JAMES J. KILPATRICK - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 09/22/1955 - HFSID 79246
Sale Price $150.00
Reg. $180.00
JAMES J. KILPATRICK
Typed (1955) letter signed as Editor of the Richmond News Leader,
apologizing for overlooking a book written by a Virginia author
Typed Letter signed: "James J. Kilpatrick", 1 page, 8½x11.
Richmond, Virginia, 1955 September 22. On letterhead of the Editor's
Office, Richmond News Leader, to H. Keith Thompson, New York, N.Y. In full:
"Thanks for your note of September 20. Sorry to hear of all the troubles
you had at Appomattox Courthouse, but then you're not the first one to have
troubles at Appomattox. I am ashamed to say that I have never read Colonel
Wise's book. When it came in for review a couple of years ago (or whenever it
was published), I simply thumbed through it, glanced at the table of contents,
and then forwarded it to our book editor. Whether it got lost in the shuffle, or
sent to a reviewer who turned in so critical a review that the book editor did
not feel he could use it, I cannot say. That sometimes happens. But if we have
overlooked a truly significant book by a Virginia author, of course I would be
interested in doing something about it, even at this late date. As you can
understand, lacking any news peg or publication date to hang a comment on, I'm a
little at a loss to know exactly what we could do. The time for an ordinary
review, I fear, passed long ago. If you have a spare review copy available, why
not send one directly to my attention and let me take a more careful look at it.
Cordially yours". James J. Kilpatrick (1920-2010) was editor of the
Richmond News Leader from 1949 to 1966, and thereafter a nationally syndicated
columnist. He gained national attention as a defender of segregation in the
1950s, and - though he later modified his views on race - he remained a staunch
advocate of state's rights. A staunch advocate of free enterprise and
individualism, he opposed excessive law-making and bureaucracy at the state and
local, as well as federal, level. For nine years, Kilpatrick was the
conservative voice in the "Point Counterpoint" segment of CBS-TV's 60
Minutes. Kilpatrick wrote another column about English style and
grammar, publishing in 1985 a book of the same name, The Writer's Art.
The "Colonel Wise" mentioned in this letter was probably Jennings C. Wise
(1881-1968), retired US Army colonel and former Commandant of Virginia Military
Academy. He wrote many books on military and regional history between 1910 and
1960. Normal mailing fold creases - affecting signature at "Kil". Two
staples in place at upper left corners. Two paperclip creases at upper margin to
the right of staples. Lightly creased. Otherwise, fine condition.
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