Across the Spectrum:The Interdisciplinary Life and Letters of John G. Neihardt (‘Flaming Rainbow’)

I troubled you with a long letter yesterday which was not of a very constructive nature; but I have something more pleasant to talk about this morning.

I believe that the STRAWS IN THE WIND ought to come out very soon and I know that this belief is based upon no secret springs of vanity in me, though there are plenty of these no doubt. For obvious reasons such a book of criticism can not be handled in the East. No publisher would care to risk offending his supporting cliques. I rather think the University of Oklahoma Press would be interested. Something very vital is going on over there in Norman and the University Press does remarkable things. The STRAWS should appear in such a definitely American community. By advertising it in the Post, I think a fair number of copies would sell in Post territory, though God knows St. Louis is dark enough. My question is this: To what extent do you think you could aid in pushing the STRAWS, which contains the best of my articles over a period of nearly five years? Don't let your generosity make you go too strong on this. Just tell me what seems possible without taking any special burden on yourself. The time will come, perhaps very rapidly, when the value of this book will be painfully apparent to anyone who can relate causes and consequences, and I hate to think of the manuscript's lying idle.

I have a plan for assuming a fair portion of the risk if this should seem necessary. I do not want you to consider any financial risk whatever.