Laid in is TLS from Viking Press (Steinbeck's later publisher) to a Midwestern bookseller dated August 3, 1956: "As you know, Tortilla Flat was originally published by Covici-Friede; so I have discussed with Mr. Covici the dummy which is in your possession. Apparently the play version by Kirkland was pretty bad and the show ran for only three or four performances. For that reason the publishers obviously gave up any idea of doing the book in play form. Some half-dozen dummies had previously been made up for the sales staff.
Mr. Covici is of the opinion that the dummy is of no vaule, since the play was not by Steinbeck, but Kirkland's version of the Steinbeck original. You of course are such an astute bookseller that I feel confident you will unload this on someone at a fat price."