O cl cye3 rn:1<.l ther e wr i:, 1.11e iL t inr1cy of :~nowlcd,gc 

gesture !lrd ref:l:ly been ~ bi t of wen tFl otru t -aHg , a sr,.owy pi ece 

of 3hr..dm1 boxint:,;" f or her bonefi t , r,ot to be t ,,Mm ocriousl y . And 

sllc 11l'\d done -Gno expectc<l t hin(;. She w fl ..:; r:gri11 :loi1~g ~he r i ght 

1 ::::.ut I dic.11 1 t hevc tho guts . " He turned f'rom :1er nnd wal k ed 

t o the ope:n wi ndow. 11 \',e boti1 know I di dn ' t intend to co f'nyt hing , 

even i f Jou' <l 0gree d. . I woul d. h i:-ve :o:md .JOI e wry of \· . .ci ggl ing ou t. '1 

to erch o the ::'::' rnd :::til l l i ve -t;oget:...er bee~ use t :1e,y h r..-ve to . Friends 

r-nd lovcro ci:mnot gc in for t t.i3 t ype of spiri L..tr 1 striptccs e 

without cce.:;in~ to cc fr1end5 '1r. d 1-cvcrz. You :t.nc"" , !.!J dePr , I 

never thought vcr-y c uch of t.!:c cult of 8.,.0\dni5 13.1.:.ts - n ..:: I never 

thought of ;ou i n te ... :!n, of :svint, o:;: net ~ev i n[; gu t s G So t he r e ' s 

no need to l rcernte you~aclf or to s ~vrge me . " 

f,r c?n ' t to..:.\.e it r•1i.y 1Lore 9 t.:-rtt.G.. " '.L'h0n 1 expl ooively: "I' ve 

decided to P O! le l e~ve . " .I 

1'.~ar thE;. ' s body jer.aed uprii:,;ht , e l l weririncss :orgo t ten . She 
k 11 c, "t\iI:~ 

st?rcci tit Joel ' s si;i ff brick , /mxut; fl ~ r1 pfuLJir.6 ·&hin::;; th? t he was 

hol di ng on wi t h all hi s I:1.ight . She w~i ted t ill she fel t CRlm , t ill 

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16 

the tension left her body, then she spoke, mr-king her voice flRt, 

impersoncl: "When?" 

Hi ~ body relaxed visibly. 

"I don 't ~now; hPven't decided yet." 

"I mePn t when did you me-Jee the decision?" 

' I don't know; I thought of it just now but I probnbl y made 

it a long time ngo . 11 

"Alone? n 

"I t wes you who wprned e5einst. this kind of stripr,in g . 11 

"Too lete . Id s he ~oing with you?" 

''I exnect so. 11 

"Do you want her to?" 

'Yes . I thin k so . 11 Ho turned then nnd loo.n:ed acroos the r oom 

Rt her. "~tould you come?" 

She smiled Rn d a r pre tenderness showed in her f,=,ce . 

"No . " 

Be nodded Pt thi s bit of knowledge confirmed . Now they were 

as close as they had ever been . 

0 Wh!"'t would y ou have done if I ' d s r> i d yes? 11 

11 Gon e in to a blue funk , I t h ink; end then, blue funk rm d all , 

l would h~ve tPken you wi th me . " 

".And your Cl rira 8Dd your children?" 

"•Vhy specul?te? The question doesn ' t Prise . " 

"I t could have, very e r1sily, r moment ego. 11 

He shook his hePd , makin g it a gentle mo·liion of deni r-i l . A 

terrible s ~dness was mingled with the love he f el t for this woman 

who h3d not tried to bind him to her . In somo odd WAY th?t he 

himself could not underst8nd she hed hel.i;>ed him mPke this decision . 

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17 

".And you 9 
1 he srid , ccught i n the mood of the moment , "what 

will you do?' How would she ff're under the new dispens!iltion ? 

Vvoulci she end up one of the victims? Something he wE1n ted to promise 

her , sorr.c corr.mitment t hnt woul d show the nPture of his love. 

Again the sof't smile flit ted across her fece . 

11 1':h ::>t I did before you crm.e 9 der>r Joel . Live and 7.'ork and 

survive . .lmd perhrps, \\ i th luck , there wil l occr-sion~lly be a 

man with whom there will be moments of i n tim"CY r-nd compPnionship. " 

11 '.rha t ri 11? 11 

'' :::'hat i s a ll." 

"Whi:it CPD I do?n 

She WPS deliberPtely obtuse . nno whPt you decided. Trike your 

Cl arP n n d go . II 

"I meant f or y ou . P 

She swallowe d h~rd . 

11 I wBnt you but you'd be ~ fool to stay; t hey ' ll break you s o 

badl y thr>t in he end I reey ~top vrnn ting you . '1 

·•You know I didn ' t come here - " 
felt 

" I knowp" she cut in quickly ~nd he/»i:urxi the xlllaxR weflrinoss 

in her voice . 

He c ~11e towPrds her , unce:r.t!'>in Pnd self.:.conscious suddenly 

despite t he ye 0 rd of i n tim"CY o S11e 1:·ose end put a t1Pnd on his 

"Don ' t blo11 it U}) i n your mi nd , Joel . I j" wa sn ' t ~ t hing of 

h i gh Df'Ssi on . I ' ll miss the quietness between us - r nd the t t-i lkine 

n:uch rrore th'Ul the beddine;. Thin.ic of me sorr.eti mes 9 • nd if you cen 

do it withou t ness ing up tl1ings betv,een yourself ~n d you.r ClE.ra 

write me. " 

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18 

In !'I sujden, wild 9 iDpuluivc genturc , Joel J t erni:ng flung 

his ~rms P.bout l1<:1rths Lee end held her t i ght . 

1
• Come with me!·• he J.rged over rnd over t-i(;Pin . 

i/i~rtha Lee r;i l led her body in to tott:'l rel ... xati on Fnd vrn i t ed 

c..,lml y for the moment of pc ssion to p:-i ss. 

J..-t l ~st Sterning otoppcd Jler,ding; the t i ghtness o~ his grip 

re1Axad 9 then he let her 50 . 

"I wish - n he begPn ; then he t urned r:.wr-y frorr. her And walked 

sti f fly t o the door . 

Ikrtha foll owe d hi m out to the verendn. He turned to her , 

Pwkwerdly. She tilted her face up fo~ him t o k i s s her . He did s o , 

tenderly , linCTerins ly. 

Sh.a s pid: "Go now , Joe l . Goodbye . " 

lie left her quickly. He looked b? c.:C when he reached h er gat e . 

She v,evcd to him; then he turned and went to bis cPr . 

r,iE-rt~'l9 Lee went bf1Ck into the house 9 locked up ~n d t hen poured 

herse l f o ni.::;htcnp . It strrtled her a little theit she shoul d fee l 

so caln.i 9 so cooposed 9 so self-possessed . But Ghc knew hers e l f , 

knew thr->-'li rcrction would set in 11-.ter , slov,l:T 9 when lonel i ness C'nd 

need for "' r ,Pn crme on her r-ind ff'sti diousness mf'de finding t he 

right r.:;.on difficult. T}u,t 9 shn kn ew, w~s when she would really 

n iss Joel Sterning Pnd t he rrre kind o~ mPn- child he is. She 

tossed 'clown t he drink, ci:i l led -~he dog, Shobr-i 9 nnu went i nto her 

bedroori 9 utterly we::n"-;,- but kn owing s1.ee""J would be ,, l ong tine , 

cominge For the present her n ind sl ... u·t out µ11 thow:ht o • JoP-1 

Sterning or ·:;he a='f;iirs of the i.Jlonde She ~hou~ht 9 instePd 9 of 

the olrck f r, ther of hnr dePf-nute childo He lrnd. been the f i ::-st, 

rnd in n sense the only one 9 who h~d aroused her physicnl prssions 

f ull y o He h r- d r l do taught her the revlity of loneliness . Those 

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19 

others who crme ~::diD! ~fter ~~d only re8ch P s~Pl l pnrt of her , 

the fringes of her bAing: Pil of t hem, except this last one now 

s one. With him there h 8d been n s trange kin d of understanding to 

which sex WPS o small physicPl overtone . lt.nd bec~use this h Ad 

been something new, ~thin . of the min d, i ts end cArri od the 

promi se of P gre 8 ter loneliness t h8n she hPd known be fore it ••• 

:But th:::it other 01'1e, the first one,, t he mPn who h8d msde a wooan 

of her, where WAS he now? Al one? UnhQppy? f t t he end of one 

s i tv.Ption, PS she n ow was? Or gr;,y Pnd hr->ppy :.=ind trking every­

thinB s ome other womPn hPd ·to give? 

She s tripped; got in to be d , lit P cigarette+ turned out the 

l i ght Find l ay on her br:ick relr>xing body And mind Pnd r- llowing 

A confused rnd jumbled pPttern of thought ~nd feel ing to course 

through her mind. ..A fter mAny hours rnd many d .f'rrettes Pnd just 

~s the firs t s i gn~ of l ight Pppe~r ed in the e~stern sky she slipped 

in to Pn unef't sy , restless sleep the t made her tos s Pnd t urn Pl l • 

the time . And the unePsiness of the mistress pr,ssed to ·the dog , 

Find i t too spent n restless nieht. 

Gl .r J:'r Sterning wo}e i n t he 8T:Jt 11 hour u rnd W!•f::l in titr n tly ~v, Bre 

l;lmt ;; ocl wr- s not. i n beu . St ncrn ,:r.e ~l(.I M· n ° s daath ol..) h t cl slipped 

1: ~cy i nt0 t he hPbi t of cr rvling i nto (.,Toc.'... 's 1,e d wnenever he v, r-s 

out lt= 'tc n t n :i t:ht . '..i'1.i s h '"' d , c:de of 4, 1.1-:"' physi c re 1 thlr.3 be t \'\een 

then: ::i :at.I·on t: b1·i dge o r1 ""t;he WPY b!"ck t o wtern tr•ey .t..£<1 s t rr ted 

:.Pror, o 

::'he -iurned her •1.c~d Pnci t h e l umi n0u.~ diPl of tie bedside 

cloc!.r t ol d l1er i ~ W!>f:J ele-.. cn r iinui.;es r f ~.er four o She rerrQined 

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20 

:::,till for e minute or two l onger then she flung the blrmkets 

b~ck Pnd mvung ou t of bed . Wh F t remained of the n i ght wE1 s ,=i 

world of discernPble shPdows so there WPS no need for light . 

She le . .i:'t the lied.room r nd pr· dded , bPrefooted, ncross t hG thick 

ci:,rpe t to the 11 ving rooti . 

It "r s PS uLe h"d hoped. 3e WPS hoffie; deep in hie fnvourite 

ChPir by t he pie T,UJ:e windov, . She thought he WF s t3:3l(;)ep and hPd 

f or 6 o t, en to turn off the li ttle side li5ht . 1h en she SPW the 

liquor on the side-tPble 0n d her hcwrt s:->n~ r little. 

1
• Clprn - ? " 

"Y<::s , Joel . I thought you were rsleep . " 

"Or drunk? 11 

"No, •• she lied. "Not tha·t . 11 

11 I didn't \\rn t to disturb you, l'.'Dd I needed to :.hink. Come;· 

let r e give you P Jr ink. I hRve some thine; to to 11 you . " 

Some thing obout his voice mnde her feel perceful. She remmined 

r=i t the door. 

"No t that stuff . Let me !lot up some chocolrtc for both ofus . " 

She left wi thout wr-i ting for him to rcree; ,:,nd when ~he 

returned i-'li i th the hot chocolri te he WPS FS she hPd l eft him . ~he 

l uoked ou t, of the :picture wii: do\'' r:!'ld Mosesvmlle wF s r> c ity of 

twinkling s t nr s on the f pce of the ePr th. 

Ee sr,id: '' I ' m going , Clarf'.1; I ' m leP-ving the i s l ~nd . '' 

She brrced herself r nd forced her eyes to focus on the 

twinkling B t f' rs do\·✓n below. 

ge went on: "I wan t you to come with me . I would v ery much 

like you to co□e with me bu·c I thin.ir you shoul d Plso know t n At 
II 

I 'm eoing in 8ny cR se· 

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21 

She re1 Pxed 9 nnd rww she could not see the s t a rs on the e arth, 

~ncl there wps F weekness in t he r,i t of her stom~ch , like tha t 

11ightmPre weakness Eifter the big blPck girl hP d hit her, but wi thou 

the accompAnying t error now . 

' I will go with you if you w~n t me , you Y.now th8t , Joel . When 

do we go'?" 

"The Bonner 9 the better . 11 

Now the stP.rs on t he e~rth were in focus once more . 

"Where will we e;o?" 

'' To Europe , of course. London, Pari s, Rome . No t Ger mr::iny : not 

Germeny for a very long time; perhFps never . I' 11 h ave to find 

something to do . We mu s t go where we'll both be hAppi est. I 

ra t her suspect we ' 11 end up in London. But we' 11 see. " 

" And the c hildren?" 

' I w~s t h inking Pbout them . I know your f r-mily would prefer 

them to f i nish tgeir educ"'t1or1 in t he 8 t etes ••• 11 He pt=iu sed for 

30 long thP t she turned from the window Pnd c Ame to h i m imd knel t 

besi de h i s ch~i r . 

' It iti wh0 t you wPnli, Joel. They Bre ov.r children, yours and 

mine . ' 

He sli pped h i s hP.nd behind her neck ~nd m~sseged it gently. 

