AL

[Lauren R. Stevens.] Autograph Letter Signed and Typed Letter Signed (both 'Lauren') to English literary critic A. Alvarez ('Al'), discussing his decision to leave Harvard and his first novel, 'The Double Axe', an inscribed copy of which is included.

Author: 
Lauren R. Stevens (b.1938) [A. Alvarez [Al Alvarez] (b.1929), English literary critic; H. C. Baker [Herschel Clay Baker] (1914-1990), Professor of English Literature at Harvard University]
Publication details: 
TLS: 430 W. Allen's Lane, Philadelphia 19, Pennsylvania. 5 October 1960. ALS: on his (cancelled) letterhead 1717 Cambridge Street, Cambridge 38, Massachusetts. 31 January 1961. Book: New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1961.
£250.00

TLS: 2pp., 12mo. In good condition. The letter begins: 'Dear Al: | Last Thursday morning, while sitting in a barbar chair, I asked myself a question which a number of people have been asking me recently, namely, What are you doing at Harvard? I couldn't come up with a very satisfactory answer, so I went to a friend's house on Cape Cod for the weekend. Monday I saw the head of the English Department at Harvard, H. C. Baker. He said, "Follow your star," which seemed to me a little romantic, but all the same good advice.

Typed Letter Signed from Major A. M. Urquhart, Royal Artillery, to Rev. William Henderson Begg, giving a summary (as President of the Committee of Adjustment) of what has been done regarding his brother Captain Robert Henderson Begg's estate in India

Author: 
Major A. M. Urquhart, Royal Artillery [Rev. William Henderson-Begg (1877-1934), Rector of St Paul's and Canon of Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh; Captain Robert Henderson Begg (d.1915); Siege of Kut
Publication details: 
The Arsenal, Ferozepore, India. 27 April 1916.
£56.00

2pp., foolscap 8vo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. Captain Begg had died at the Siege of Kut Al Amara, Mesopotamia (now Iraq), and Urquhart begins by informing the Rev. Begg that the inventory which he sent of his brother's effects has 'gone astray'. 'In order to save any further delay I am forwarding you a complete list including some things recently recovered from Kirkee Arsenal. Would you kindly point out what you wish returned to you. The remaining items will be sold by auction here.' He continues with 'a summary of what has been done up to date'.

[Printed book.] Practical Instruction for Detectives. A Complete Course in Secret Service Study. By Emmerson W. Manning, Manning National Detective Institute.

Author: 
Emmerson W. Manning [Emmerson Wain Manning], Manning National Detective Institute
Publication details: 
Chicago: Frederick J. Drake & Co. Publishers. [Circa 1921.]
£50.00

94 + [i] pp. In original green cloth with title in black on front cover. Good, lightly-aged in lightly-worn and spotted binding. Ownership signature ('') in pencil on title-page, with pencil annotations throughout translating passages into French. Chapters on 'Shadowing', 'Burglaries', 'Identification of Criminals', 'Forgeries', 'Confessions', 'Murder Cases', 'Grafters', 'Detective Work in Department Stores', 'Railroad Detective Work', 'Detective Work for Street Railways', 'Other Kinds of Detective Work' (the last including 'Illegal Liquor selling').

Typewritten Publishing agreement with Anthony Blond Limited, 56 Doughty Street, London, W.C.1.

Author: 
[PUBLISHING AGREEMENT] Al Alvarez
Publication details: 
05/06/67
£75.00

Poet and critic (born 1929), friend of Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath, now best known as a poker player. In good condition. On one side each of 3 4to pages, neatly stapled to a piece of card. '[...] concerning a work at present entitled: | THE IRON CURTAIN SPY | Edited and compiled | by | Al Alvarez | [...]'. The authors name corrected by him in manuscript from 'Al' to 'A.' The first two pages initialled by Alvarez and the last page signed by him.

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