DL/A-Z//ARO - [Correspondence with Steven M. L. Aronson]

DL/A-Z//ARO

File

[Correspondence with Steven M. L. Aronson]

26/11/1974-13/11/1974

4 Letters (typescript)

Aronson, Steven M. L.

001 is a letter from Doris Lessing to Tony Godwin of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Lessing alleges that the academic Virginia Tiger is planning on writing an unauthorised biography of her, to be published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Lessing alleges that Tiger attended a lecture series she gave at the New School in New York City in 1972. Lessing refused to allow her talks to be used for "any public purpose at all"; she states that if Tiger is using any material from this lecture series for her unauthorised biography she will consult her lawyer Michael Rubinstein about the matter. If she has no legal recourse, she threatens to take her story to the press. Mentions Robert Gottlieb.

002 is a reply from Godwin to Lessing. "This is the first I have heard about Harcourt Brace Jovanovich publishing a biography about you by Virginia Tiger. I do find this sort of thing monstrous and I will find out who the editor concerned is here, see what I can do and let you know."

003 is a letter from Steven M. L. Aronson of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich to Lessing: "You have not only misconstrued the nature of Dr. Tiger's project but you have also -- if indirectly -- made serious imputations about her professional conduct." Aronson claims Tiger is writing a critical analysis of Lessing's fiction. He also claims not to have seen Tiger "wielding a tape recorder" at the New School lectures. He defends the integrity of Tiger, and finishes with: "If you want to keep what you have to say private, do not give public lectures."

004 is a reply from Lessing to Aronson. She focuses on the fact that Tiger is not using material from her lectures. She directly refutes Aronson's last statement, stating that the material from lectures remains the property of the lecturer.