H& s?i d: nAll you h Pve ~o do is look Pt me t o s ee Pll the 

wea'k.nes...,e s in A Europe Pn educPtion . " 

,:But thPt i s whP t you w?nt for them. " 

"Yes,p e speci i:i lly for tbe boy. " 

11 J.'hen tn.Pt i B how i t will be . They will come with us . " 

11 I t won ' t be eFisy, ClPr a . You ' ll miss mPny thi ng s . " 

"~e, 11 set things in motion t omorrow - I mePn todry. You 

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f 

22 

.._ 
1:':now the f·~mily' s going to be very upset . '' 

"I.upeci[)lly your fr ther . 11 

11 .But he ' ll un erstr-n d too . " 

Ur1der t11c :Lnf luence cf hiu gen tlen:flssaging r, dro·.-~siness 

·begt:'n ~o sprerd thr0ush ClPrF 's body. She rer10ved his h8n d . 

''If ,;'OU. co en I ' ll :·011 ~.;1.eep at your fee t. · 

• .311e ."ose , r erched down to fli s h:-nds r-nd pu l ll.d him up . "We 

htwe JT.11ch to do so let uo 1·est while we crn. '' 

Side by ~.dde, hrncl i n hr:nd , they l ooko d dm-m Pt "!;he twink:li~1g 

lights of the ci !iy. 

He s 0 id: '' I ::i~w, l\1 r,r thr Iee l r-s t night. It ' s over . I told 

her we were lePving. '' 

~o ~uny t hings we ~re going to miss, ClPr~ t old herself. 

"ComP- , " ::ine sri d, ~nd l ed the \:ey to their bedrocn,s . 

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. '· 
.uerr d r old, 

Red Hills P. O. , 
St . Andrew. 
JrrnaicEl . 

October 31, 1966 

to 
I wil l ccr t ninl y sec thn t the manuscript gets/you 

by ffiid-November . 

Sorry you had to wri t so lon • for i t ond f or the fE:c t 
t ~.!" t I hr1vo infl icted nothing but P series of delAys on you : 
firLt there wos the tri p to G~yAna ond t hen , shortly after 
my ret-urn here there wnu the emergency situation in West 
KinGst on . rhis letter which wcs br8icr>ll y the creAti on of 
n couple of over-smbit1 ous Jounc pol iticinno involved urgent 
question~ of civil l iberties which I did not f eel I cocl d 
stand ~side froo . Al l of which mernt my bei ne i nvolved 
rrither deeply i n l hings other th.,n literE>ture . :but the 
en.ert;cmcy ends in two dnys ' time rnu. I O d like to believe 
that lhe efforts put i n by A number of peopl e here helped 
to keep the liberty of the subject rer-sonably i nt'"'ct uuri ng 
thil:) t i me . In r>r1y event the revise mPtter will r 1: -r ch 
by mi d-Koven:bbr . 

rne question: I ~~ workin6 on the F~ber p~ge proofs . 
\ould the pebc proofs be acceptable for the printers or 
would you prefor o manuscript? I do hrvc my o~n cexbon of 
the ms so I could let you have ei t her . 

I envy you your pl anned J apPnese trip. I t i f:> orie of 
the pl Acea I would very much like to see one dFy. 

• r • "7r>::::-old Strf1U86 ., 
Alfred A. Knopf Inc., 
501 ·, P di son Avenue ~ 
New York 22 . N. Y. 

Ao ever , 

.i?eter Abrahrm.:.:i 
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r -~fred A. Knopf Inc. 501 Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

., 
October 25, 1966 

Dear Peter: 

I wonder if, as a personal favor, you could tell me 

when you expect to deliver the revi sed manuscript of your novel. 

I am planning to go to Japan for two months at the end of January, 

and I shall be extremely busy duri ng December and J anuary wi th 

other contracted manuscripts coming in at that time. If you 

manage to get me yours by mid-November, it would help a grea~ 

If not, do let me know when I may expect i t . 

Peter Abrahams, Esq . 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P.O . 
St . Andrew 
Jamaica , 
BRITISH WEST INDIES 

HS: es 

As always, 1 ' 

?~ 
Har6'ld Str aus, 

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r- ,\lfred A. Knopf Int. Mil Madison Av_enue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

July 7, 1966 

Dear Peter: 

Many thanks for your letter of July 2ndo I am sorry 

you are so troubled by the problems of revising THIS ISLAND 

NCM, 8ut please remember that we have put ourselves entirely 

in your hands, and will abide by whatever decisions you make 

regarding revisions . We do think that the criticisms we made 

w~ll also be made by reviewers, and that is why we felt obliged 

to pass them on to you. I feel certain from past experience ti 

the novel will be reviewed first and foremost as a novel, and t 

as a political analysis, no matter how valuable the political i 

I do wonder if you are not exaggerating the importance 

what you call the structural balance. And if it is important, 

it be improved by fleshing out the now seemingly telescoped end 

The question of publishing "radically" differing versio1 

the novel here and in England is an interesting one. But I peri 

don't see why we have to be conventional about it. And aren't) 

exaggerating a bit when you use the word "radically'!? You yours 

have ruled out changes so radical as to make it another story, a 

course we agreeo I might add that there have been other cases o 

being published in several versions, which makes an interesting · 

literary history. 

By all means take two weeks or so to make up your mind. And 

then please do let me know not only how you plan to revise, but when I 

shall have the final manuscript. 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
"Coyaba" 
Red Hills P.O. 
St. Andrew, JAMAICA 

As always, 

~ 
Harold Strauss 

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 
HS: sr 

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IBRARIES



Coy--b r , 
Rco !Tills P . O. 
St . P.ndrcw. 
J f.3!TIP i CP . 

July 2? 1')66 

I 11 v e no~ one 0vc1· t!-:__, book very C"rP.fvl.l y i n thr forr of 

the F""hAr 11ege -proofb r nu i t hf s l &:ft rue .. i 1;h r \. ._,z•y :..:..i ~cd 

rerct.ion . I t ir. o vr;ry rcliticr l s t ory, in f'"' c t tt1c i:,c,liti t·.3 

l. cl tl ... ,;; s er--;/ . I ::.6e a.1.:. ,r .e yoID..· cri -ti cior.. th-t _:re . oli • i c 1 

(01 i.t t'"L , .. na ynt ny c·hcr rppror>ch wovld h ... ir<' c.: 11..,ne:ocl it 

so ri d.,_cr ll;} ·~s "tc ri~.r~e it " 1:ot hcr !3tcr y . Ci c vt.r: ... C' r lJO thcr 

• i;;tor,; n i r;h\; hr·vc l·oen v<•r;/ muc:h l ,.;:tter rncl r:crc f't1ccrr 0 fcl , 

I <1or1 ' -L knc,.. . :i: e -rol~b .... e is -chat t.t.1:.u ,.[~s ::•1 c. one : et ot -c: 

to v.rJ -'c , jn~ludlng 'i.hc grv diu:il f"ding j nto w~rpor,,nn<-e o:f. 

tl1e ,Jl'i vt ta porcon0l pro blen.u .:.n -~ c :.. t cc ~-=: 'the l.Jl::o:-i.r.:i.n u 

J)(\liticnl re:r,lity . I hFVC 1·lrc...., r ~r hrd r C"'rn,r.lf; c~ f O''L - tr;~inc 

·uo L uei; Ol o vf y01....1. br ....... c puji,I!,L of crit::i.ei!..lrr. - rt "br::.ngir.e; 

tr.e ~.r-r t l}H Lce- Jo.bii. '"'nci ClrirD S t ern i n g emot:i.on:-1 si t:'t.~tion 

b: ck i n to tte for c[p:·oun d of t Le l :· v t jJ~ r·:; vf "t e ~ 1:01--;y ; ·:,m t 

uo trr Pll I i rn c m.wco ·dod i n ttoin c i ~ -to -:... ,. e"!i t !1c structur r l 

~b~re L-> rmothcr 1)oi nt I ' r: l'!ot Loo .1r pp.( 8l,out; •t .... :.o..cl., i~ r; . .. .; 

queo ~ion o." puhli nhinc: r' dicr- .Ll y di .P!cri ,., vcrsj 0 n t1 ,f ., _e ~•fl, P-

1::oc..,:.. p nd ,!!i!;.l , ! uu.sne t 1 f'O!l"'.::...1 i t:tM3 ho A 1ri 111 of !> yo 1olo15i c 

rl r,)3:..st"':"'C,, t the r.~.~in; o··· ch'Tr-;es •••• ..?.Le ; .;.;e don ' t 

1·1i8Uuder:...tr·nc. .... c; r 1 1 t .iJ i;J by wvriy o:... L.lJ.n~i r.,_- . - v . . J; I C'.l .... J 

bn:r• , 
bu. I , i.l"' cert. in2-:,r -f;i"y na :_~et . .!- 1.., .,c ,:: Jl, lU c,-.:ccti ons 

rd°'i 1! .lo not req 11irc rr-cii c .-.1 cnn1'J[;c o i r. th~ s +;">ry. the trouble 
it.. t his 1 

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I 

... 

2 

L, thi.J i .... un l i.d:ely t o reallJ s,1ti..;fy e it,he . .c of us . But I' ll 
ao t i,,,CJ best.. I (:!rn . 

So -,10 .... .;;e .:_"ivc n:e cnot .. er "tiViO ueck." c. L•J •·11d I v:ill L:ry r:ll.d 

l et you trn ow some thin& fin r l . 

As ever 

UWI L
IBRARIES



~ Alfred A. Knopf 1nc. soi Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

June 21, 1966 

Dear Peter: 

Just a note to tell you that I believe I have 

settled everything with Martha Winston . The letter of agr eement 

should be on its way to you by this time . 

I was quite worr ied for a long t i me at not 

hearing from you, because I was not aware of the Jamaican post ~l 

strike . But I am now par ticularly glad to hear that it is over, 

and that you are seriously considering our various editoria l 

suggestions. 

As a personal favor, so that I can plan my time, 

would you make a rough estimate of when you think you wi ll be 

able to send the manuscr ipt? 

HS:bh 

Peter Abrahams, Esq . 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P. O. 
St . Andrew 
Jamaica, B. W. I. 

As always , 

fjil/~ 
' ' Harold Strauss 

P U BL I S H E R O F BORZOI BOOK S 

UWI L
IBRARIES



r Alfred A. Knopf Inc. 501 Madison A, 
l,utJle J t J.. .1 

Apri' ' %6 

Dear P"' ter: 

, N0 t having had an answer f rom you to my le tte r of March 1st , 

I phoned Martha Winston yeste rday. She told me that you we re 

uneasy. about our Jack of enthusiasm for A PASSAGE IN TIME, and 

had asked her what to do . Th is makes me think you must have 

misunde rs tood the purpose of my criticisms. 

We are enthus iast i c about pu~lishi ng you. We hope to do so 

fo r a long t ime to come , as I have already t o ld you. That we see 

• some weaknesses in A PASSAGE IN TIME is of cou rse quite eviden t;. 

t he purpose of my let t e r of Ma.rch 1s t was t o give you an 

oppo r tun i ty to respond to what we thought we re sound critic isms , 

o r to dee i de that you want the book pub 1 i shed as it is. If we 

did not give you a chance to consider our cr i t icisms , we would 

have been do ing you a d isservice. 

By t he same token, it is not quite ri ght to measure our 

enthusiasm by our c ri ticisms. You are an autho r whom we have 

been publish ing fo r a l ong time , and hope to continue to publish 

- r a long time , so ed i to ri a l c riti cisms cannot possibly be 

a ll owed to inf l uence the way we publish the book. Perhaps I 

should add that enthusiasm or the lack of it i s not as important 

as it seems i n launching a novel . You know how enthusias tic 

was about A NIGHT OF THE IR OWN. We dist ributed a bout 4,400 

copies at the peak , but about six hundred came back. Thi s l eaves 

a net sale of 3,800, just about t he i dentical f i gu re fo r t he 

tota l sale of A WREATH FOR UDOMO. 

HS:nl 

Do l e t me hear from you soon in any case. 

PU B L I SHER OF 

Co rdi a 11 y , 

, Haro ld Strauss / / 
f~ ~ ~ P]._ A ·.s rc,.,/w-y -e.7 

BO R Z ·o I / B OOKS __s;; / . I/ ~ ( 
._.,.) '? u,__, / -, ---e-?'?,,... f 

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Peter Abrahams, Esq. - 5 - March 1, 1966 

Page 268: another lecture by Josiah. 

The reader I have been quiting made the most severe criticisms. 

I pass them on to you with no idea that you will follow all of them; but perhaps 

some of them will be useful to you. 

I hope you will understand the spirit in which these comments are 

made. From your previous books we know you to be a very good and skillful 

novelist, a talented writer, as Orville Prescott called you. I think for once 

you have let your absorption in political ideas overcome your instincts as a 

novelist. As I said in the beginning of this letter, it is probably too late 

to remedy this completely. Or at least we think it would be asking too much of 

you to do so. But a few steps in the direction of my main cttticisms would 

certainly help a great deal. 

Do let me know your decision as soon as possible. Martha Winston 

has asked me to hold up the publication agreement until I hear from you. 

I cannot end this letter without adding that we want to continue 

to publish your books for a long time to come. 

cc : Miss Martha Winston 
HS:bh 

Peter Abrahamsp Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P.O. 
St. Andrew 
J amaica, British West Indies 

As always, 

_?':::-::.~ UWI L
IBRARIES



~ Alfred A. Knopf Inc. 501 Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

February 17, 1966 

Dear Peter: 

You must be wonder~ng why you have not heard 

from me regarding A PASSAGE IN TIME. We see problems in the 

-
manuscript, and it has h~d three readings to date. I have in 

fact six pages of notes from one reader. But even now I am 

not yet able to tell you what we will suggest. I am writing 

you now so that you will not think we are neglecting the 

manuscript. Quite the contrary. 

