This is a letter from Newton, once again suggesting Pop write a book. The son who won an award for poetry was Pete.
Mr. Leon Sinclair August 4th, 1962
Box 473
Norfolk, Connecticut
Dear Mr. Sinclair
Thanks so much for your letter about what you seem to consider the improbability of your writing a book. However, it seems to me I did detect some definite signs of interest and that has given me some encouragement.
You mentioned in your letter that you probably never could write because you “take the long way around to say anything.” Actually, that’s what makes your letters so interesting, I think. One comment reminds you of another experience and you throw that in for good measure and as a result, we get a little extra for our money. That’s one reason we all enjoy your letters so much. There’s never anything dull about them and they make for fast and delightful reading. They seem to have no dull spots.
Now you couldn’t ask for a better set up than that for a book, could you?
For my birthday a few days ago, I was given a copy of the latest Harry Golden book, called “You’re Entitle’ “. It is made up of what the publishers have called a group of essays. They seem to cover every possible subject and the articles vary from just one or two paragraphs to a full chapter in length. Of course, Mr. Golden is a newspaper publisher and as I understand it, his son made up the book mainly from clippings from the paper . . . various editorials and articles that his father had published from time to time.
If you did decide to write a book, you might want to do yours somewhat that same way making use of portions of the letters we already have and adding other separate little narratives . . . or you might prefer to make it essentially your life story of travel and experiences using the more accepted book form.
One of the most intriguing things about your writing is the nostalgia it arouses even in people who have not had similar experiences. There’s something about “the good old days” everyone enjoys having called to their attention.
One drawback to your writing that you mentioned was that you didn’t have proper command of English, etc. I’m not the best speller in the world myself, but I do have a dictionary that is a tremendous help on that score and have had quite a few years experience editing and it’s a thing that comes more or less naturally to me. I would love to do what I could to help you with your book from that standpoint.
As for a title . . . that might well develop after the book was in process. Actually, the articles that we use in our bulletins are normally named after they are written. I think the same thing often happens with published stories, articles, and books. It does seem to me however, that something indicative of “remembering” or “looking back” might be good.
You said that one dream for the future would be to take an old tramp steamer around the world. Maybe you can do just that after you make a few hundred thousand from your first book.
I’m glad to know one of your boys has had a poem published. I’ll be looking forward to seeing a copy of it.
I quite agree with you that Mr. Lufkin could write a book and I haven’t entirely given up on him yet. But let’s you and I not wait for that one. If you both get the urge at the same time, I can still work with both of you, so don’t let that hold you up.
You’ve had many interesting things happen to you in your lifetime. We enjoy hearing about them . . .so would many others.
Sincerely,
BMurphy/ab NEWTON MFG. CO.
Tags: Pop's Letters
