DL/A-Z//MASCHLER T/1 - [Correspondence with Tom Maschler: 1970s]

DL/A-Z//MASCHLER T/1

Sub-file

[Correspondence with Tom Maschler: 1970s]

02/04/1971-27/05/1976

7 Letters (typescript)

Private Eye
Playboy
Books and Bookmen

Shah, Idries 1924-1996
Maschler, Tom

[1971]

001 is a letter from Doris Lessing to Tom Maschler. Lessing complains to Maschler that he has moved into film production when he always maintained he would remain a publisher, and that he has offered to be her agent without telling her that he was planning on becoming a film producer. She outlines the complexities of the relationships between authors, agents, producers and publishers. She attacks Maschler's lack of moral centre, saying that she sometimes finds him "terrifying". She states that she is going to take Jonathan Clowes on as her agent, not Maschler.

002 is a letter from Lessing to Jonathan Clowes, relating the content of 001, her letter to Maschler, and establishing that Clowes will be her agent "one hundred percent". She states that her relationship with Maschler will survive this disagreement.

003 is a letter from Maschler to Lessing. He refutes Lessing's accusations point-by-point, claiming that he will remain in publishing and that there would be no conflict of interest staying as her agent while producing films. He states that he loves her on a personal level and asks for a response. Referring to Lessing's description of him as "terrifying", he says he found her letter "frightening".

004 is a letter from Lessing to Maschler, refering to a controversy over the Booker prize and an article in Private Eye magazine. She suggests that Maschler gave a journalist Lessing's address to encourage correspondence, which resulted in her subsequent misrepresentation in the press. She asks Maschler to ensure her works are not entered into any literary prizes, and that this choice is not publicised. Refers to a recent party that was blighted by stomach flu.

005 is a letter from Maschler to Lessing, written in reply to 004. He states that he offered to forward correspondence from a journalist, and that he supported Lessing's reply to the journalist. He asks to talk to Lessing before she withdraws her work from consideration for literary prizes.

[1972]

006 is a letter from Lessing to Maschler, specifying that she doesn't want her short story collection to be entered for the Booker prize, although her mind isn't made up regarding future prizes.

[1976]

007 is a letter from Maschler to Lessing, responding to two [missing] letters from Lessing. He states that he has organised something for Lessing involving Playboy magazine. He also responds to a point made in an argument about Idries Shah and an issue of Books and Bookmen magazine. He implies that Shah "stoops" to the same "tricks" practised by others, and that Lessing should not trust him hypocritically. "You may say this reaction of mine proves that I am suspicious. Well, I am. But that in itself does not prove that I am wrong."