I'm not prepared to go into details now, but on 

the other hand I don't want to seem too mystifying. The chief 

criticisms here are that different individuals seem to become 

the central characters in different parts of the novel; and 

that the political conflicts are not worked out in terms of 

personal conflicts, as should be done in a novel. 

More soon . 

HS :bh 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P.O. 
St. Andrew 
Jamaica, British West Indies 

Asalw~ 

~ 
Harold Strauss 

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

I 
'I ' 

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' 1 • 

Alfred A. Knopf ; !LC- 501 Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

August 17, 1965 

Dear Peter: 

I know you won't receive this letter for some 

five or ~ix weeks, but I do want to acknowledge your most 

welcome note of August 9th. I'm delighted that you have 

finished a new novel and that you will probably be able to 

send it to me in October. 

It will be interesting to hear what you have to 

say about Kenya after you return. The problems of tribalism 

and nationalism in the new African countrie.s do not seem to 

me to be diminishing at all , even though, except for the Sudan, 

things are relatively quiet. 

By the way, we may once again have a little title 

trouble. There are several books with the title THROUGH A GLASS , 

DARKLY, at least one of which, that by Val Gielgud, Johnvs 

brother, is still in print . 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P. O. 
St~ Andrew, JAMAICA 

HS: sr 

As 

Haro Strauss 

P U BLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

UWI L
IBRARIES



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IBRARIES



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Alfred A. Knopf Inc. 501 Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: K NOPF NEW YORK 

June 24, 1965 

Dear Peter: 

I confess that I delayed answering your interesting letter 

of May 27th in the hope that I would be able to pass on some 

good news about sales. I'm sorry to tell you that to date 

they have reached a total of only 4250 copies, and that does 

not take into account possible returns of unsold copies from 

booksel l ers . Sal e s are continuing in a very modest way, and · 

may balance out against returns, but even so, the total leaves 

me disappointed. 

My hope now is that we can cash in on the wonderful press 

which A NIGHT OF THEIR OWN received when we come to publish your 

next book. That often happens. We can perhaps work for a bigger 

advance sale and more intensive promotion--although ~ must say 

we spent quite a bit more in advertising A NIGHT OF THEIR OWN 

than we were entitled to by orthodox publishing formulas. That 

was based on our enthusiasm for the book and the fact that you 

told me that you were going to devote more time to writing fiction . 

And what news is there of your next novel? I do look forwar r 

to reading it. 

As for your remarks about the situation i n the Dominican Repub 

I have much the same mixed feelings that you have. I am opposed to 

our policy in Vietnam, but I think the situation in the Dominican 

Republic is quite dif f erent . It's just possible tha t the O.A.S . 

may be prodded into becoming a vigorous, viable peacekeeping 

organization, which is more than one can ever hope for as f ar as 

SEATO is concerned. 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills, P. O. 
St . Andr ew 
Jamai ca 

PU BLISH E R OF 
HS ! t h ~ 

As always, ? 1/' 
~~ l'y-

BO RZO I BOOKS 

UWI L
IBRARIES



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IBRARIES



Alfred. A. Knopf Incorporated 

PUBLI SHER 0 F 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

Tele/Jltonc: PLAZA 1-2600 

Dear Peter: 

BORZOI B O O K S 

501 .Madison Avenue 

New York (22), N. Y. 

May 12, 1965 

I have been away for a few weeks, which is the reason you haven ' t 

heard from me recently . Yesterday Mrs . Wilkins sent you a copy of a 

quote ad that appeared in the New York Times. I am not sure whether 

you have seen a copy of the first ad, which also appeared in the 

New York Times, and I send you a copy herewith. 

I promised you some sales figures. We now seem to have re-educated 

(the technical word is '"reprogrammed") our computer, and I now have 

reasonably accurate figures . The advance sale before publication was 

somewhat less than I expected or the book deserved~-about 3,000 copies-­

but the rate of sale since publication is moderately good, and to judge 

it in the short period of time, it seems to be improving . The total 

sale is 3,700 copies to date, but last week alone we sold 308 copies . 

It ' s impossible to make any predictions at this stage, but I can at least 

hope that the rate will accelerate . 

You seem to have had first-rate instincts in setting your next 

novel in the Caribbean. I wish we had left the Dominicans t o stew in 

their own juices, but for better or worse, events have certainly attracted 

the spotlight to that area. (All I meant by my remark about the Dominicans 

is that if we had to intervene at all, we should have done so through the 

OAS, not unilaterally. ) 

UWI L
IBRARIES



At any rate , I ' ll l ook f orward t o reading your next nove l very much. 

Peter Abrahams, Esq . 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P, O. 
St . Andrews 
Jamaica, West I ndies 

HS:SCW:ENC. 

As always, 

UWI L
IBRARIES



~ ~- ~· 

Alfred· A· Knopf Incorporated 

501 Madison Avenue, .New York 22 

I CURTIS BROWN LTD 
575 MADISON AVE 
NE W YORK 22 NY 

L 
PETER ABRAHAMS 

TITLE 

MINE BOY 
DOMESTIC 

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DOMESTIC 

A WREATH FOR UOOMO 
DOMESTIC 

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Alfred. A. Knopf Incorporated 

PUBLI SHER 0 F 

Cables: KNO PF NEW YORK 

'Tel-eplwne: PLAZA 1-2600 

Dear Pet er: 

BORZO I B O O K S 

501 Madison Avenue 

New York (22), N. Y. 

March 24 , 1965 

Here i s anot her excel l ent advance comment from a t r ade organ, 

THE LI BRARY JOURNAL. Of cour s e I have s een no general r eviews of 

A NIGHT OF THEI R OWN, but when I do , I wi l l s end t hem t o you. 

Peter Abrahams, Esq . 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P. O. 
St . Andrews 
Jamaica , West Indies 

HS:SCW 

As a l ways, 

Har old Strauss 

UWI L
IBRARIES



De·r frrol d , 

' Co ,rnba'' , 
Rell Hill.., P. O. 
St. Andrew. 
J r,r;ica . 

Febru, ry 18 , 1965 

Very m::m,r t 1rink.., f or t J '"'ii"I1l~il copy and the Publi .... 11.(.;r:J 

ee.1dy .ceview . I like t e looK of t he book ond I t'ff.l.'ee \ i th 

you t .1.r t t --ie pho t o on the b 0 ck of the j, cket he1.., corne out 

very \"te l l ; t he fir3 t revie•, , t oe. , i,;eems pre-tty promi ..,ing. So 

r>ll \,C c rin ac i..., ~ ai t r,n ~ ... ee rin I hope tnc cn t .1u .... insn. of 

your ~~les depnrt!:uen t paJ.., f f . 

I h d not t ou ~ht 

certcinly is n i cee t 

... 01 e t hing now - set in 

n lot Io e .... ~npe t o i t 

~f BC inv bl C.h. t o Rich~rd Nko .... i but 

kce"J in nind . I P. • orking on 

the CPr i bbe en - but until theie i s 

there i ... nothin.:; t o 1:el l . I AI 

trying to f ini~h ~ first drPft PY P~ou t April nn~ nope th~ t 

by then ei t.1et Sc lns or a f c, journ~li..,tic corr L,sionz 

\1-0ul d mrke po ... aibl P ..,iy t o e i ght weeks vL,i t t o En.., t Af ice . 

no ther Ri c~Pr, Nl ... i r i Lh' come ou t of t h~ vi ... i t thou 0 h I 

, an t t o b... n~ r> aJ f ro onl r writing P l::ou t Afric . 

Te I .Y. Ti~e s SunuPy tognzin c h'.., bou0 ht a pi e ce t ney 

, ... ked me t on t .e probl e of conJJ~unicr>tion be t veen t he 

ligh tcr oL d"r er people . Ch~p . , .1.lin it L., Gl3I ril.d , .. ~lker 

inc~ ..,c- you1 ' 1. c in t eremte d . I don 't n ow when they ' 11 publi .... h 

i t bu t i t ~ the ~ort o f t hing you ' d like t o reP . 

Ao:> ever 

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IBRARIES



~ Alfred A. Knopf 1nc. soi Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

February 5, 1965 

Dear I'eter: 

A NI GHr OF THEIR OWN is off press, and we sent you one 

of your author 's copies by a irmail a nd the remaining nine 

author's copies by book post . I do hope you like t he appear ­

ance of the book. The photograph on the back of t he j acket 

came out pret t y well, I t hink. 

As always, 

Haro ld Strauss 

P . S. Publicat ion date is April 12. 

Peter Abrahams , Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P.O. 
St . Andret•s 
Jamaica, West Indies 

HS: sew 

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

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IBRARIES



Alfred. A. Knopf Incorporated 

PUBLISHER 0 F 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

'Telephone: PLAZA 1-2600 

Dear Peter: 

BORZOI B O O K S 

501 Madison Avenue 

New York (22), N. Y. 

February 3, 1965 

There is a good deal of enthusiasm in t he sales department--hard­

boiled fellows, t hose~-for A NIGHT OF THEIR OWN. And now tha first of 

t he trade j ournal reviews has appeared , one in Publishers ' Weekly . 

The t r ade journals comment on books about t wo months before publication, 

and have s ome influence. I send you a copy he~ewith, and I am delighted 

wi t h it, of course . 

It's t oo early t o say much about sales, but I am somewhat optimistic . 

I do hope you are at wor k on a new novel, and will let me have some 

news about it s oon . 

I don ' t want t o constrict your creative i deas in any way, but I 

do wonder whether it has ever occurred t o you t o use t he character , or 

at least t he name , of Richard Nkosi a gain? 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hi lls P.O . 
St. Andrews, Jamaica W. I . 

HS: sew 

As always , 

Har old Strauss 

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IBRARIES



r- Alfred A. Knopf Inc. 501 Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

November 24, 1964 

Dear Mr. Abrahams: 

Just a word to tell you I am returning the original 

"laughing picture" to you by airmail, under separate cover. 

As soon as our copies are made, I will mail a dozen t o you 

and two t o Mr . du Sautoy for the British edition. 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P. O. 
St . Andrew 
Jamaica, Wes t Indies 

Faithfully, 

Sophie Wilkins 

December 4, 1964 

P . S . As you see by the above dat ~, I thought better of 

it and waited till I had the requested twelve prints 
1/.f kdt0, 

to send you~ Two of t he same are going t o Mr. dh Sautoy. 

We think they turned out remarkably well and hope you are 

pleased with them too. 

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

' I I 
I 

.' 

' 

UWI L
IBRARIES



~ Alfred A. Knopf Inc. 501 Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

November 20, 1964 

Dear Mr. Abrahams: 

Just a word t o tell you I just mailed page proof 

of front matter, including the list of names etc., in great 

haste by air first class, trusting you will return it as 

quickly as possible as we need it by the firs t of December . 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P 0 
St . Andrew 
Jamaica, West Indies 

Faithfully, 

Sophie Wilkins 

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Coyaba, 
RE::d cill!3 P .. O. 

st. 'U1crrew, 
r ... t ~ "' -

\ I • • ...I..'-" G e 

:.: Ni. toc~- y J'.'<"'7urn..:.:::1g t:-: y ... tJ.. by E1:;.~L'1Gil :·,f' ,;COl po,3t 
tJa g~ l~~,a ~~t ?'~ u~nusorip~. • 

I 

.i.1:.-: ·:,.'.lul, t•1in<.S ,,...o 1"e. :-clrn'bly Jl)'1"1 i-.:i., 1 n , mJ ' :J \n::.n 
:~a - 1 ,.1,f'l1_ o~ s- ~2.1 t rpo~ . .t'he on'-' 0i .f ,~h.:.11 0 : ""' •• :.d 
J.ii':e y,;,-;. t0 lvo.r: ou,:; :'or ie .... "ice: of -r--n .. rp ait::.01, ,1 t 
L·.ena.c to ·ce ·, rno en p ge:3 l(, , :.:re, 171 )f ~ t h) __ f> .1.la;a . 
Jf 'l/•·- 1· l .... c,J,- .., .. i ·- er, •1•• ~,-.,?• · n t •• ,l, ... ··1 '"'" ,,, ___ ,... 2iS fr-- ,,..y 

• J V Jl. V .. ~ < .... 4.., • 'I..'.~.....,~ ..t.]:" ., t - •~ ..-\4 J: e V - .!Jl.t. 

lJ =-·'? mu:ft c::."i .f"!.J) ,,fl::.: se t re f ore :1"':'e 218, Thtn•c i;; not any 
wor}~ involved cc.;or.d. tt.a b oJ..:. l y t5.-:t.C~ir:.~ ; Z o:ne )'" :> • I 11.--~,.-"­
-~n.:.:.c· ·vt.:( ·f',."!rP y1 ..... e _:-,..2lf:y. ·hi G error, inc:. iJo .. l tt,lly 1 i3 
no ... .-.f' --·r .., ... 1,•71,· ,1,,"' .: 1,·'",r ', 1t,~b""r111- (.; n , ,,. a·) · ·" • ~r{'· 

v "'.~ ~ .t- r _ 4 ,.,.. ,. ,J.t... ...T . .. :.n., .i.. c ,._ f-... .. _. ..,,,;~ _ l' •- v 

~ne l ul~ li~~, Lv~ thY~. 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Coyaba, 
Red Hills P . O. 
St. AndJ.1 e\i . 
J r'Il.P i C~ • 

Tae [)' 2.leys f rrivfd lr nt nj.cnt . I Nill try tc., get t.'.lrough 
t .::- 0 bv. l :t , if r~::t c.11, over the wes1-:en d , • !ld 1, "il tl:'.:;r b'"'ck 
tc y 01.. d!l.I'in,,. -t he cot:r .;e cf nex"G 1Jea1~ . 

