Details
MITCHELL, Margaret. Four typed letters signed (three "Margaret" in ink, one "M" in pencil) to Herschel Brickell, Atlanta, 16 and 27 December 1937 and 7 and 16 February 1938. Together 6 pages, small folio, three letters single-spaced, one double-spaced, on her stationery with name embossed in blue at top of each sheet, two of the letters with long holograph postscripts (one almost a page) in ink, another with a five-line postscript in pencil, usual folds, with three stamped addressed envelopes.
"I DON'T AIM TO BE USED, TO BE STAMPEDED, TO BE INVADED, TO BE BROKEN."
16 December 1937 (complaining about the problems caused by the immense success of Gone With the Wind): "... It's the every minute's swelling up of the tide that breaks over us unceasingly -- the chislers, the well-meaning-but-wearying, the people who damn well aim to work me, the people who want to use me, the reporters who want interviews... [those] who bring pressure on me to autograph, to speak, to attend their parties, the people who want MSS. read, the writers who want endorsements on dust jackets, the women who impersonate me -- oh, God, why list any more! ... I don't aim to be used, to be stampeded, to be invaded, to be broken ..." 27 December 1937: "There are some compensations in life and the mail is one of them. A thirteen year old boy writes me that he is an author and that he will be kind enough to send me his complete works. An enthusiastic and muchly married lady invites me to collaborate with her in writing the story of her life, which, she assures me, 'will bring down the condemnation of the churches on us both.' The title of her book will be 'Stripped Naked'... In the rest of the letter, Mitchell discusses her case against a Dutch pirated edition of Gone With the Wind and tells of other problems caused by the popularity of her book. 7 February 1938 (more on the Dutch pirary case and other matters): "... The Dutch publisher is anxious to settle and make an honest woman of his edition by signing a contract. But he doesn't want to pay more than a quarter of my legal expenses, so I have turned him down and we are still negotiating ... The news is all over town that I am suing the government for $100,000 which I gave my father. Ever so often I think I have plumbed the lowest depths of human stupidity, and then I discover that there are lower depths ... Your news about Thomas Wolfe's change of publishers was most interesting. Nearly a year ago Julian Meade told me about it. But, as I refuse to believe anything I hear of literary gossip until it is proven beyond a doubt, I didn't believe him..." 16 February 1938: "... Thanks for the Pearl Buck review [probably of This Proud Heart]. I hope to God I never write a book that you don't like..."
"I DON'T AIM TO BE USED, TO BE STAMPEDED, TO BE INVADED, TO BE BROKEN."
16 December 1937 (complaining about the problems caused by the immense success of Gone With the Wind): "... It's the every minute's swelling up of the tide that breaks over us unceasingly -- the chislers, the well-meaning-but-wearying, the people who damn well aim to work me, the people who want to use me, the reporters who want interviews... [those] who bring pressure on me to autograph, to speak, to attend their parties, the people who want MSS. read, the writers who want endorsements on dust jackets, the women who impersonate me -- oh, God, why list any more! ... I don't aim to be used, to be stampeded, to be invaded, to be broken ..." 27 December 1937: "There are some compensations in life and the mail is one of them. A thirteen year old boy writes me that he is an author and that he will be kind enough to send me his complete works. An enthusiastic and muchly married lady invites me to collaborate with her in writing the story of her life, which, she assures me, 'will bring down the condemnation of the churches on us both.' The title of her book will be 'Stripped Naked'... In the rest of the letter, Mitchell discusses her case against a Dutch pirated edition of Gone With the Wind and tells of other problems caused by the popularity of her book. 7 February 1938 (more on the Dutch pirary case and other matters): "... The Dutch publisher is anxious to settle and make an honest woman of his edition by signing a contract. But he doesn't want to pay more than a quarter of my legal expenses, so I have turned him down and we are still negotiating ... The news is all over town that I am suing the government for $100,000 which I gave my father. Ever so often I think I have plumbed the lowest depths of human stupidity, and then I discover that there are lower depths ... Your news about Thomas Wolfe's change of publishers was most interesting. Nearly a year ago Julian Meade told me about it. But, as I refuse to believe anything I hear of literary gossip until it is proven beyond a doubt, I didn't believe him..." 16 February 1938: "... Thanks for the Pearl Buck review [probably of This Proud Heart]. I hope to God I never write a book that you don't like..."