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partisan review

45 Astor Place

New York, N. Y.

Feb.21, 1942.

Dear Mr. Warren:

I gather, indirectly through Allen Tate, that Southern Review is going to publish in its next issue some more counter-statements against Mr. V.W.Brooks. (There can't be too many!) The news interests me particularly because Bill Troy and I have been projected a little book on the subject, to be made up of a dozen pieces by American creative and critical writers. We were planning to use the material already published in PR as a nucleus (inviting people to expand their remarks if they like) and ask six or seven more people to express themselves. The comments of T.S.Eliot, which will be out in our next issue, would also, of course, be included.

Wouldn't it be possible to arrange to include some or all of the articles you are planning to publish on the theme? The book, in any case, couldn't appear before next May or June, and I think that your issue will be out before then. If you have no objection to this, could you send me proofs now of the material you are going to publish? We've been negotiating with a publisher, and will postpone any attempt more activity until we hear from you on this.

The plan is to issue the book without any formal editorial attribution on the title page, and later on simply to note that some of the material first appeared in PR (and, of course, if we may reprint any of your material, in Southern).

Could you let me know as soon as possible about this? Thanks.

P.S. Did you get my note about that story by Jean Malaquais I sent you last fall? Might I have it back, please? 85