/ 

1· . Cer y r- ::;i B .. 01..ld !r·ve; recoi1.•ed t11e pi ctul'e&• by now , 
r- 1:.ch •;1:att:.d :-nm·:er rot.r . rr ~hcz- urgent .::1.F1J:-: n t o . 

'" 

UWI L
IBRARIES



~ Alfred A. Knopf 1nc. soi Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

November 19, 1964 

Dear Peter: 

Just a note to let you know t hat we have tentat ively 

set April 12 as t he publication date f or A NI GHT OF THEI R OWN. 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P 0 
St Andrew 
Jamaica, West Indies 

HS :SCW 
cc: Martha Winston 

As always , 

:/Al 
/ 

Harold Strauss 

PUBLIS I-e; R OF BORZOI I)OOKS 

UWI L
IBRARIES



~ Alfred A. Knopf Inc. 501 Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

November 16, 1964 

Dear Peter: 

My last letter to you must have crossed yours t o 

Mr. G,:,rvasi o f November 9, enclosing the two glossy prints, 

the retouched enlargement of the snapshot, and what you call 

"the little laughing picture . " I like the last one by far 

the best and so does everyone else here. We are using it for 

the jacket;as soon as it is reproduced~ our publici ty depart ment 

will make copies. Then we'll send two to Faber and Faber and 

a dozen t o you , and of course return the original t o you. 

I am keeping the other prints and the tvo negatives in case of 

emergency. But I ' ll return them t o you in a few months, unless 

you need them earlier . 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P. O. 
St . Andrew 
Jamaica, West Indies 

HS:SCW 

As always, 

Harold Strauss 

P U BLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

UWI L
IBRARIES



~ Alfred A. Knopf 1nc. soi Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

November 10, 1964 

Dear Peter: 

I have 1ust received word that the printer is expecting 

to mail galleys - - i.e., page proof- -to you on t he 12th. Needless 

to say, the sooner we can have them back here at the office, the 

better. 

Peter Abrahams, Esq . 
Coyaba 
Red Hills I:,O. 
St. Andrew 
Jamaica, West Indies 

HS: sew 

Asa;~~ 

Harold Strauss 

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

UWI L
IBRARIES



November 9, 1964 . 

I a~!l ..,orrJ ;: bol.). t t.!10 delay ill lettin~ you h0vc the enclosed 
uictn.res b,.~ t I 11.- a e li .:,tla trouble: r,i t: t.ne studio W.':'...ich 
....... ~- t011ci1ed the pi.:: tu.res (.rec_.ovi.lJ ev 3ry wr i.nl-:lr, ".".'ert F.1:1& rr ~rk ) 
i::1 uC' '1 .... c.:-·~ pretty ::.IJ<.. l:L!ootb. 1C: ce t.1r...-: .ms facele~s. Ihey hove 
:now .:·crr.oved t1.1e rc- to .. 1.ciling :from the tJeg-- ti ve &nd the t:,o nrin ts 
s tE:mfcC::. ' :,'1.llr Allen' arc; '!e r..1s•il t . Fr~n ... t l y , ;ihll e I think 
t !':.~.i vvil l reproci.uco v.ulJ. .J. f ind tneu onl v se,-so . 

I alt-o enclose : sn;-· lle~· _pj c·11ur·e w 1~.cl1 ~\["5 uce.: .... -:l:.i1en,1e_ .. e 
1:1 C<•ll :ple of .vea.r~ bAc.,: an.:... m .. ich you mi{"th liku ·t.o con,;icier . 

E'inrlly, _:_ .! St:t:o.us::; se!lt ti~ v:i::i..nt:' of ~-;he t-v;ic cnn.ps~ot:9 
he d0, ClQJ0d .-.nd J. !"'.!!! enclos_nu; t ... 1c one 1 11 .s.r.1rtsl3cve •:.:..·~-:-.. -t~:e-

:1e,..,,vy 'c: cL,?;rou.r,d of folio~:;e elitinr ted. I i'e~1 re~so.,ably certain 
the, l- Joi:. .n.11 h"ve, thottt<h~ of this yc.,u.:r·c1elf' , bt:,t I v,"".ll jed. ~o b:ting 
it. to your t:ttte.L1 ·~ n juc11 i11 ci·Be .rou w.ve !10ti ~ J:hib p.::int stands 
oni. 1"u-,.:. ... ~.ore uh rnl~r wi •inoui., t 1-~e foli:ige •1.nc.i i-'.:. i:i n;•.:i.oh :r:-_o:re 

1 
._ • ..., .. .... "" .... t h l 'l . C-l•"".".' . C v0:..'..:..'3tl.C O.L z.e &llO.?l lifLG Gt,U.U1 O e:i..1.e::!.' • '· u X\°;;3 . _ t,;;:>Qi.) em J. S 

of course one cf rer>roduction "'l'ld o!1 thnt o:no ym.: -,-s I; ~-c t'1e f::.n"' l 
t:''.:"'rd ta_~ . Ii, hcneve.c , you feel Do:me·v.~int1, con b0 done 9 1,:;:· o Strouss 
1:., ,'2> i,~lc. negPtive, Hnic:1 I ssn·,; t p co hit . 

' h2tcvor you. decide t-: ,1:;;e , J 1:>hould bG moi:;;t ,!I'P "tefu l if you 
wov.1 d send pri nts ~o F,., her· & Faber i n .Lioncio11 who a:r-a my Engl ish 
publi.::hers , r-n, ,,; doze r: or- so tnot I en.£1 send ')11 ,..o -'i;:1e Frennh ,,~11 
tne Be 0 iano c;,a G,~u .. e:·r .:r1~ 2i-.u. 1 tsl1.ans anu so forth who usually 
.1:C!..)li~l: trct;,lr:~lo:u2 oft, ~- a~utf. 

\ 

~ieene Gorv~si , Esq. , 
Pu. bli c i t-.r 1~ ~ n '"'_:;e:r· , 
Alf:~'3d \ . TT.::10.rf I nc. 9 
New'York. 

Yours sincerely 

P.~ ~ PleP8e re t ~r n the it~le laughing pic ture ns I 
';c_ ... m,cc.':: om lliY wifG! 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Coye.tap 
:.eJ. .. illo P . C. 
St . Andrew, J ~mni ca. 

Hove. eer 9 , 1964 

,.,c ... ,. ·i:,·, ro· d 
~ &._.., ...... - f 

~·c,r~· ··:;-r,; ,h:- !'lb.~ :! or ;ct::r· t,,o m'::.n 1;3 ~.h1c.:1 we Ll.1 gere 
lib; ·11 . .1:" r r ucL . In f•·ct L!' .. \;ife :i.D of ·!;.re opiniori t:K. t t!1c 
~::H ir. e.hi.rt sle'1vo j_s v"'.., ·.1 :mo:."e li ·c I rel lly ~ •i;:l.e-.11 
-'::hP!l s~·-- tl c t·vo ot,Jdio pici.u1·es I l:Bv~ todc dir.rpavehcd -~o 
tr . G•Jr-~·c oi . _3-~".. t tilCre in of eon, .. ->:: -~~1e problem cf .r.).r,roduc•tion , 
rii!tl -L, t.r~- "'r, ~c.t cve:c :.t 3he _2"1_, painted 011t t!lt; l" ·!;hor 
'ht;r•V,t br :gr-:,:1_,c: :, .. :~olj ,..gG --.. u J ~ re.3t:1·1; scc.:n to :is c. v .:r_--y 
much ~l.c _.i'er t.c:.:.:JL-~i.).J 1A.t :0 "re r.o t erlert~ n 11'] :mly t:10 
ck e_.- ... s c ~ y \7h~ t er t r-t r!.11. rn1.1ke i'":i g ood e,.ou.g.a for 
re-1.•~c.1-..rnticn purposes. I h···· .:.ncludca "";2:i::. a:. \.'c .. ::-i.. ·::: 
a:1cc.11.:1· J.·atLe:b n:~c-:i:. u :·~1~0 -,:l•·.-l;ur-o we Lave discovarcc:.. in 
the 1- --... iJ.y ~:i...•,un 7 ;o ··r , ,.':):;:,-• .J.::.. ,n::.1 :: V-3 1,'l~i tr <' :.'F "10':? ·r.o 
chi:, o se _ :co.m.. • 

... :: vc t::~ kou ,1r . G~r·vr-si to let :ua f'"'?d Peter 5.u Sfu-toy 
!'!'"'7C ... .:'.mr; pri~ t'.3 o .. ·,•·'1.:.~i1eYe1 :r-- con:3ia.er3 hcrJ ~ for 
rr;: -:1· ,,c' .:.r. ti-:m pur1xi 0 ~,;; - ·t1').i :J follow:'..n €' his v.:: fe:i."' t.:i l0J_; .e 
:1~ p~ pr.:.jt;:. ~ t~ , :!!:i o ort-t•~ • 't. 

:H rold Str"'1..~ .. c , -;..3:-,i . , 
f .. :'1-ied t. . • ::u~7f a 

As ever 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Alfred· A· K11opf Incorporated 

PUBLISHER 0 F 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

Telephone: PLAZA 1-2600 

Dear Peter: 

BORZOI B O O K S 

501 Madison Avenue 

New York (22), N.1: 

October 27, 1964 

There was s o much confusing background in t he snapshots of you 

that I felt t hey had t o be croppe d severely . This meant an enormous en-

l argement, which 
.J.. 

did myse lf. I enclose s ome prints herewit h . Plea se 

forgive t he stamp on t he back which 1 do automatically when 1 finish a 

print . 

Meanwhile Mr. Gervasi has already written you asking for a 

studio portrait , At t he same time Peter de Sautoy has written me f or 

prints from t he two negatives you sent me. I am s ending hi m anot he r s ~t 

of prints Jnt 1 am also telling hi m t hat we have asked you t o have a portrai t 

done, and t hat you wi l l undoubtedly be sending him a print of t hat. 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P . O. 
St . Andrew 
Jamaica, West Indies 

HS: SCW:ENCS . 

Haro ld Strauss UWI L
IBRARIES



Alfred. A. Knopf Incorporated 

PUBLISHER 0 F 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

Tek plwne: PLAZA 1-2600 

Dear Mr. Abrahams : 

BORZOI B O O K S 

501 Madison Avenue 

New York (22), N.Y. 

October 26, 1964 

Mr. Strauss has made available to us the photographs he took of you, and 

it is our feeling that these do not quite come up to our hopes . Mrs . Wilkins, 

his secretary, told me you would be willing to go to a s tudio and have a 

photograph taken if it should come to that . I fear it has, and hope you will 

forgive my asking that you go to this additional trouble . I think it would be 

worthwhile, however, and am sure a studio would turn up with something we would 

be happy to use . May I ask you , then, if you would do this at your earliest 

convenience? If you could airmail to me the photogr aphs the studio makes, I'll 

send you as many copies as you like, and will see that the photographs are use d 

on the jacket of the book as we had hoped. 

With apologies, and all best wishes. 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P. O. 
St. Andrew, Jamaica, West Indies 

EMG:mk 

Faithfully yours, 
For ALFRED KNOPF , Inc., 

//Ir / 

Euge~ vasi 
Public • y Manager 

UWI L
IBRARIES



r- Alfred A. Knopf Inc. 501 Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF N EW YORK 

September 29, 1964 

Dear Peter: 

Everything is rolling smoothly, and now I have a firm 

production schedule. As you know, we are going straight into 

page proofs, and these should be airmailed to you directly from 

our printers on or about November 4 (give or take a day or two)4 

Because of the distance, I suppose you will need a full two weeks 

to read them and return them t o us, but anything better you caq do 

will be welcome. The manuscript was in such splendid shape tha·t' 

the proofs themselves, other than strictly typos , should rais e 

no problems~ 

We are planning t o publish in April, although I cannot 

give you the exact date yeto 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P.0~ 
St . Andrew 
Jamaica, West Indies 

HS:SCW 
cc: Martha Winston 

Harold Strauss 

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

UWI L
IBRARIES



r-Alfred A. Knopf 1nc. soi Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF N EW YORK 

September 17, 1964 

Dear Peter: 

The photocopying of the manuscript worked very well, 

and the corrections came through beautifully. I therefore today 

airmailed the photocopy to Peter de Sautoy. 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P.O. 
St. Andrew 
Jamaica, Wes t Indies 

HS: sew 

As always , 

1/ e,.t~ 
<.:c"lv<" ~-

/~ 
Harold Strauss 

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

UWI L
IBRARIES



~ Alfred A. Knopf 1nc. soi Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

September 15, 1964 

Dear Peter: 

Many thanks for your conscientious work on the copy 

edited manuscript, which has arrived safely. I think everything 

is in order now, and you will next see page proofs which should 

present few if any problems. We want to move t hings along fairly 

rapidly, and publish in May. 

We ' ll have a go at photocopying the manuscript for 

Peter de Sautoy . We'll have to see if the handwritten corrections 

come through adequately , but I think they will . 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P.O. 
St. Andrew 
Jamaica, West Indies 

HS:SCW 

Asa~ ~/ 

Harold Strauss 

P.S. Many thanks f or sending the snapshots, also, and may we please 

have No~. 3 and 4 negatives? 

