10 SIGNED LETTERS, 9 TYPED AND 1 HOLOGRAPH, FROM 1968 AND 1969 TO HARRY HARRISON
signed first edition
1968
by Masson, David I. & Harrison, Harry
TEN SIGNED LETTERS, NINE TYPED AND ONE HOLOGRAPH, to friend Harry Harrison, all generated from Leeds England in 1968 and 1969, some folds, else all very good to fine. All one page each being about 3,800 words in total (plus 220 in holograph) concerning how much he enjoyed MAKE ROOM! MAKE ROOM! (Harrison's major new novel at the time soon after to be filmed as SOYLENT GREEN); that he will have his story (entitled THE DUPLICITY OF FATE) off in time for inclusion in Harrison's anthology YEAR 2,000 with suggestions for the ways in which to print it; thanks for timely payment of same; the recent reading of short stories by Cyril Kornbluth and how would have liked to meet him; other titles that may be used in future anthologies; past troubles in getting an operator to connect him with a second hand bookseller in Boxford and assuring her it is not Oxford he wanted; the mailing of a 15,000 word effort to be possibly utilized in Harrison's anthology NOVA 1 entitled DOCTOR FAUSTA which deals with current issues and thus must be published sooner than later; asking Harrison to show it to Fred Pohl, a writer he does not read, but an editor he admires, if he cannot use it; thanking him for doing same; asking about the address of agent Robert Mills although he may not be writing much any more; the potential meeting up at a SF conference in Oxford with Judith Merrill as guest of honor over the next Easter weekend; inviting Harrison up to Leeds to see him next summer if he is not; the possibility of getting his book CALTRAPS OF TIME which was published in the U.K. by Faber to be also published in the U.S., that he is out of spare copies of same but will get some ordered from the publisher and send both Harrison & Brian Aldiss INSCRIBED copies; that he would like to meet the "new right wing" Kingsley Amis and his wife in London; that he would like to see a novel written entitled THE FREE UNIVERSITY, whereby the students take over and run the school for six to ten weeks although he would not be qualified to do it; the mention of the novel LAND UNDER ENGLAND and detailing the plot; wishing Harrison good luck with NOVA 1; asking about a biographic enterprise by R. Reginald; thanking Harrison for the copy of BEST SF: 1968 and expressing disappointment that there was nothing of Harrison's within excepting editorial commentary; expressing further disappointment that neither Harrison, nor Aldiss nor J.G. Ballard were going to come to the Harrowgate Conference; thanking Harrison for his kind words in BEST SF: 1968; that he enjoyed reading John Brunner's STAND ON ZANZIBAR; imploring Harrison to write more humorous SF as "we could do with it in this mad, mad world!" Along with 8 carbon TYPED LETTERS from Harry Harrison to David I. Masson dating from June, 1968 thru August, 1969, fine; being one page each, totaling about 3,700 words concerning the acceptance of THE DUPLICITY OF FATE and payment options for same; the possibility of Anthony Burgess doing a foreword for the anthology; asking about which stories from CALTRAPS OF TIME have been anthologized in case he wishes to use 2 stories by Masson; potential delay in payment as agent has gone missing (probably ill, however); the accepted proposal for NOVA 1 by an American publisher; asking for stories for same; leaving with family for three week camping trip to Mexico; that he loves DOCTOR FAUSTA, but thinks it too long for his current anthology but hopes to use it in perhaps a future anthology; suggesting and offering to contact Fred Pohl at Galaxy who could use more stories since they are now going monthly; the giving of DOCTOR FAUSTA to Fred Pohl in a few days when he flies to N.Y.C. hoping that he will take it in one unit and not need to cut it (which could be quite difficult); that sending that story, but not others, to Playboy would be a waste of time; recommends his American agent, Robert Mills; the unfortunate return of DOCTOR FAUSTA from Fred Pohl despite Harrison still feeling it to be a good story; the possibilities of all meeting up in Great Britain in 1969 and that he and Brian Aldiss will not be at BSFA afterall due to fandom politics; apologizing for delay in correspondence due to overwork with a dozen books in the works at one time, albeit anthologies, but still a lot of work; thanking him for INSCRIBED copy of CALTRAPS OF TIME; a possible trip Leeds from Newcastle-Tyne; comlpimenting Masson's writing; wishing he could write something humorous again but that it is an unfunny world at the time; that he has a new book he wishes to write entitled A TRANSATLANTIC TUNNEL, HOORAH!, summarizing the plot; that soon he is off to New York and then onto Ireland to see if he could possibly live there under the new no income tax law, etc. (Inventory #: 06300)