Showing 37 results

Image of Sporthotel Hof Arosa - Italy is nicer in spring, with its religious festivals, is overwhelmed by the country, skied for the first time 'with a where have you been all my life reaction'.

5bis Rue Agar, Paris 16e - Describes Paris: 'people are weary & waiting for the next war'; describes his journey there, and meeting an Australian girl he hopes to see when she travels to Paris again; is staying at a high quality house, landlady and tenants very kind; met Janine [?] and her family, likes her, but is not going to romance her; asks for Vera [Neuhoff?]'s address; will not thank him for his hospitality as he expects to return it in the U.S.

Describes people he's met in Paris; discusses job prospects: teaching high school children of the Army of occupation, re-educating Germans with UNESCO; thinks he has the gift of understanding communities intuitively the way PS understands people; will see Jean-Louis Barrault as Hamlet, details why ‘Brighton Rock’ is a disappointment, including the fact that PS told him the plot has ruined it though PS told him it wouldn’t; continues the letter later that afternoon dismissing the UNESCO job; had an interesting encounter he’ll tell PS about in person; his banking, expenses; the beard means no one takes him for a Yank, is also different in that he tries to speak French; as for Brenda [Dumaresq?], he’s said all he can say, thinks PS will hurt her and himself; discusses the movie ‘Boomerang’, which he admires.

Paris is entertaining and restful; saw [Jean-Louis] Barreult [recte Barrault]'s Hamlet, which would have been overdone for Cyrano; discusses 'Hamlet', 'Brighton Rock', 'Four Quartets', and Conrad, thinks Conrad can weave a spell, but is prone to bad writing; will have to talk when they meet about increasing American sense of responsibility manifesting itself as belligerence; went to a Debussy concert played by the 'putrid' Opera House orchestra; hearing 'Iberia' makes him believe in the Platonic theory of knowledge, given his certainty that it was a great piece of music being played wretchedly; continues their conversation about why Spain at her height culturally produced no great music, and PS's theory that they had no contact with the West and an isolated nobility; Paris is a musical void unless you take into account the language; has not pursued the friendship with Vera [Neuhoff?]; the idea of going to Berlin is probably on hold given the current situation; discusses 'Boomerang' further; agrees with his comments on the Chandler genre; doesn't know what he'll do if he doesn't land a teaching job.

Writes from Paris. The Australian girl he met has gone home, which has given him a idea of PS's life of isolation from people; will be in Cambridge next Tuesday; tells him he dropped Vera [Neuhoff?] because he just wanted her French and her contacts; finished Conrad's 'Arrow of Gold'; was amused by his treatise on his absent-mindedness; is delighted at the improvement in his 'home situation'; thinks the 'smash' with Brenda [Dumaresq?] was a happy ending for Peter at least.

Note accompanying items no longer present, 'With hopes that you will not be alone enough to get through all these'.

Note sending his love.

Mal writes that he and Frances [Whyte] haven't seen much of Paris; was defrauded of several thousand Francs by a black marketeer; saw '[Monsieur] Verdoux', thought the phony French background and the mood of the ending out of keeping with the rest of the movie. With three lines from Frances, who is looking forward to seeing Peter.

Describes visiting Lake Leman in Switzerland, a short stop off in Milan to see the Cathedral, and on to Venice, had not realised that the whole city is built on water, thought the Canal was one river running through the middle of town, visited the Piazza San Marco and Bienniale; finds the city more expensive than Paris and food and wine not as good; shocked [Thomas] Dewey won the nomination at the Republican Convention; he and [Dopus? - Frances Whyte?] are getting on fine.

Image of 'Firenze - Una Veduta dal Piazzale Michelangelo' - Gives his itinerary and promises a long letter soon.

Venice is primarily a resort compared to Florence, though they admire the Donatello John the Baptist in the [Basilica dei Frari]; tourists are still there but it is nothing like the 'frenzied assault' in Venice; it is the first anniversary of his first encounter with Frances [Whyte]. Continues on 4 July, recounts what he has seen: the chapel at San Lorenzo, the Medici Chapel, the Academy of Fine Arts, where he particularly admires the David; describes getting left behind by his train with Frances on it with his tickets.

Image of the Roman Forum, Vespasiano's and Saturno's Temple - Is more impressed with classical ruins than the Baroque architecture.

Is happy they will see each other soon in Cornwall, notes they both feel despair, Peter from isolation, Mal from overinvolvement; discusses matters of luggage, money owed for their Paris venture; thought his comments on 'Lord Jim' brilliant, still dismayed by his self-effacingness.

A letter written after a frank discussion of their feelings, declares his love and his miserable state and recognizes Peter's misery as well; after an initial joyful reunion with Frances [Whyte], he realises there's no 'magic'.

Continues his discussion of their love and issues of separation, Peter's anguish and his sense of guilt and inadequacy; is with Frances [Whyte], which requires readjustment and he is unsure of marriage; is practising [music] again, playing tennis; the program is useful and it is good to have a semblance of a routine again, discusses a possible job in Paris and plans he had to meet Bruce [Hunt?] in Winchester. In a postscript, he asks him to stop writing him in care of Frances as he is in full residence there, asks where the letter from Ruth [?] might have gone; identifies the actress PS liked in 'Gentleman's Agreement' as Celeste 'Cissie' Holmes [recte Holm].