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

UWI L
IBRARIES



:rer~wi t ""' "'.;. e 1{11;ipf c n tr" c t d~.tly 

~ign d . I n'..L3 r eturn t ~1c qv. otion-- irc , 

thot.'-;:1 I t.nre lr:--clJ give. Sarol t: St1· us1 

r:r."l t f t.h ~ r:,wers "' ,,,e l l 3 .... ool!le 

T\',e t 1--ingB I w uld l i l.- y e "1 to d for 

f.v , '1-r~r.gc f " t L ~ r,.;'rJ11. cri pt o:f 

t h b ~ t ~ be returned tom wh ri t r~ 
:publi 14-.,1•~ hrv-:: don wi t !: i t ; c d p10~ e 

Gk 1i t10 Su.cern n 11 t t e nd l'.2'! '"'DY 

mcn~y till .h~ r ecci v~ ~ n l t cr ~tich I 

•/i l l .,r:i. t 11 r l tor· tod" :r ( t h~ l oc l m i l 

V('rv.i.cc. i :torr. t::..~e:J furmy "n d ge21de ~ff 

l o ttt.t:'" po ..> t ed on t1.e: ts lJ .. e dr:.y o w c ~ apar 

You.re :JincerelJ 

UWI L
IBRARIES



h ti. ... 1vai:;:. d.u P~J.L...,.,4a.!:i!,~; j ob wl jch ll'i.fl Yoi..lr r ..... n c...er '.Jiu 
1 1 n- ~~rtl rnd tefi~~d 
UD U1il.ll f'nr·Gner· . l 
Ti ~!l"'i 'iC fl £;'J'J0 :_ ,:<.!fi 

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-+ •,) • ... ·,:J,\.l l 2. ""; 
t?r -- fJc t; o . g:'L.c, 

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:; J_• u tt ;;.~, .; J,: • ~ -O!'l ... ! JJ v~ .""! , , copie D

9 
l.d . ..!l i ,_; ,'I; ..! .. il ~ .. }.l..P g.r \ ;..i ... " 

I 

UWI L
IBRARIES



~ Alfred A. ~nopf Inc. 501 Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

I' 

Septemher 3, 1964 

Dear Peter: 

Separately, I am sending you the copy edited manuscript of 

A NIGHr OF THEIR OWN. I 'm afraid that there are a lot of stylistic and 

other suggestions which will need your careful attention, although of course 

yours will be the final decision in these matters. I am sorry t o put this 

extra burden on you, but you will see for yourself that there are a good many 

r ough spots in the manuscript. The novel is so exciting that it 1 s worth whatever 

extra effort is required. 

Since you will have a chance to go over the final manuscript very 

carefully, I now suggest, to save time, that you authorize us to go straight 

into page proofs, which will beeairmailed to you, omitting the usual galley 

proof stage. This means that any author1 s alterations--that ~•. any change 

other than the correction of printer ' s errors--will he very expensive . But 

since the manuscript will have had such careful attention, none should be 

necessary . Will you let me know? 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coya•a 
Red Hills P.O . 
St. Andrews, Jamaica 
West Indies 

HS : SCW 

As always, 

/;d/ 
Harold Strauss 

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

UWI L
IBRARIES



• ~~r~l 1 s~rcu~5 9 r i~ . , 

:.1 ::-_,e,J. A. Knl i:.>i .:n~ o, 
501 !iILdi... ~'>n 1..vci!l.H"', 
=~ ,_ I• • ... CP.l:L ~ 2 ') H O y . 
u.s . .\ . 

Sept 

l cn.,J.c.~: 1 .. ::.:,.•~ .. :i.;;..,,. c.i~ .. prln .,.; ... 0r yuc:.. to 1---...n: u ·:; e11d 
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-1 ;..;c::--lc ,;c. c~.:. -~~1 t; y u 'l'"'V~ ·i.: ,; t1Gg· ·.::i.v.::~. ...'h,,J .... ~e m,tft,o..,""cd 
1-c or. th~ ;:,, C.:i:.., ;:, €1:i.. j o .. _.Bi; ,J i,.., in6.iCO "te i'vfri~i.: 
n ,,,., •,,.,.,., •· > '1 •I 1-" nri .,,, l" 1'l'J ·~ ' 1 'l"' t 1., "i __ ,.. l" '1'.' 0~ ~! \.,,r.J. .,.., J \J ,..._ r. •• V o- .. 1_..i,...... u""' , .i. ..., ,IV t.• Y, .- 1, _ , ~ • J _ 

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up 

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~ , ~<.,t.. •••• , ~ r i. tr re shf'I-~O jt • 

\ 

.,.. , ... 

UWI L
IBRARIES



r-Alfred A. Knopf Inc. 501 Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

August 31, 1964 

Dear Peter: 

I trus t you survived the hurr ic nee in reasonable comfort and 

safety. I have your letter of August 24, mailed just before it. You have 

not heard from me since August 5th since actually I have been on holiday, 

more or less since August 14 and just oack in the off ice today. Further-
/ 

more, there was nothing really pressing. 

We shall certainly let the passage beginning on p. 89 stand, as you 

request. 

I am delighted with your new title, and so is the ot her editor who 

has read the manuscr ipt. So it will be: A NIGHr OF THEIR OWN. The on ly 

remaining question concerns the quotation page. I don't think it would be 

_ J attractive t o quote something fromh me, a9d probably a quot~tion page 

i s not necessary. 

Meanwhile the manuscript has been in the hands of a very skillful 

copy editor. You are an experienced and polished writer, but there are some 

c,.-
signs of haste and little carelessness in the script as we have it. There ,~ 
are not only a few typographic errors and words left out, as I myself noted, 

but there are a few passages in which there is a rather oppressive repetHion 

of words or conjunctions or adjectives. We have taken the liberty of query­

in: a good many of these, and sometimes suggesting alternatives. nut this 

means that the manuscript will have t o go back t o you. The copy editing is 

not quite finished, but when the typescript is available we had best send it 

t o you for your approval of the copy editing a•,d for you to respond to the 

queries.on style as you choose. 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P.O. 
St. Andrew, Jamaica 

As always, 

J'/.,,16~ 
Harold Struuss 

HS: sew PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

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IBRARIES



f I 

Coyoba, 
::~P.d Hills P . O • 
.Jt o A:r d:::-!•W 9 
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vc::r ui cm of fl de cr i pti J>n ;;.,f ·:.he nov~l . 

l ' !. q11•~ t,j t;:;wt :l1is ~f'.f bof Jl'(;. t.;1e hv..rrict: o hit:.., u.., l r- tur 
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, .:tor -~r , .. ~-or: . 

UWI L
IBRARIES



\ 

Auguo,; 6 , 1964 

Der Hereld, 

I think th enl7 ro9llj ueeful cemment I can ma~e on yeur 
letter ef July 30th1 ia t• augg et that yeu leek up the cepy • f 
yeur 1 tter te Le d~ted July 16th. I n thnt letter yeu wrete: 
"I •••m vs.gu11ly t• recall eme prea r pert nbeut the aabetage 
trisle in Seuth Afr1co , but r•~ afraid thnt m•~t Americenp 
renders ex·• far tee ignerQllt •f the detoils ef the rncia1 cenfl.i ct 
in S•uth Africa to t:1k~ thio As c t0pic:,l nevel. '' 

I hswe n•w v, rked ut the cu-to y q asked for . The i acti•n 
yeu w re pPrticul rly cencerned with , ond en leeking ever it I 
agree with ~•u., mv tl .. e cenver:..."tient1l p s~a.go b tween Rich rd 
~nd Dee frem pag 42-44 en yeur cep3 ef them . I hove already 
t ld you that yaur ccpy rnd th Fuber CtJP';f hnve tho •~.mo pago , 
nimberingo but that•~ the pagea •f my cepy ore differently numlrf'ad 
th0 nka "Lo e. .1..i&rundera tanding betw ,en my t-3 pi~t ~nd L..e, 59 I hAve 
to give yeu the actual 3teD~ centext in which te mPKe the cuts. 

Th first cut io ribeut. mid\ o.y thr•ugh choptsr ~2- •f port ene . 
Dee hr fed N~esi; they ore itting at table ond she i telling him 
ef eeoi ng, fr~ th brck of e t~xi , o kinny littl e Indian being 
clubbed te d&~th byn Zulu. She tell s him th t in th onti-Indian 
ri•ts t~ ir diotrict \vPU ne--rly burnt tw th greund r-nd ths 
coisuglty rate w s high. Start cutting with para beginning: "I 've 
hr-d y u elene here in tr..ia r.eu.;o • • • • " ~nd end C'll t after: "I wish 
I ceuld repudiate boing port ef mJ peeple ond therefere reepensibl e 
t• ": d fer t, 1e1..:, ..,nc. t11id'' . 

Sncend cut I S AhOUT I PAGE AND A HALF LATER. He tell her 
there ·1.re pl•·c... in J fricc where b~ing blr,clf hre ceased t b~ a 
burden, where if there is a burden it io te being whit • Or Indian, 
st. addo H ... triod ·;r, c.xpltdn t• her. ::he cuto in: "Du. t I'm 
Seuth African . Suppesing everything yeu say i s true , hew dees it 
help met and my Bi tu ti•n?i; End whr;t Dee .Jnys right tLor imd cut 
fr•m: 11 An ether thing o .... " dewn t e where Ri chnrd aays: ' fl ll I ' m 
::S"'ying ia that it. show • p y41ur &lr.bivnlenoe" . 

Leave in the para beginning: "She neticed, as theugh fer the 
fi:::·st tin e . . .. " "'"1d trsrt tho ihird Cut, 1t'.it1• ,. i.;ut v,hot•s the 
cennectien between . . ... 11 ond cut t• the end ef: "Yeu ccnnet cheese 
f eur L. ~her or y ur f :-- thor i;r y ur c•un try 91• yeur r ce er yeur 
celeur er yeur ex" . 

leave in the para: "I thin .reur onph~ ec nre , r ng • •• •• *' and 
ma.i{e the feurth cut BEGINNitiG: "Even th t is determined fer yeu . . . . " 
'"'r,d anding r- 11-:.tle over •1 ;>Pgr. liter with~ 1'Ii1 tho hr-lf light 
Dee Nunkhee aheek hor heed gentl y. Nko i ~wit. " 

11ho feLegeing repr ante them jer cutting. 

~• turn new to chapter -3-, still of the firet port ef the beok . 
nnr . Nunkh•e arrivtd bPck frerr J~h,:111neaburg . • • • " etc . The lat 
sentence ef the rother leng eecend par begins: "Nunkheo smiled 

UWI L
IBRARIES



2 

bitterly flt the theught . •• • " nd ends "simply en the baai ef 
celeur." Cut •ut tho whele •f this last sentence . 

About p. go end fl h'" lf lrter- ill 4.ihe saoe equence there ia 
the para.gr-- ph beginning: t1Bu. t •f ceur e the arx1nn pr•p•si tien • ••• " 
nnd ending: t

1 The e cl--;_i1.;e1 ... u tl ... ou~htis C">Uld lad to impet nee • •• " 
Cu t •ut the whele f that par e;r ph. 

,& turn n•~ to the laet few pages of chnpter - 4- ef the beek. 
Rich"rd hr!a ocen di 0 ti.ccd t ~ le•k lil.e r-n Indion tr d h ~tld 
Dicky .. .;: icker hed g•t rr t the p lice a...-1d caught up with the 
ppocc~aien ef l:ndions going c.· \•n to the river te werehip. There 
iu o pera: "They caught up;,v with the µrocee ien nd werked their 
WEY ill to the ~l.ick ~£ it . •.. n etc . 

'hio iu f ellewed b:, the per beginning: 11 Thi , Nkeoi thought, is 
uniquely- Indi!l.Il • . . " St!"rt the cut v,i th: 11 This, 1kesi th•ught," 
and &linil1ete the whole of that ra well s the fellewing para, 
so .. he cut ri uld nd rftor: "..:ht, c tJ.nds the"t reached tLeL cau.e 
ubdu d end muted, ss though g~ntlenes had be n enfercod even en 

s U."ld. II 

1 thin -chic heul<.! l:!oet 11 your mFin objections . 

I'm ,:ifr. id the title ia still. ci:- ... e_;,_r,g n,a t-rouble . Ip uppeoe 
the meet thilleriah v,euld be f.1o.aething lilt 

TH~ HUlL FOI .. , .. OSI ttr HE RU ·~::t, . rE HUNTED. 
er , which i my preference , ~HE PERILS OP TillS PASSING NIGHT. 
Shride' ~f the peril. ef f(uline! 

If ycu ctn think up nr.y~hing b tt r in the line ef title, 
pl.e :se de . 

1•urs 

.Poter Abra>ie:ms 

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IBRARIES



Alfred. A. Knopf Incorporated 

PUBLISHER 0 F 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

Telephone: PLAZA 1-2600 

Dear Peter: 

BORZOI B O O K S 

501 Madison Avenue 

New York (22), N. Y. 

August 5, 1964 

Many thanks for your letter of July 29th. We'll try to keep up with 

Faber's publishing schedule, but I can't be sure about that yet. I'll write 

to you again about this. 

Meanwhile, I'll give you a roundup of all criticisms of the ma­

nuscript, so that it can be brought into final shape as soon as possible. 

It is rather a nuisance that your copy is not numbered identically with 

ours, but we have an excellent duplicating machine and I am sending you 

the first page of each of two important passages. In each case they run 

two pages beyond the one I am sending you. The first one, is the passage 

on page 42-44 I have already referred to. The second is a passage beginning 

on page 89 which another reader lumps with the former passage, but I don't 

feel so strongly about it. He says it is too polemical, but perhaps if you 

reread it you will think that the real trouble here is in a certain stiffness 

in the dialogue. 

