ALAN SILLITOE - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 10/04/1963 - HFSID 30517

ALAN SILLITOE
Author Alan Sillitoe wrote this letter from London, England in 1963 about a play based on his 1960 novel The General. In it, he said that he didn't have time to read it due to his workload. Sillitoe, who wrote about the alienation of working-class England, is best known for his novel Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and short story The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner.
Autograph Letter signed: "Alan Sillitoe". 1 page, 8x10. London, England, Oct. 4, 1963. In full: " Dear Miss Lucas, It's some time now since I received your play The General based on my novel. I have been travelling around a lot this year, (too much) and am ashamed to say that I have not yet read your work. I am sure to do so very soon, and the minute I have I shall write to you about it. I know it is unforgiveable of me to have delayed so long - but work has kept me from all reading. I shall now write to you about it as soon as I can, Yours Sincerely". His novel The General was published in 1960. English author Sillitoe (1928-2010) published his celebrated first novel, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, in 1958 and his other most famous work, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (title piece in a short story collection) the next year. Both were made into films. His 2001 novel Birthday updated the lives of the character's from Saturday Night and Sunday Morning. Sillitoe also wrote poems, essays, children's books and plays for stage, screen and TV, as well as short stories and novels; his latest novel, Gadfly in Russia, was published in 2007. Sillitoe, who dropped out of school at age 14, was awarded several honorary doctorates during his life. Lightly toned and creased. Body of letter, but not signature, is lightly smeared in places but legible. Folded in half horizontally and twice vertically and unfolded. Otherwise in fine condition.