Please Continue: Literary Correspondence as Conversation

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In Summary

The letters in this exhibit span a century of English literature, from the 1880s to the 1980s, and each one was sent with the hope that it would bring a response in return, continuing the conversation. Because the fiction writers and poets who wrote this correspondence were all devoted to the craft of writing, their missives are works of art in themselves, albeit more personal and playful than their published volumes had the freedom to be. Each author’s epistles express personality not only through the chosen text, but also through paper color, handwriting, choice of writing utensil, and the many other physical details required to complete and mail a letter. The messages also hint at the lives on the receiving end of the correspondence, prompting us to imagine responses to the questions asked, praises doled out, and affections expressed.

Bonus: [Letter from Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings to Edwin Mims]

To Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ relief, Edwin Mims assured her that their work on Ellen Glasgow would not conflict. In this letter, Rawlings states that she does “not expect to begin [her] writing for perhaps several years.” Unfortunately, she was not able to complete her biography of Glasgow, as she died of a cerebral hemorrhage seven months after she sent this letter.

Title	[Letter from Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings to Edwin Mims]
Creator	Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Date	May 11, 1953
Source	Edwin Mims Papers