Truman Capote maintained a close relationship with his editor at Random House, Robert “Bob” Linscott. Their letters chronicle Capote’s writing and publishing process, including the minutiae of line edits, typeface design, title pages, etc. When he wrote the following letter to Linscott, Capote, just 25 at the time, was nearing the end of his work on The Grass Harp, a title Linscott himself selected (Capote wanted to call it “Music of the Sawgrass”). Here, Capote describes his contentment with the book’s penultimate design.
To Robert Linscott
Fontana Vecchia
March 20, 1951
Dear, dear, dear, dear Bob
Anna Meyerson [Mayerson] has sent me the drawings for [the] jacket and frontispiece (title page) and they are superb—beyond anything. There were a few corrections to be made, so I’ve given them back, but you will have them by the middle of April. It’s alright about the $150. But Bob I will not mislead you—though they are not in color, they are “fancy” in the sense that they are exquisitely intricate pen-and-ink drawings, and will require very special reproduction, engraving—which will cost money. The title-page drawing is a two page spread; and then there is the jacket. I don’t think Random House can fail to see what an extraordinarily beautiful thing this book can be. However (and I’m saying this to you as a friend) if there is trouble over the cost, I will accept a smaller royalty to make up the difference. Of course that would be a hardship on me—and if you could put it through without my having to [agree] to this, then I would be eternally grateful.
Maybe it seems strange that anyone should put such stress on the “physical” appearance of a book—but there you are, I can’t help it. I want to write a letter to that nice man who helped with Local Color, explaining all about Anna Meyerson and what I want – but what is his name? I will try to send my new chapters by the middle of April, too. I’m working really hard – as I calculate, the book will be almost exactly 60,000 words.
Tell Saxe [Cummins] I saw the picture of him (at the National Book Awards) and he looked real sweet.
Had a letter from Isherwood, who says he has quit movie work and settled down to finish his novel – which is good news. Newton writes that he had a very gay time in New York in conjunction with the prize-giving—he even appeared on Mary Margaret McBride’s program: if you can feature that!
Love from
T
From Too Brief a Treat: The Letters of Truman Capote, edited by Gerald Clarke, Random House, New York: 2004, p. 166.
FURTHER READING
The Paris Review interviews Truman Capote.
Phillip Seymour Hoffman on NPR, discussing his Oscar-winning portrayal of Truman Capote (fast-forward the segment to 31:14).
The New York Times reviews The Grass Harp at the time of its publication.