There is one more small difficulty which I put to you for your 

consideration, without a great deal of emphasis. It is the two scenes in , 
l-S . which one of the two policemen ae identified only as "Gruff Voice". If 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Peter Abrhams - 2 8/5/64 

this epithet were used only once or twice, there would be no trouble. But 

the first passage runs from page 13-17, and the second passege runs from 

164-172, and the repeated use of the epithet seems a little heavy-handed 

and awkwardo You could of course give Gruff Voice a name 0 

Some people feel the word "night" might well be preserved in your 

title and have suggested either "Night Passage" or "Night Runner". A variant 

oifi that has just occurred to me - "Night Falls On Durban". I had already 

suggested something straightforward such as "Mission to Durban" but that has 

not excited anyone here. I put these before you simply to stir up your ideas. 

I also enclose a new author's questionnaire since it is a long 

time since we have had biographical information from youo It would help 

me a great deal if you would fill this out as soon as possible, and parti­

cularly give me your own version of a 2OO-word description of the novel. 

You might also look at the biographical note on the jacket of 

A WREATH FOR UDOMO, and edit that as you see fit, adding as much as is 

necessary for the new book. 

Peter Abrhams, Esqo 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P.O. 
St. Andrew 
Jamaica 

HS:al 

Cordially, 

~U---
Harold Strauss 

UWI L
IBRARIES



-42-

• ill right. But th•re 's still my point about the !amil.7." 

''V•ry good: l et' • examine i t . You, Mias Dee Hunkhoo, a high 

caet e young Indian woman, are sitting here alone with me. You know 

and I know and t he peopl e behind t his door," he waved backward, 

•know that you are out of character aa t ar as your 1me and mine ' are 

concerned, Their concept ot the f amily, as ,ou are uaing it, is 

different troa yours and mine . You know that i t one of their 

daughters were out l ike this with aomebody fr om an African vill age 

nearby they would kill her." 

"But you are making my point now l" 

"I'm not, you know. Class, ca3te and wealth, torms of power, 

m&ke it possible for you to break the rules of the so-called ! aai.l,y . 

.lnd somewhere, with one of those people back there, my being here 

with you has shaken profoundly someone•• concepts about the place of 

Indian women and Indian women sitting out with black men and 

possibly the nature of black men . So who makes the family?" 

In the half light Dee Nunkhoo shook her head genti,,. Nkosi s aw it . 

"All you say is beautifully true, But truth is aet in time and 

epace. You are here with me because you are not here. There is no 

record of your being in the country. And still you are a prisoner. 

You know, sitting here with you, I feel more tranquil and more at 

peace with reyself than I can reiMm.ber being since childhood, And I 

think I know it is because you are here and because of your ideas . 

It's t he kind of idealism that lifts one' s heart. But you know a• 

well as I do that all we have to do ia go outside this garden !or 

all TOur tine ideals to becoae •aningless. We are 11 ving in a stat e 

of barbariam.. iemember? You took great pers onal rislce t o eaiggle 

moneT into the -country !or th• unaerground. Han you !'orgotten tbe 

UWI L
IBRARIES



-89-

,, 1~ 
Nunkhoo ~eeltes down at his si ster a nd nodded . 

11 1 rather suspecte d a s rc:uch from the moment I met him. The 

t r ouble i s believing in t hese things r ather complicate■ matters 

i n o ur s i t uation." 

"Just what I t old hi m, " she said , t urning ~ to pour Nkosi •s 

t ea . 

Nunkhoo t hought: And you, little slst~ r , want to beli eve with 

him . Aloud, he said: "And what did he say , l i ttl e s i ster?" 

"Something about the world being a really ugly and brutal and 

evil pl al.!ti the day we s top be l i e vi ng in t hese thi ngs . " 

"And she ," 1',kosi c ut i n, "st• sa.id t hat i t i s already all 

that and rore right now, herd in t his place ." 

And no .. _.s::aJ• la: , Dee ::,-=nsed/ 
1
b<:: t~er1 hor brother and thi■ 

roan, that s a 111e undtir current of W1aerstanding t hat had grown up 

l etween he rsel f and th.is man . 

11 And what did you t-=11 r,er ?'' Nunkhoo a sked s oftly. 

C '---
NkOSi t ook the t•• f r om htir1 ae:d & 11 eN snu.le flickered acro■s 

hia face. 

11 I didn't say anything, 11 ho Jaid equally softly. "Before I 

knew about West huizi;,n it mi;tit hnvo t>een ea s y t o answer he r . 

Aft"'r We s t huizen I w-a s net 30 sure I knew t he answer ." 
re, 

---~ ~ ~ l~unkhoo turned ~ t he wi ndow"\ 

"That i 2 where you we re wrong, my friend. Because there are 

no stars .in th~ sky i s no r eason f or one t o a s s wr~ that darkn••• 

is e t ernal. 11 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 501 Madison Avenue, New York City 22 

Author's Qy.estionnaire (Foruseinpreparingjacketcopyandpublicity 

releases and in answering inquiries. Kindly use typerwriter or rwrite in ink in clear, block letters. 

Do not supply any information that you do not wish us to make public.) 

Date filled out: 

Full name: 

Present address: 

P ennanent address ( if not the above): 

Present telephone number: Other telephone number: 

Place of birth: Date of birth: 

Married? To whom? 

Children? 

Brief summary of education: 

Brief summary of principal occupations, with approximate dates: 

Honors, citations, prizes, etc.: 

List your other books. (Please give publisher's name, date, and the type of book: fiction, verse, history, etc.) 

(over) 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Are you a reg;ular contributor to any magazines? Has any article /story attracted particular attention? 
If so, please give particulars: 

Do you think your book will make a special appeal to any particular group of readers? 

Please list here ( and on additional sheet if necessary) names and addresses of any organizations you belong 
to whose members might be interested in your book, and the names of people to whom it might be 
profitable for us to send an advance announcement. Include critics, feature writers, radio commentators, 
colunmists, and opinion-makers who in your opinion would be interested in your book to the extent of 
wanting to do something to help it: 

On a separate sheet, please describe your book briefi.y-about 200 words. We wish to be sure that we do 
not misrepresent it in our presentation of it. 

PLEASE SEND A GLOSSY PRINT OF YOUR LATEST PHOTOGRAPH. Be sure that the photographer is willing for it to 
be reproduced without payment of any fee, and send with it his credit line if use of such is requested 
by him. We would also like to see prints of any recent informal snapshots, if they are reasonably clear. 

SP-500-10-58 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Alfred ·A· Knopf Incorporated 

PUBLISHER 0 F 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

Plume: MU1tn1 mm, 8 0600 
PL.il.l 1-2600 

Dear Peter: 

BORZOI B O O K S 

501 Madison Avenue 

NEW YORK (22), N. Y. 

July 30, 1964 

I am very glad to have your letter of July 27, although at the same time 

[ am deeply disturbed at the way you have twisted what I sa id about the sad 

South African situation. I did no t say that Americans, and certainly not the 

Americans with who~ I assoc iate, are ignorant of the detail s of the South African 

conflict. In your letter to me you used a specific reference to the sabotage 
\ 

tria ls. It was precisely because I think I have followed Afr i can affairs pretty 

carefull y--sure l y you must know the number of books about Africa we have pub­

l i shed--that l fe l t so concerned about your cla i m that THIS PASS I NG NIGHT had 

something to do with a recent event of which I and all my f r iends and acquaint­

ances here were entirel y ignorant . This may be due to a particular l apse in 

press coverage, but here the key word is 11particular. 11 The American press gives 

a good deal of space to Africa, and someone who is all-knowing might even be ab l e 

to demonstrate that in this difficult year a ny racial disturbance is \ ig news / 

and that the press gives exaggerated and sometimes sensationa l coverage to such 

disturbances. This of course includes Africa as well as Mississippi and Roches­

ter, New York. If your suggestion that I had said that "most American readers 

are ignorant of the deta i ls of the South African confl ict11 were true, you should 

have had not a smal l sense of depression but a large one. 

I am perfect l y aware that you can answer me by stressing the fact that you 

speak of details. But what does this mean? I sti ll don't know what the sabotage 

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IBRARIES



~ 

Derr Hn:cold, 

Coye: ba, 
Red E!il1 P.O .. 
Sto Andrew o 
Jemnica. 

Ju 1 29 9 l964 

I hr•vc juet herrd fron Pet\11" du .->aut y and it i!l much a I 
,:iugge~ted in ~y le.., i.i 1. • ~..;r t y u . .:..h_y pl.er. to publi • n er y 
in ·h · npring cf' ·ne.dti yerr. f y·,u wnnt to you cnn t e it 1rem 
hor~ w th P cter r'ntl V'd;rk ~u r en~! :: rt of mu rue.l erran CILen t 
rbou t vublishing do t os. Petc,r aoe o to understand tho :pe1n t f 
po pi coli ti vo:-.,, r.:ucli! bet or, but ll ep,ys, turn hr. 1 s right, Sou tl .. 
hfrico will oon •tinue to be' topic!"l for ..:>nrae tine ... o c m • 

Yes, by "11 mer .. o dr,p the ltrni; P":', o,n page 294 . (I fi!'ld 
that ·_;he I>P~e nwri",:...r· 'f. y i'inf.'l draf't ore, n - +ho o t! 
th~~,, or the -'-.ivo c pios thr t v1on t- to you r.md du Sau toy. ~ y .,./ple;t 
mi un .... er::,teod iZl!lt'u.cti ··n , nc t::t •e rr. cne -~op !:).nd cne cr-1·ter. 

• t.ia twi, copier:; - which i ... n m.ti .... , !lee but ne t •rrible . So \,hen 
I ~• over tho so-cr>J.l~a. philo~rnp:.uic ps. 3ago:: in t 111...,h t f y ur 
l r-s-+; le1i-t rI v :.ll hrvc to indicr·ttJ ouch chnr.geo ~ ! 11 n :e in 
t <Jrt.fJ of th text o..:' -: e .cry r• ther th n by 11r t; :n mb~r ) • 

i .ft.&r i-of'erl•in~~ te p• ce 42-44 y .u, c ~ y ., nt.::-e r;re ons or 
t\.o th r n :JD goe bf tLo ii:in~. Plf, o in (1.:.cr 'tic the;;.i to mo 
813 :- WJUld li.u.8 'tr g""t ii'iis thin£ vti. c~ ,. ;;; .. ,~Y now. I n 

l"ipo to c;o n·~o ao::... thin • 1.ow ·.1~1 ! do nQt w~nt tc di cip .,.;o 
the te;11eio11 tho. t ia buildil'.J~ up in ill" t is n:ftei· 11 VtJl"Y 
neo~_ol::'ry but mer ativ r v:1. iono 

1ls bec~us~~y ruind h G3 gone n to· fething else I 
fi:::id the prebl 1 i.)" t.ie title c bit of . ;p& ... r.· 1:. JNoy, I 
v ill think . r und :i. t :nd e if' I c n c~n.~ u.p .;i th somotJli.ng 
eJ.:-in11 -t th'9 ... m·.ri"'· 1 c-n nly thin: f Eoc a:.si -t: a: 
1
• A Timo n '.lime t H t, t • .3ut om thin, l.:.e "iLGY 

co12e up 

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Alfred . A. Knopf Incorporated 

PUBLISHER 0 F 

Dear Peter: 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

Telephone: PLAZA 1-2600 

BORZOI B O O K S 

501 Madison Avenue 

New York (22),N. Y. 

July 28, 1964 

I am quite disturbed that I haven't heard from you . We ' ve had a 

third reading of THIS PASSING NIGHT, and we're all enthusiastic and we want 

to publish it. But we don't want to override your views on how it should be 

published without hearing from you. In short, we regard this as a saleable 

thriller with a significant political or social background . None of us here 

feeli; that it would be regarded as a topical novel, as you suggest it is . 

There are also the relatively minor questions and the revisions I have 

suggested-- the club foot, the static philosophical discussion, the name of 

the Moola family, the alertness of the guard, and the title . 

In short, if you give us persuasive reasons for publishing in great haste, 

you will have to deal with these questions in great haste . 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Couyaba 
Red Hill P. 0. 
St. Andrew 
Jamaica, W. I. 

