[Rarebooks] Steinbeck & Ricketts on sex and love, marriage.

[Serendipity Books]

(1)


[ca 1942]     Autograph letter signed, ink, 
1p,  8 ½" x 11, ruled yellow foolscap from a 
pad.  To his literary agent Mavis McIntosh, of 
McIntosh & Otis, candid.  The draft is undated, 
but must have been written ca 1942, since 
Steinbeck refers to the fact that Carol (his 
first wife) has not replied to his offer of a 
divorce settlement.  Steinbeck's personal 
distress during this difficult period is apparent:

"Of Carol? I have a great deal of love for her. 
Of Gwen? I have a great deal of love for her.  Of 
myself? I haven't very much. I wish I had more. 
Lots of things to get rid of first though and I 
think I am getting rid of some of them
..Of 
course where the trouble is going to come is that 
neither Carol nor Gwen will be able to understand 
that I can love more than one woman.  I'm pretty 
darned faithfull sexually though and would only 
stop if some pressure or unhappiness
in the 
status quo whatever that is."   Some 215 words, unsigned.

Once crumpled.  Clearly a draft, unsent. Numerous 
letters to Mavis McIntosh are included in 
STEINBECK: A LIFE IN LETTERS, but none resembles 
this draft, which may never have been rewritten, 
and none were written to her in 1942, a time in 
which Steinbeck's most personal letters were to Webster F. ["Toby"] Street.


$6000.00







(2)

"I won't go inland"


A15b   SEA OF CORTEZ.  New York: The Viking 
Press, 1941. Blue cloth, illus, 598pp, map 
endpapers.  First hardback edition, printing the 
text in its entirety, with illustrations, some 
colored. A fine copy in worn, repaired dust 
jacket, priced $5.00.  The jacket has some chips. 
This copy is inscribed in pencil by Ed Ricketts 
to his future wife Alice Campbell:

"To Alice from Ed. October 31, 1947. For 
remembering a belt that looks like a wood 
carving, 'for us a measure of continuance.'"

Enclosed is the marriage certificate (#148484) of 
Alice and Ed signed by a justice of the peace in 
Las Vegas, with a vintage photograph of Ricketts, 
(5" x 7"), black and white, with the original 
negative. The book has no printed dedication.   Slipcase.


With:   Typed letter signed (in pencil "Ed"), 
three full pages, November 25, 1947. To John 
Steinbeck, of his relationship and the impending 
break-up with his wife Toni. An extraordinary 
letter, more than 1700 words. Ricketts begins in 
the third person, of the two quite good people, 
whose relationship has been " "
each has had his 
good thing ready for the other only for it to be 
reflected back unabsorbed."a tragedy of errors 
when it wasn't an equal comedy."  Toni had gone 
away, in a near nervous breakdown, though there 
had never been any exterior intensity of emotion 
revealed.  Their relationship wasn't good, 
Ricketts realizes. "There were lots of bad 
places, and they caused further strain. A divorce 
is imminent.  But Ed had entered into a 
relationship with Alice (age 22), who has cleared 
out. Ed had been with Toni 7 years. Now Toni may 
go east, but "I won't go inland". He knows 
Steinbeck understands because he had similar 
experiences.  Toni had never been able to give 
Ricketts "considerable physical affection."  Of 
Kay's death and funeral, of Bach and the comfort of his fugal discipline.

             This letter of 1947 might well be 
compared with Steinbeck's letter (not sent) to 
his agent Mavis McIntosh in 1942, when he 
casually remarks that "Of course where the 
trouble is going to come is that neither Carol 
nor Gwen will be able to understand that I can love more than one woman."


Book, marriage certificate, photograph and typed 
letter to Steinbeck:  $22,500.00









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************

Peter B. Howard
Serendipity Books
1201 University Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94702
voice: (510) 841-7455
fax: (510) 841-1920
e-mail: pbhoward at serendipitybooks.com
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