Box 1

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“Thank you for the clipping from the NY Times. I’m just back from California, where a theatre group did a reading of a play I wrote…I’ve finished a rough draft of a novel [All the Pretty Horses] – Mexico & Texas in the 1940’s – and started another one with much the same setting…”

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Asking if McCarthy has an extra copy of the play script.

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“I aint forgot you…” Is hesitant to send copy of script “because I intend some time to do some more work on it. There are elements that are just not clean…” Recommends [Bruce Chatwin’s] Songlines.

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Inquiring about advance copies of Outer Dark and Child of God.

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Passing along compliment from Bruce Chatwin. Also inquiring about selling his papers; is establishing a relationship with a university library that would be in position to purchase his archives. Advises to never throw anything away.

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“I’ve been in my non communication mode for some time but I have to write and thank you for the very handsome book…I appreciate your inquiry about my manuscripts. I’ve got – I suppose – most of them packed away in a storage locker along with corrected proofs and galleys and such. I dont really propose to do any thing with this junk except keep it…Anyway I’m still at work on my little projects I’ve finished rough rafts of 2 novels and started a third. They are all three connected…”

Contents “Sorry for the long hiatus in our correspondence…” Just received a batch of reviews [All the Pretty Horses]. “I was very distressed over Chatwin’s death. A talented and honest man and a decent human being – the perfect candidate, in other words for the fates to single out…I’ve lost another writer friend two weeks ago – Ed Abbey. I think he came across in his writing as some thing of a curmudgen [sic] but he was a kind and generous man – qualities, sad to say, not common to writers…” Refers...

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Shocked over Chatwin’s death; discusses Henry Miller and Saul Bellow manuscripts sales; advises not to give away his papers.

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Inquiring how to pronounce “Suttree.” Arguing with friend that it is “Suhtree.”

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“Thanks for your note. You win the wager. It never occurred to me that folks would pronounce Suttree to rhyme with shoe tree but they do…”

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Suggests bringing Dr. Thomas F. Staley, Director of the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas to El Paso to meet McCarthy.

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Woolmer and Staley thinking of coming out in to El Paso in October.

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Sending Paul Watkins novel; more about October trip possibility.

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Staley suggests October 15, 16, or 17.

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Attended American Academy awards and disappointed McCarthy was a no-show. Hopes to see him in El Paso in fall.

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Thanking for proof copy of All the Pretty Horses; praises book. Will be in Austin for dinner for Elizabeth Hardwick, but won’t make it to El Paso.

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Asking about McCarthy signing copies of books; offers to broker deal for his papers with the HRHRC.

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Thanking for signed books. Inquires about scripts for The Stonemason and The Gardner’s Son.

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Inquiring about The Stonemason.

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Recently spent the day with Guy Davenport; went to The University of Tennessee library and found “Wake for Susan” and “A Drowning Incident” published in the Phoenix.