THE CONFERENCE PRESS

July 30, 1940

Dear Miss Stein,

Enclosed you will find the signature pages for the special edition of WHAT ARE MASTERPIECES. Will you sign them and send them back to us as soon as possible. There are, of course, a few extra sheets---just to be on the safe side. You don't have to bother numbering them---just sign them and send them.

Also enclosed is a copy of the brochure announcing the book. The first printing of two thousand copies is already exhausted and we are printing twenty-five hundred more. It has been very well received. Over thirty orders came in during the first week they were out, eight of them for the special edition.

The book is going along smoothly. We have already read proof on more than half the galleys and the material looks fine in print. And we are not only enthusiastic about the writing but the production of the book as well. Ward Ritchie, as you probably know, ranks among the finest book designers and printers in the country. I hope (although I am really sure) that you will be pleased with the finished product---for we are doing our best.

I would like very much to know if you are going to stay in France or if you are going to come over to this country. If the latter please let me know the date of your arrival and your plans. At one time, I know, there was a lecture tour under consideration. Has that fallen through.

Is there anything you would like to add to the book at this time. Has anything happened that might make you want to add a last moment introduction or P.S. to the lectures. If so, send such material to us right away.

The brochure quotation from Fay we got when he was out here a few years ago. Bob Haas got the one from Wilder and I contacted Bromfield. He has been writing over at R.K.O., (where I am a struggling reader), so one day I dropped into his office, met him, and asked

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him if he would give us a blurb. He was very swell,
took the manuscript for a few days, and then gave me
the paragraph which we used along with the other two.
Both he and Mr. Hawkins, his secretary, asked to be
remembered to you. He has left the studio, now, and
is back in Lucas, Ohio.

I was glad to see the splendid reviews you received
on PARIS FRANCE---and was also glad to know that it is
selling so well. Bob recently wrote me that Scribners
was sold out.

In my correspondence with Mr. McCullough of the
Scott Co., Carl Van Vechten and Bennet Cerf, all three
of them mentioned books of yours that are being pre-
pared for publication in the future. Although I am
glad to know that so much of your work is being pub-
lished I do hope they will all wait a few months and
give us a chance to get WHAT ARE MASTERPIECES out on
the market. We have changed the release date from Sep-
tember 15 to October 1, incidentally, in order to give
the reviewers plenty of time.

I guess that's all for now. I'm sending this off
by the speediest mail service possible---although at
this writing I'm not sure what it will be. And if, by
chance, this letter should arrive by itself you will
know that because of some postal regulation or other
the signature pages have been sent under separate cover.

My sincerest thanks for your generosity in letting
us do this book. And I do hope you will be coming back
here soon so that the "two young men who walked up and
down with you and sent you roses" will be able to see
you again.

Best wishes as ever---