The collection consists of four items: three letters to publisher F.J. Warburg, of the publishing house Secker & Warburg, two dated 1945, one undated (with carbon copy list of poems, presumably to be included in the anthology, citing each poem's title, number of lines, and source, with the heading Poems 1933-1945), all relating to publication of a collection of poems. Also includes 2 Nov. 1945 carbon of Warburg's reply to the first letter.
Letters and list originally laid in Heppenstall's Blind men's flowers are green, which includes several of the listed poems.
Note
In Rare Books and Manuscripts, University Libraries, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA (#1973-0014R/VF Lit)
Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Sevin Seydi, 1973.
Biographical or Historical Sketch
Rayner Heppenstall was an author and radio producer, perhaps best known as a novelist. Born in Yorkshire and educated at the Universities of Leeds and Strasbourg, Heppenstall worked as a freelance writer, producing novels, poetry, and nonfiction, including criticism. He was known for his unconventional style, and his eccentric creativity contributed to the divided critical reception of his works. He had a long career with the British Broadcasting Corporation, writing and producing radio features, and, later, drama. He maintained a close friendship with George Orwell, and wrote of Orwell and other literary friendships in his memoir, Four Absentees.
Binding notes
Housed in ShareBox 076 boxShare076 GST/P/1/6 c.1 (Archival/Manuscript Material) bound in ShareBox 076
