Please Continue: Literary Correspondence as Conversation

Navigation Menu+

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.

Tambourines to Glory

Langston Hughes is primarily known for his poetry, but he also wrote several novels and plays. He originally wrote Tambourines to Glory as a play in 1956 and published it as a novel, seen here, in 1958. The theatrical version was performed on Broadway in November 1963.

Title	Tambourines to Glory
Creator	Langston Hughes
Publisher	New York: The John Day Company
Date	1958
Source	Vanderbilt University Collection