HS:bf 

As always, 

/ 

v,A'l,1/ 
t 

Harold Strauss 

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• 

Derr Herol d, 

July 27 , it64 

Coyeba. , 
lied Hills P. O. 
St. w.1a.rcw . 
JAMAICA 

I .. " ; .... ue.!..n;y-cd Pn:Jwcrir'!f; y~ur J.e ·~ter till IJf:VI 1:k,COU!:i~ 
I vn~<.J e.xp~c1:in ,r-,; to !'lt'•rir :'rorr Peter du Si:rntor P- t Febers but 
it lcoks at.. t.1 ,J.gh tn;;;ir ..l'. tes !i poutrl □trike ht::; cr:'!l' 't~d 
"' gre?te.r• ·cot+;le:n c:-· th1'"'J1 · imrl in t'.w tnrnc"'.Jc,· .. : t of r.i ..... i l . 
I sent hi.'1 • cr,,r,y of ·: !1e , ,--::mscrip"t ~t t.l".e :nr.,::. t:..me thf' t I 
~ent it to you , ~nd :re i ::; ue-u--lly v ery pro:rtpt with . these 
t :!.i:.-:gs. l.:rry-Nry , l ~xrec t ~r-..,cr.; t : P".l&li:;;li in I:ngL-ssd , Pnd 
my gu~ss i:::, t:u:it the , r-~·· r0i l:.Jrnl..,· "tv 111 uc before 1:cxt 
s ,1 i1~g , es 'MC~.:- ll;r r•...., ~rd. .., i ::J c .'..-C tian yccr there: bu ... then 
i'!: :i.n '!lec·l,icn :•.r._ ... fr:r yru "'.ice, . l1ld .. 1 , I t ':i n!'" , tr->c:: er.re of 
·t:1~ ' :,~r,ic ..... ... ' 3i dc <,1. ~. c b.1Bi::}~::;s bvt~ -for ~-cu rncl the: :English 
publi .,t...,::-s . l·•.i-t; ::: i .. i~t c~r:'eoc t :., n '°• ?il se;iae of dc'1r~ssion 
;,t .. ,.,- , ..,~ ,. +,,. ➔-,,.;·,,-·t +1-,. t ~.~ t , ..,. E..,,. ..;c ... :'"' r"'"d"'-.L"~ "l"'C 1·~or;1, t c. f 
, .. J J vv1.... a.., U(. "'-· V~J I vJ..Lc .1 ... "~ ·,.U.4 - J... ~--.. ~ t \;,; - I'..-. _ t::.,•l •• , ~ -

t ,e d~ ... ~il::. cf t r.c ::.:-:n ---;> Af _ .. :.c~r: conflict . I t r:1mi nr.s Gn-~ cf 
t :1-!) o· r. : ,r 1930:., ;;,,•~~er:. r u t p{!op1e didn ' t b r-ve ~irr.e t o be 
inter~utod in the dc "'.. ri:::.l::s of ,·1r~t ·;.:-n :; U! in ·Gt.r: ... rr.y pnd 
Itnl;T c:rd tu~ ;:?m~l l tr·1:o.1J of r>rti - !lazi:::; ri-!.'C' 1~r.::;-. r '1;.d p,;;; 
queer crt'lr- -t:ure.s . Br ... --;:~i .... ~-- t+.c::>r. cf i.::;~: -~·-nc( i .> pr-r t of 
t .1e tiurr,!·n cendi t.; or., no~ yir!cnlirirly .Arr,e=-icPn , (;;{cer t that 
t ,.,,,. iT ~ -, ..., .... , ol•r - •· ~ ,_ ..._,...,;,., ! ~ tr·- .. ,1--:,. ... ,. f" Cr>l7 ..... , -. ' -f'r-e '"·or1. d ' 

•.&.\."": V e '- ♦ ...,. _ (.J '-' - - -- , . t,; .J.1 . ',_ ., \. Ye .,._ l,u, .,\.., ' .J.. a;-· Vll 1 e 

Y~ur pt.iu t Fb<.;..1t the •: un.Jl o:' fl i:- sh ' o"' De e':.3 club f .:.ot 
.J,. .;,; well tr- l{en . I t 1 ~ncht I n! d c;1rv:cec ::. t so thrt Jj_c,hn., d. 
pr .., s~d hi.:; ~cct, 1 ::.~.rer her de- f cr:rt,d fe-o"ti (; .,~ lum!, e,f flc nh 
SiO.,ld 1,,-. c11r11c ci tC' 'deferr:.c.a f r-c: t ' . 'ihr que3tion -fmaki ng 
her ·,.-tpt you ci:-11 ' rrn~1 ':'"'l ' i,.., ~me ·-~r ~1irc rr,..in . I ch se t o 
C!P.-..e .Doe P C'r!'l:;--ple h~c·-'r.,c -sc..:,t r,f U-3 h"ve r· ttitu.o.c □ to cri p pl ~s 
Fe,.l. 1.n Jtr rc-. , ._.--,· ,P.-j- ' :-ri~ '"!er~· norr.r : wo;:-;·~r:' r:hich nuggests 
1;hp1_ • ec· u;:,e s .. 1e ' s r, clucfo::n ~he iB not; rnd the Africend 
hr--v•.~ t ::i 1 "':: 1in£{ ..... Pn .... Y .•n , ~rl': :1.!'0!l '.)Un ~ed degreo thr n L:.c st 
other people I knew. So , f,r frc:.:,, ..i.. t beirG r b::..d :'er cJ1L._pP thy , 
jt i ._i e :.~e ... udi~tion r:-f t'., :•--c~·J.ly ··cc;:! ) ... ~d fcop•:,bi ticn 
~\jho L ri pe1·:.rnn "''i th P :phy.,iC'"l def.~r .. l t;:r L:; so:i.ehov, bP sic ally 
:l+ff.;ront :rorr f-'11 tlJ<.: r~v, of 1iu . I t!1in~~ the1'e are Fl 
~1.4fficientl y vP1 t ntlli!b~r nf f•-~opl e in t he •;,•Qrld "'i th one er 
rr.~t·1,.r ~ort c f pl'lj'.::lc"' l h'"'::.-Hl::.'.'.!PIJ .fc:.. l c to M=-n ~ t ., F'.;krwwl edge 
it in onr- ~f my :tcnKd •7j, "'uo ,JP:":/ thf?t ;.,he i s ' i .ntolll{;ont an d 
rt t ri=-ctive ' i r. ..: pit,, r- .~ it . 

• ,.o 1~ is r very r~JP~C~ ,,hl !:· Indirn ,_ur ner .. e in South Africa 

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IBRARIES



~ Alfred A .. Kn_opf 1nc. soi Madispn.A v,enue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: K N OPF N EW YORK 

July 2~, 1%4 

j :, l L 

I have spoken to Martha \'inston this morning, 
. . -· ( 0bvi1.usly, she is representing you. I¼., -~ cn-ul 

and 

~. 
But I am still very much concerned as to lJhy you 

consider the novel t cpical. We think (and the third reader 

agrees \Jit h us) t hat it wil 1 stand the test of ti:ae as an ~1bsorbi 1g 

story, and that the most i41portant thing is t0 publisr. i..t properly. 

One re,der suggests that you ought to eliminate the 

last complete paragraph on pagu 294. "But ~he younger 

guard was not so sure, To him, the coolie had ..,eemed t oo S"'lvoth, 

t oo pat, t oo good t o be true. Still. .. " Tf this guard uere sus ­

picious, would he not have noticed that Joe 'fool.i' s driver was 

a new man, a 'ifferent driver? The short paragraph serves no real 

purpose anyway, 

Ther~ is one further, more difficult point. We all realize 

the great importance of your philosophical passages, They are the 

very po~nt of the book. Bu·.: length is not necessarily synonymous 

with gra.rity, particularly in a novel. I think you ,1ill make your 

points more f Jrcefully if you shorten some of these pass .ges , such 

as the one from page 42 -44. They can be made more, r ather than l e s s, 

poi'1ted. Of course a dramatic conflict r a 1 ·es a point even better t han 

a •.1iet conv r satiol'\, but perhaps it is not necessary to go t o such 

length in revision. There are one or two other passages of tne 

kind, but this particular one is representative of the rest. 

Pss~ming that you do ne t insist that we publish the booK hasti;y, 

perhaps you would want t o look these passages over once more. If 

we publish the book in a nor,al fashion, publicatiun date would 

be about nine mont hs after we agree ahout t hese minor details. Do 

let me know. 

P U BLISHER OF B O R ZOI BOOKS 

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IBRARIES



Of course I hope the above makes clear that we definitely 

want to publish t he nvvel: There is one other rninor problem, and 

t hat s t hat in 1962 Harper's publist ed a novel by Clyde ;Miller 

called Tlll.S PASSI~G NIGIITo Perhaps a stronger title, f or a book 

of this nature, would be more suitable. What do you thinki 

J 

a,o ... ON0::):3S , _,_ l!r .# ~ I _., l'~ ·- ---- - ----- -- ------ - -----
1--· - ) - .J ' - J \ J 

<t' I 

J - - J 

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;J 

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- ... • I. • t \ ~ --,,, 
FIRST FOLD 

:; J .J j ' 

::. 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Alfred . A. Knopf Incorporated 

PUBLISHER 0 F 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

BORZOI B O O K S 

501 Madison Avenue 

NEW YORK (22), N. r. 

July 16, 1964 

Two of us have read THIS PASSING NIGHT, and were pretty excited about 

it. But before we make a final decision, we want still another reading, which 

we ' 11 have done in a few days. The reason for ~ ~ ! '",:t ~ 
us off a bit by calling it a topical novel. I ½ n't k~ some 

,< 

press reports about the sabotage trials in South Africa, but I'm afraid that 

most American readers are far too ignorant of the details of the racial 

conflict in South Africa to take this as a topical novel. We feel that it 

is a first rate thriller o f a very superior sort, with a strong sociological 

and political background, as is often the fashion these days . In other words, 

we think it ' s all to the good that you have conveyed your serious ideas, which 

I admire very much, i n the form of a thriller which may have a chance of 

reaching a large number of people. Before we make our final decision, we would 

like someone who reads a lot of thrillers to have a look. Incidentally, we 

no longer use the word thriller in any pejorative sense; there are a lot of 

distinguished novels in this category. 

While we are going through the final steps, there are a few things I 

would like to know. First of all, if the book is not to be regarded as a 

topical novel here, is there any reason for an extreme rush in publishing it? 

Secondly, in yourletter you said you were sending it to me directly to save 

UWI L
IBRARIES



- 2 -

trials were, especially since we think of sabotage purely in an economic context. 

It is damned hard to ferret out the details because of the prevalence of glib 

clich~s. American newspaper reporters and African diplomats, however well edu­

cated, are the chief offenders. For instance, it is impossible to learn from 

any source what is really going on i n the Congo. The American press tries to 

report It as if i t were the Democratic Party against the Republican Party. Only 

every once in a very great while does it leak out that, for instance, Tshombe 

is touring the provinces i n an attempt to pacify tr i bal rivalries. The details 

are not reported because educated Africans are unwilling to admit that triba l 

rivalries are still a political factor; the U. N. personnel does not help; and 

American newspapermen would have to be quixotic indeed to try single-handed to 

develop a whole new frame of reference for their African coverage. 

And please don't think that what I 1 m saying applies to Africa alone. 

have a strong but completely undocumented suspicion that what is going on in 

Thailand is attributab le to the total lack of communication between French-edu­

cated Thai leaders and intellectuals, and the great mass of the people. And one 

further point. The danger lies not in repeating our isolationist mistakes of the 

early 1930s, but in over-correcting them, so that we intervene i n ignorance. 

Forgive me for writing at such length, but I do think that we should under­

stand each other on a matter of this importance. 

You also misunderstand my reference to 11a normal woman, 11 but I won't debate 

this at length. I simply intended to refer to Dee ' s clubfoot as an abnormality 

in its physical sense. A clubfoot is, ipso facto, an abnorma li ty, and no other 

imp li cations were intended in the phrase. It seems to me that t have repeatedly 

read that Afr icans kill deformed infants -- l'm referring to the more primitive Afri­

cans of course--and f suspect that your little sermon on Dee is d i rected at an 

African audience and will be lost on American readers. But no matter; it's not all 

UWI L
IBRARIES



- 3 -

that important. We 1 11 change the phrase "lump of flesh" to "deformed foot.' 1 

We 1 ll also change the name Moola to Nanda. 

There are still a couple of minor points to be answered in my subsequent let­

ter. But I shall get in touch with Martha Winston immediately, and make suitable 

arrangements for publication. 

I hope that all this rather theoretical discussion of tangential issues does 

not obscure our very great enthusiasm for THIS PASSING NIGHT as a novel. It makes 

wonderful reading, and we are all very excited about it. 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hi 11 s P. 0. 
Saint Andrews 
JAMAICA, w. I. 

HS:ab 

As always, 

;7,£&-
Haro 1 d Strauss 

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IBRARIES



~ Alfred A. Knopf 1nc. 501 Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

July 7, 1964 

Dear Pe te·r: 

had almost given up hope of hearing from you, but 

it was well worth waiting, since you now are able to tell 

me that your manuscript is on its way to me. Naturally 

look forward to reading it. 

Usually one loses more than one gains when one rushes 

a manuscript through the press, but we'll face up to that 

problem when we see yours. 

Pete r Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hi 11 s P. 0. 
St. Andrew 
JAMA [ CA, W. I . 

HS:ab 

As al~ ft__-

Harold Strauss 

.. :. .•• ,:, 

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

UWI L
IBRARIES



J"G)lt~ 
b , .17' I 
c,:, 

b 

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r,u.n L'r:!. t:i ~ • ... , 
\ . .., "1 

tv f'l'l tn exc1·:• • .,{ . .. ' 

UWI L
IBRARIES



~ Alfred A. Knopf Inc. 501 

Dear Peter: 

Madison Avenue, NEW YORK 22, N. Y. 

r 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

September 17, 1963 

Even though we haven't been in touch (or quite a while, I think 

of you otten. One of the things I think of is that you wrote and we 

published A WREATH FOR UDOMO about five years too soon. Some of the 

things you said in it certainly for~shadowed things to come in Africa. 

All this leads to the question of what you are writing now, and 

whether we shall ever have another book from you. Believe me, a new 

manuscript would find the warmest welcome ?ere. In any case, it would 

give me a good deal of personal pleasure to hear from you. 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
Coyaba 
Red Hills P.O. 
St. Andrews, Jamaica West Indies 

HS:SCW 

As always , 

Harold Strauss 

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Alfred. A. Knopf Incorporated 

P U B L .I S H E R 0 F 

Cables: KNOPF' NEW YORK 

Teleplwne: PLAZA 1-2600 

BORZOI B O O K S 

501 Madison Avenue 

New York (22), N. Y. 

March 20, 1963 

Re: Author - Peter Abrahams 

By the advice of our accountants, we have applied to the Treasury Department for 

permission to advance the close of our fiscal year by one month, to March 31st. This 

will necessitate a slight change in our contract with you. Presently we render semi­

annual statements of account through the last day of April and the last day of October 

and mail such statements during the months of July and January following. We mail 

checks in payment of these statements the following September 1st and March 1st. 

We now propose to render semi-annual statements of earnings through the last day 

of March and the last day of September and to mail such statements, together with 

checks in payment of the amounts due, during the months of July and January following. 

