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Upton Sinclair Letters to Albert Hergesheimer, Accession # 6777-o, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.
Purchased from David J. Holmes on July 7, 2000.
In this collection of letters, Upton Sinclair encourages Hergesheimer's writing and socialist anti-war activities; suggests a possible publisher; regrets that he cannot write an article for Hergesheimer's magazine; mentions his work on the Eisenstein Mexican picture; discusses his California gubernatorial campaign and suggests Hergesheimer work for a New York congressional candidate.
Expresses his sympathy for the aspirations of young writers but regrets that he lacks the funds to publish any books but his own; he suggests contacting the American Freeman, Girard, Kansas, and its editor, Emanuel Haldeman-Julius, and the New Masses, New York City, as the subjects he writes about are worth while.
Encourages Hergesheimer to keep trying publishers as Sinclair's novel Prince Hagen was rejected by seventeen magazines and twenty-two publishing houses before it was published; refuses to write for Hergesheimer's magazine but gives him permission to quote any of the anti-war literature in his own books, especially The Cry for Justice, and also recommends an anthology of anti-war poetry, The Red Harvest, edited by Vincent Godfrey Burns; Sinclair also offers to write on his behalf to William Floyd, editor of The Arbitrator.
Explains that he is swamped with work, having assumed responsibility for the [Sergey Mikhaylovich] Eisenstein film about Mexico Que viva Mexico! ; encloses a little book, a 100,000 copies of which had been given to the Socialist Party for the campaign; and also sends American Potpost, 100%, and The Goslings, because The Goose Step is temporarily out of print.
Sinclair writes, "I would always try to oblige you, but I have no superstition and would not consent to have one. You will have to try something else!
Discusses his campaign to become the Governor of California, "The primary victory is fine - but far from absolutely insuring election, and I can give no time to anything else until I know the final outcome. Ours is a people's campaign, all the workers being volunteers; it is all we can do to get the money to pay the actual bills. After the election, if I am made Governor, the first thing to consider is getting the million and a quarter people who are unemployed, at work to become self-supporting."
Tells Hergesheimer that he appreciates his interest in the EPIC movement, which is discussed in his current book project I, Candidate for Governor and How I Got Licked to be published in January, but is now running as a serial in the New York Evening Post.