DL/A-Z//ADAM - [Correspondence with Richard Adams]

DL/A-Z//ADAM

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[Correspondence with Richard Adams]

20/02/1985-19/05/1986

5 Letters (typescript)
1 Manuscripts
4 Poem

Adams, Richard1920-2016

001 is a letter from Richard Adams to Doris Lessing dated 20/02/1985. He thanks Lessing for her contribution to the poetry anthology Occasional Poets (1986), and requests a brief biography.

002 is a terse reply from Lessing dated 05/04/1985. It includes the mini-biography: “Born 1919 in Persia. Lived in Southern Rhodesia, and then London.”

003 is a reply from Adams dated 15/04/1985. Adams attempts to charm Lessing into providing a longer biography: “’Tis brief, my lord – as woman’s love. As Groucho Marx said, I’ve heard of five o’clock shadow, but this is ridiculous.”

004 is a form letter from Adams to Lessing returning proofs for approval, including a hand-written note: “No complications in your case. What beautiful poems!”

005 is an excerpt from Occasional Poets [originally included with 004]. Includes the galley proofs of Lessing’s poems “Here”, “A Small Girl Throws Stones at a Swan in Regents Park”, “Hunger the King” (with edit) and “The Islands”.

006 is a letter from Adams to Lessing dated 16/05/1986. Adams writes about her poem “A Visit”. “I am wondering whether – if it’s not too personal a question – you could possibly spare the time to tell me a little more about Alturnun. If it would be rubbing a butterfly’s wing, just say so and I’ll desist. But I’ve never had a glimpse of a fantasy world which intrigued me more.”