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.

Ship Island, and Other Stories

Elizabeth Spencer published five novels before releasing this volume, which was her first collection of short stories. The title story, “Ship Island,” was first published in The New Yorker on September 12, 1964. Spencer dedicated the book to Eudora Welty, her friend and fellow Mississippi author. Throughout her career, Spencer won numerous awards, including the Sidney Lanier Prize for Southern Literature in 2014.

Title	Ship Island, and Other Stories
Creator	Elizabeth Spencer
Publisher	New York: McGraw-Hill
Date	1968
Source	Southern Civilization Collection