In all other respects, our agreement remains. The above modification will be 

effective wjth and include the accounting we will render through March 31, 1963 for 
I 

the five-month period immediately preceding that date. Thus you will actually be 

receiving this payment, and later payments, a little earlier than the date called for 

I . 
by the cont\act as it now stands. 

So that our agreement with you shall be in perfect order, we are sending you this 

letter in ruplicate and ask you to sign one copy as indicated below and return it to us 

in the enclosed stamped, addressed envelope. 
I 

I 
copy of our centract. 

AGREED: -----------------
Curtis Brown Ltd. 
575 Madison Ave. 
New York 22, N. Y. 

File the other copy, please, with your 

Cordially yours, 
A REDA~ C. 

c-: o/e;:;;::rer 

UWI L
IBRARIES



Alfred ·A· Kr1opf Incorporated 
... 

PUBLISHER 0 F 

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK 

Telephone: PLAZA 1-2600 

BORZOI B O O K S 

501 Madison Avenue 

New York (22), N. r. 

March 20, 1963 

Re: Author - Peter Abrahams 

By the advice of our accountants, we have applied to the Treasury Department for 

permission to advance the close of our fiscal year by one month, to March 31st. This 

will necessitate a slight change in our contract with you. Presently we render semi­

annual statements of account through the last day of April and the last day of October 

and mail such statements during the months of July and January following. We mail 

checks in payment of these statements the following September 1st and March 1st. 

We now propose to render semi-annual statements of earnings through the last day 

of March and the last day of September and to mail such statement~, together with 

checks in payment of the amounts due, during the months of July and January following. 

In all other respects, our agreement remains. The above modification will be 

effective with and include the accounting we will render through March 31, 1963 for 

the five-month period immediately preceding that date. Thus you will actually be 

receiving this payment, and later payments, a little earlier than the date called for 

by the contract as it now stands. 

So that our agreement with you shall be in perfect order, we are sending you this 

letter in duplicate and ask you to sign one copy as indicated below and return it to us 

in the enclosed stamped, addressed envelope. File the other copy, please, with your 

copy of our contract. 

AGREED: -----------------
Cu rt is Brovn Ltd. 
575 Madison Ave. 
Nev York 22, N. Y. 

Cordially yours, 
A REDA~ C. 

c--: ~;:-;:.=rer 

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Mr. Harold Strauss 
501 , Madis on Avenue 
New Yor k 22 
NEW YORK 

Dear Haroldi 

J Emuary 13th, 1959 

\ 

I don't know i f ~ou knew George Manuel as well as 
Henry Nxumalo in South Africa. In any event i f you don' t 
know George Manu el he is the "Cape Coloured11 version of' the 
kind of journalist our mutual :friend Henry was - a little 
less dar ing , perhaps ; and he did quite conscious ly ad jus t ed 
himsel f t o not fighting the South African regime quite aa 
openly and defiant ly as Henry did. That is probabl y one t 
reason vlny he is s till alive t nday. 

I n any event I have just hear d £rom hiul - a rar e 
annual exchange gree ting. He i s or was on t he .t!idi to rial 
staff' of the Cape Times newspa_J)er • . An inter esting iten in 
his l etter was t he news that ':fell freedom is now !.)rohibi ted 
in South Africa. and t ha t he has ~1a:cl t o send his copy t o a. 
f riend in America because it i s a puni shable of'fenoe t o possess 
one. 

I don't know i=' you can er want t o do anything about 1 t . 
It seems rat her l at e 1n the day to me but I thought t hat you 
migh t want t o know t hi s in any cas e. 

PA/bid 

".lours ever 

Pe~ ~r ahama 

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IBRARIES



. 
..... t. .. 

•. r 
' "'!,I' 

Alfred. A. Knopf Incorporated 

501 Madison Avenue • NEWYORK(22),N.Y. 

December 2h, 1958 

Dear Peter : 

Many thanks f or your Chr istmas card . It was 

good not only to have t hat, but also t he news t hat 

the book i s growing , if only sl owl y . 

And the season' s gr eetings to you . 

As always , ,, r~ 
Har ol d St r auss 

Peter Abrahams , Esq. 
, 11 Coyaba11 

Red Hills P.O. 
St . Andrew, Ja~aica 

HS : j r 

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS 

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IBRARIES



Alfred· A· Knopf Incorporated • 501 Madison A venue, .New York 22 

ROYALTY STATEMENT 

• Curtis Brown Ltd. • 
For six month period ended 

April 30, 1958 

• Peter Abrahams • 
P . SEP - 1 1958 

ayment 1s due ..................................................... . 

"COPIES SOLD 

RETAIL REGULAR FOREIGN 
PRICE & SPECIAL RATE OF ROYALTY AMOUNT TITLE 

1. Tell Freedom $ 4.50 . 44 17½;,, of $121.37 21. 24 / 
16.62 / 
6. 4.5 / 

2. 297 6 % 
3. Mine Boy 
4. 

3.50 19 11k 
% 

5. 

6. 

7. 
8. 

9. 

IO. 

• 

STATEMENT OF AUTHOR'S SHARE OF INCOME FRO1"1 

SALE FROM CHEAP EDITION PUBLISHED BY 

copies @ 

SALE FROM CHEAP EDITION PUBLISHED BY 

SALE OF FOREIGN RIGHTS ( 

SALE OF SELECTION RIGHTS 

SALE OF 

SALE OF 

SALE OF 

copies @ ¢ 

% 
% 
% 
% 
% 
% 

s 

DEDUCTIONS 

ADVANCES PAID TO AUTHOR -· ..................... ............ . 

PURCHASES OF BOOKS BY AUTHOR ················· ···············-··· 

CHARGES FOR EXCESS ALTERATIONS I N PROOF AND PREPARING 
MANUSCRIPT FOR PRINTER IN ACCORDANCE WITH INVOICE 

RENDERED ---··•··•···························•··•···· ·······················-································ ...........................• 
DEBIT BALANCE FROM PREVIOUS REPORT ............. . 

U. S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX % ON ~ 

of 277.00 
of 36.83 

• 

BALANCE 

*The above roya lty is subject to adjustment when the actual 
number of copies retained by booksellers out of those 
shipped with privilege of return, has been determined. 

DEBIT BALANCE 

s 44.31 7 

s 

$ 44.31 

$ 

44.31 ✓ 

UWI L
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/ 
~ Alfred • A. Knopf Incorporated 

Q~ P U B L I S H E R 0 F 

Cabks: KNO P F NEW YORK 

Plume: MURRAY HILL 8-0600 

Dear Mr. Abrahams: 

BORZOI B O O K S 

501 Madison Avenue 

NEW YORK (22), N. r. 

August 31, 1955 

We formally accept 1our manuscript entitled A WREATH FUR UOOK> as the 

second and final option work under our agreement dated June 12, 1953. 

ill terms and conditions shall be exactly as stated in that agreement 

except as followst 

1. Corrected British proofs will be delivered to us not 

later than Febrwll7 l, 1956. 

2. The advance on A WREATH FOR UOOMO shall be $1,SOO.OO to 

be paid to your agent, Sydney A. Sanders Literary Ageney, as 

f'ollowst $7.SO.oo on your request any time after our receipt 

of the duplicate of this letter countersigned by you, and 

$750.00 on your request any time after our receipt of the cor­

rected British proofs reterr~d to above. 

AGREED:---=--:---:..-------
Peter Abrahaiiis 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
37 Jessel Drive 
Uebden, Loughton 

Ji'l.ssex, England 

Yours sincerely, 
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.. 

Augu.st 51, 1955 

Dear Mr. Abrahams, 

Wo fomally accept your manuscript enti tlE:ld A WREATH FOh UDJM.O 

a::; the second and f inal option work undor our agreement dated June 1 2, 1955. 

All t oms and con.di tions shal.l be exactJ.y as stated in tht.t agree­

men t except as follows: 

l. Corrected British proofs will· be delivered -w us not 

later t'.:.11 Ii'ebrunry 1 , 1956. 

2. The advnnce vn A WREATH Ii'OR U.00t10 shll be t..i,soo.oo 

to be paJ.d to your ugent, Sydney A. Sanders Literary 

Ag<'Xlcy, as fol lowe: $7SJ. OO on your request eny time 

ut'tcr our 1·eccipt of the du_:Jllcate of tbis l etter 

countel'.'signed by you, and $750. 00 on your r~G.uest WJ.Y 

time a.ft or our rac1..~ipt ').i thd correct ed Bri t.i.mi proofs 

referred t:.o above. 

AGREI!J)a,. __________ _ 

Peter Abraham.a 

Pet,er Abr ab.£U:1s, Esq. 
37 Jessel Drive 
Debden, Lough ton 
Essex, England 

f ,.--.urs sincer ely, 

Joseph c. L0~ser 
Treu&urre 

I 

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~ 
CABLES: KNOPF NEW YOR~ EPHONE: MURRAY HILL 8-0600 

ALFRED• A• KNOPF INCORPORATED · · 501 MADISON AVENUE • NEW YORK 22 

OFFICE OF THI! YICE • PRESIDENT 

January 11, 195S 

Dear Mr. Abrahams, 

We r orm.a.U.y- accept your manuscript entitled MINE BJY as t.1-J.e first 

option work under our agreement dated June 13, 19S3. 

ill tenns and conditions shall be uactl7 as st~tcd in that agreement 

except as r ollows a 

1. MINE BJY hereby is substituted tor RETURN TO OOLI, which 

shall not be ottered to the Publisher as an option work. 

2. The advance on MINE BOY sha11 be ,00.00 to be pa.id to 

your agent, Sydney A. Sanders Literary .Agency, on our rec.eipt 

of tbe d\l)licate of this letter countersigned by yuu. 

.!GREEDt ---P .. e ... t_e_r_Abr_ahams _____ _ 

Peter Abrahams, Esq. 
37 Jessel Drive 
Debden, Loughton 
Essex, England 

ta! 

Yours sincerely, 

.tor ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc. 

Blanche W. Knopf 
Vice-President UWI L

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2 

time. Do you wish me to negotiate the business details through an agent, 

or will you do so di rectly (about which there should be no trouble)? Finally 

who is publishing it in England? And when? If you know . 
' vS 

There was a final question I would like to ask you, without putting 
t\ 

any serious pressure on you. I wonder why you chose to make Dee a cripple . 

Is this merely an extra effort at a bid for s~mpathy? If so, it was not 

necessary. She is intelligent and attractive, and you characterize her very 

well indeed . Could you possibly at this late e her a normal woman? 

There~ an incidental problem in this,aJl-LQ.t)"f,l.~V\ problem is not the 

main reason for my inqui ring about Dee as a cripple. The incidental prob lem 

concerns the love-making scene. You describe Richard as passing his foot over 

Dee ' s "lump of flesh." I ' m not an expert on club feet, but __ ! think you have 

confused the boot a club~footed person has to wear wittf½iub foot itself . 
I\ 

I sn't a club foot simply a shortened and distorted foot? It would not be 

particularly lumpy, and might even be smaller than a normal foot . On the 

other hand, if it is the boot t o which you refer, what a bi t of awkwardness 

that would be! I cannot imagine a person as sensitive as Dee making love with 

i t on . 

Certainly no major problem, but I would like t o have your views on i t. 

By the way , I would a lso like t o know if you don ' t think that the name 
-'K' 

" Mr . Moola" will strike the reader as a rather cheap pun. Did you by any 

chance i ntend this? I hope not, and in any case it would do no harm to change 

his name , 

Peter Abrahams, Esq . 
Couy aba 
Red Hill P. O. 
St . Andrew 
Jamaica, W. I. 

HS :bf 

As always, 

2v 
Harol~a~ss 

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SYDNEY A. SANDERS LITERARY AGENCY 
Marjorie Sander.r . 

Telephone V Anderbilt 6-◄065 522 FIFTH A VENUE 
In England: 

Cable Address: NEW YORK CITY 36 

"SANDSCON NEW YORK" 
JOHN FARQUHARSON 

8 Halsey House 
Red Lion Square, London, W. C. I. 

September 6, 1955 

Dear I m;os: 

Am sending you three copies of t ''la f ormal 
accept anc e l at ter covering Xnopf1 fJ :publication of 
A 'flREATTI FOR UIXYiO . Ae you will see t he terms and 
conditions are t hs same as 1 :i t'-ie aercoment coverin;; 
TEL: FREroo::.1 . ~ill you please hhVe Mr. Abrahams sign 
nnd r etur , t,-o copi e s t o us . 

eg~r di. n ~ t he Canadi o.n mar tct -:~11 quote •1 

l etter from Wi l l i e.JI Koshl end: 

"'~any t harks for your l etter oi uruet W regardi ng 
t~~ Cn ~adien mark et . I note t hat Faber have re-
c;uested Canada , but thRt the-, are l'lillil'\g to let 
t.his s ta~d ae an open market . I do~ ' t i magi ne t hat 
this will aake for too much confusion but we will 
of course l e t our Cana.dinn r cpr escnta. t i ve6 knov- tha t 
.F'aber' s represents.ti vee will also b e handli ng t he 
book. T:,n pric~ diffcr ent b.l i s ,of course i n t heir 
favor aa al ways . It does not seem to make sense 
to ..aake t hi ~ Car.adien busine ss p&rt of the formal 
l etter of acceptance and v.e are l e t t ing this 
corre1pondence bet teen us stand us covering the probl e· 11 

Am 1endin , t hi s lett.er to you i n duplica te. I t can 
be attached to Mr. Abrahams' letter of acceptance. 

Best, 

'!r . lnneo Roee 
J "':ts 
enc• Member of the lncorporned Socie,y of Authors' Representatives 

UWI L
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