E.B. White
[North Brooklin, ME], May 4, 1970
E.B. White TLS On Strunk & White's "Elements of Style": "an accident--one that is unlikely to occur again"
TLS

A 1p typed letter signed by American writer Evelyn Brooks White (1899-1985) as "E B White" at lower right. May 4, 1970. [North Brooklin, Maine.] On a leaf of watermarked paper with "North Brooklin / Maine 04661" letterhead. Expected wear including flattened paper folds and a few isolated non-rusted paperclip impressions. Else near fine. 5.75" x 7.75."

White's correspondent was Christopher Jennison, who worked for Ginn-Blaisdell, a publishing firm until recently known as Blaisdell Publishing Company.

White wrote in part:

"There's no chance of my going to work on a text book. I'm in no shape for it. The Strunk book was an accident--one that is unlikely to occur again?"

E.B. White released an enlarged and expanded edition of William Strunk Jr.'s foundational "The Elements of Style" eleven years earlier, in 1959. The revision of Strunk's original 1918 text--universally referred to in shorthand as "Strunk and White"--is considered the definitive source for correct language usage of American English. Evidently, Jennison had approached White about taking on another "text book" project which the writer declined.

In 1970, White was preoccupied with the publication of his third major children's book, "The Trumpet of the Swan," a story about a mute trumpeter juvenile swan named Louis who plays learns how to play an actual trumpet. The same year, White was awarded the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, recognizing his "substantial and lasting contributions to children's literature." White had previously written "Stuart Little" (1945) and "Charlotte's Web" (1952).

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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5.75" x 7.75"