TYPED LETTER SIGNED (TLS), to Lester Anderson, dated 31 July 1934, ribbon copy, one sheet of letter-size bond, single-spaced, typed on recto only, signed in full in blue pencil ("Clark Ashton Smith") at bottom, with one autograph edit (insertion of three words). Anderson was a California Bay Area fan to whom Smith wrote on several other occasions as well. This letter, about 400 words, has the tone of something written from a sense of obligation rather than pleasure, to address points raised evidently in Anderson's previous letter to him. No, Smith doesn't think socialism will work in this country, or in Russia either. He thought Robert W. Chambers' SLAYER OF SOULS was "inexpressively pediculous." He dismisses most of the current pulp magazines, except for ASTOUNDING STORIES, and doesn't think much of Dashiell Hammett's anthology, CREEPS BY NIGHT. "Harre's BEWARE AFTER DARK is still unapproached in my opinion, as an anthology of weirds." Published (with slight alterations) in Schultz and Connors, Selected Letters of Clark Ashton Smith, p. 259-260. Three light horizontal creases where folded for mailing, very good. (#136826).
Price: $650.00
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