Nancy Pearson collection of fan mail sent to John Steinbeck, together with a letter from Steinbeck to Pearson, 1962-1964.

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Nancy Pearson collection of fan mail sent to John Steinbeck, together with a letter from Steinbeck to Pearson, 1962-1964.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/122500100

Included in the collection are thirty-two pieces of fan mail; one a post-card from Japan and seven pieces are from Russia. Eight of these letters are accompanied by typed carbon copies (unsigned), one of which is signed by Janet Beckman, Steinbeck's secretary. It is unknown who actually wrote or dictated the carbon replies. The letter from Steinbeck to Ms. Pearson is very characteristic of the author. He remarks, "If they only knew that one never learns it and that every day it becomes harder, not easier, they would give it up. Unfortunately the process of doing a piece is also the process of outgrowing it and the horizons keep well ahead rather like Einstein's expanding universe, so that a writer, far from overtaking any goal, finds himself always slipping back in relation to the end. Only very slowly does one learn ow impossibly difficult it is." Also included in the collection is Steinbeck's Nobel Prize for Literature acceptance speech, 1962, and the 1963 issue of Publisher's Weekly featuring Steinbeck.

4 folders.

Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 6737138

Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives

Related Entities

There are 3 Entities related to this resource.

Beckman, Janette, 19..-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6573mnw (person)

Pearson, Nancy,

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6476k34 (person)

Nancy Pearson was employed by Steinbeck to answer fan mail that had become too voluminous for him to deal with. From the description of Nancy Pearson collection of fan mail sent to John Steinbeck, together with a letter from Steinbeck to Pearson, 1962-1964. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122500100 ...

Steinbeck, John, 1902-1968

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6js9rqn (person)

Margaret Gemmell, later van Judah, was a friend of Steinbeck's during their stay at Stanford University, 1925-26. Included with the papers is a manuscript in her own hand describing her friendship with Steinbeck. From the description of John Steinbeck papers, 1925-1978. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 754866392 This is the producer's copy, property of Oscar Serlin; the play ran from 7 Apr. to 6 June, 1942. From the description of The moon is down, a play in 3 acts...