Details
CLARKE, Arthur C. (b. 1917). 27 typed letters signed and 7 autograph letters signed ("Arthur") to A.C. Spectorsky (26) and Hugh Hefner (1), Ceylon and New York, 24 January 1960-2 December 1969. Together 40 pages, 4to and 8vo, most on air letter envelopes. With a large archive of internal memos, Spectorsky's responses to Clarke and related letters from Clarke's agent, most carbons.
A FASCINATING AND REVEALING CORRESPONDENCE, showing the long and personal relationship developed between Clarke and his editor at Playboy, A.C. Spectorsky. In the early letters, Clarke discusses his methods and writing: "I have been working from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. everyday on a new novel and had no time even to answer my mail... I've written about 4000 words and accumulated a lot of research material..." (9 November 1960). Always pushing ideas, he writes a humourous note to Spectorsky: "Just had a brilliant idea. Since the outline of the female form divine (at least its salient attributes) is a fairly simple curve, it can be expressed in a compact mathematical form. Why don't you let some of the local computer boys loose on a few famous profiles, get them to derive the equations... Working round the clock to a 25,000 plus an 80,000 word book on our treasure expedition..." (27 June 1963). Writing to Hugh Hefner in 1964, he notes that "despite the ban here [in Ceylon] all my PLAYBOYS seem to have been arriving safely and are much enjoyed by a very large audience--though this latter fact is small compensation to you, I'm afraid... Judging by the stockpile you have, '64 should have about the highest concentration of Clarke yet, and I hope your readers are not satiated."
[With:] "Blue Network." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, May 1960. 12 pages, 4to, with editorial corrections. -- "Rocket to the Renaissance." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, July 1960. 17 pages, 4to, with editorial corrections. With uncorrected galley proof sheets for the story, 7 pages. -- "The Obsolescence of Man." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, July 1961. 23 pages, 4to, with editorial corrections. -- "The Hazards of Prophecy." Carbon typed manuscript, published in Playboy, March 1962. 24 pages, 4to, with editorial corrections. -- "Can't Get There from Here." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, April 1962. 16 pages, 4to, with editorial corrections. -- "The Road to Lilliput." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, June 1962. 11 pages, 4to, with one correction by Clarke and several editorial corrections. -- "The Future of Transportation." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, August 1962. 64 pages, 4to, with manuscript and typed editorial corrections and insertions. -- "The Meddlers." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, March 1964. 10 pages, 4to, with editorial corrections. -- "The Food of the Gods." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, May 1964. 6 pages, 4to, with one change in Clarke's hand and several editorial corrections. -- "The Shining Ones." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, August 1964. 29 pages, 4to, with editorial corrections, photocopy of the manuscript. -- "Beyond Centaurus." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, November 1964. 21 pages, 4to. -- "The Light of Darkness." Typed manscript, published in Playboy, June 1966. 10 pages, 4to.
AN IMPORTANT ARCHIVE REVEALING THE DEPTH OF CLARKE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH PLAYBOY (46)
A FASCINATING AND REVEALING CORRESPONDENCE, showing the long and personal relationship developed between Clarke and his editor at Playboy, A.C. Spectorsky. In the early letters, Clarke discusses his methods and writing: "I have been working from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. everyday on a new novel and had no time even to answer my mail... I've written about 4000 words and accumulated a lot of research material..." (9 November 1960). Always pushing ideas, he writes a humourous note to Spectorsky: "Just had a brilliant idea. Since the outline of the female form divine (at least its salient attributes) is a fairly simple curve, it can be expressed in a compact mathematical form. Why don't you let some of the local computer boys loose on a few famous profiles, get them to derive the equations... Working round the clock to a 25,000 plus an 80,000 word book on our treasure expedition..." (27 June 1963). Writing to Hugh Hefner in 1964, he notes that "despite the ban here [in Ceylon] all my PLAYBOYS seem to have been arriving safely and are much enjoyed by a very large audience--though this latter fact is small compensation to you, I'm afraid... Judging by the stockpile you have, '64 should have about the highest concentration of Clarke yet, and I hope your readers are not satiated."
[With:] "Blue Network." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, May 1960. 12 pages, 4to, with editorial corrections. -- "Rocket to the Renaissance." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, July 1960. 17 pages, 4to, with editorial corrections. With uncorrected galley proof sheets for the story, 7 pages. -- "The Obsolescence of Man." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, July 1961. 23 pages, 4to, with editorial corrections. -- "The Hazards of Prophecy." Carbon typed manuscript, published in Playboy, March 1962. 24 pages, 4to, with editorial corrections. -- "Can't Get There from Here." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, April 1962. 16 pages, 4to, with editorial corrections. -- "The Road to Lilliput." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, June 1962. 11 pages, 4to, with one correction by Clarke and several editorial corrections. -- "The Future of Transportation." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, August 1962. 64 pages, 4to, with manuscript and typed editorial corrections and insertions. -- "The Meddlers." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, March 1964. 10 pages, 4to, with editorial corrections. -- "The Food of the Gods." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, May 1964. 6 pages, 4to, with one change in Clarke's hand and several editorial corrections. -- "The Shining Ones." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, August 1964. 29 pages, 4to, with editorial corrections, photocopy of the manuscript. -- "Beyond Centaurus." Typed manuscript, published in Playboy, November 1964. 21 pages, 4to. -- "The Light of Darkness." Typed manscript, published in Playboy, June 1966. 10 pages, 4to.
AN IMPORTANT ARCHIVE REVEALING THE DEPTH OF CLARKE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH PLAYBOY (46)