Is still in Southampton, hasn't heard from his contact in Paris; went to the Isle of Wight in stormy weather; maybe she [Celeste Holm?] is like that in real life, given her compassionate Ado Annie; would really like to see Olivier and Richardson do 'Othello' at the Old Vic if that comes to pass; has given up on [getting a job in] Germany; is glad to hear PS's tone of semi-resignation, thinks PS will get over him in the 'giddy round of hardly quiet fun' that awaits him in Cambridge; they've said what needs saying 'as to the sexual fears', and has faith in their ability to get past this; is thrilled at the sound of the latest 'undertaking' [unidentified]; describes meeting on a ferry Dave Calhoun, the son of his professor at Yale who is going to Cambridge, will be a Henry Fellow like Dud Towne was (who he describes), thinks Dave will make Brian [Shaffer] a good friend, as someone with common interests and 'sharp enough to stay with him'; saw the Olivier 'Pride and Prejudice', 'like a good symphony being butchered'. The letter continues the next day, arranges a time for PS to call; the news from the [Frances] Whyte-Diamond front is good: 'you'll be much relieved to see us getting on so beautifully', part of which is an active sex life.

Writes from Paris. Is reading 'Howard's End' and thinks it first rate, disagreeing with PS; describes his attempts to reach the Marshall Plan Personal Director, [Ed] McMenamin, in Paris, and his journey there to see about a job, is distressed to learn they've not heard of him; reflects on his love for Frances [Whyte]; hopes to hear from Peter on his return.

Image of Charlecote House - Writes from Stratford, hasn't been overrun by tourists yet; has been busy getting ready to leave the country.

Has been very busy getting ready to leave the country, has been with Frances [Whyte] continually and hasn't been able to write; describes what he's been doing since PS left, describes a trip to Oxford, where they especially liked Magdalen's Deer Park; spent time with Dave Calhoun who reminded them of his father [Robert Lowry Calhoun], spent time talking of philosophy, thinks Brian [Shaffer] will enjoy his company; went to see 'Othello' at Stratford and describes the play, agrees with him about [John] Quayle's Iago, and discusses John Justin's Cassio, [Paul] Scofield's Roderigo, Diana [Wynyard]'s Desdemona, and [Ena] Burrill's Emilia; describes their visit to Warwick Castle, Canterbury, hitchhiking, visiting Tony, Brian, and Reka at Windyridge; is to sail on one of the converted troop ships leaving [Southampton] the next day; saw 'Naked City' and thought it well done; really liked 'Oliver Twist' which he has seen twice; is reading 'Pride and Prejudice', but thinks Aldous Huxley wrote a good screenplay; his feelings have not stayed the same in this past month, given he has been immersed in another love, 'Nature, society, everything was for this and against us'; his love for Frances in no way dims his feelings for Peter.

Is glad to hear from PS, urges him not to overdo things and look after his health; describes working as a waiter to pay his passage to the U.S. on board the 'Marine Tiger'; has taken to scratching himself for hours again, but is better when he is around Frances [Whyte]; saw Uncle [Sid] Lovett, Chaplain at Yale, who advised him to marry Frances, get psychiatric treatment at once, take money from his father, and approved of Frances' idea that he take an MA in Philosophy; shares his admiration for Frances, would marry her now if it weren't for her Catholicism; went up to Union Theological and saw [James] Muilenberg, who went all out to get him accepted by Columbia and Union, is a candidate for the PhD in the Philosophy of Religion supervised by a joint faculty board from both universities, has started the semester 3 weeks late, with exams and term papers for five courses; has not wanted to see people since his return, but saw Harold [Rosenberg?] and is working to reestablish their relationship; the U.S. seems vulgar and terribly wasteful compared to Europe; hopes the letter doesn't worry PS, his was very welcome.

A self-described stream of consciousness letter describing his hectic schedule, worries about his future with Frances [Whyte], a religious upheaval (worries that his faith is just that he has become 'clever with dialectic tensions and religious terminology'); is aware that analysis requires persevering through pain; thinks analysis is PS's only hope; Mal's father [Walter Joseph Diamond] doesn't see the point of analysis and is balking at the cost; a dermatologist has brought the scratching under control; thinks of suicide but is in no danger of getting on with it; sees that full term ends 6 Dec. at Cambridge and send his best to PS's family; D.A.G. Hinks 'was a hell of a nice guy'.

Went to see 'A Night at the Opera', doesn't like it as much as PS does; was thrilled to watch Toscanini broadcasting from a small studio; briefly mentions a joint recital by [Artur] Schnabel and [Joseph] Szigeti and also the Boston Symphony under Koussevitsky; has seen 'Edward, My Son' with a memorable performance by Peggy Ashcroft; admires the film 'Louisiana Story' with its score by Virgil Thomson; bridles at PS's statement that 'in America analysis is just like going to the toilet [struck out] I mean cloakroom'; suggests PS get himself to an analyst like Henry [Leonard?] Wilson and suggests he prove a correlation between the Bevin Boy Business and his poor psychiatric state despite actually being 'loused up' before in order to get it paid for; could hardly believe he was writing about religion but won't lecture him despite being baited; tried to break up with Frances [Whyte] last month to no avail and mentions the private language he had with PS (Cuban); his father [Walter Diamond] is paying for analysis after meeting the analyst; tells him not to worry about PS's effect on his analysis, rather it gives him something to say; wishes he would not apologise for everything; hopes Dave [Calhoun] is well.

Is very busy, but has wanted to yell at PS since getting his letter; doesn't agree that his [Mal's] situation is easier than Peter's and tells him to lay off; still thinks PS should undergo analysis; his relationship with Frances [Whyte] is good but they are doomed; give his best to Tony, Brian, Dave [Calhoun], and Seymour Betsky if he's still there.

Describes his difficulty in focusing on work, finds analysis painful, has distanced himself from his family except for Frances [Whyte]; is going to hear Solomon [Cutner] in his American debut, [Artur] Schnabel has cancelled concerts due to illness, is going to three performances of the New York Philharmonic conducted by [Bruno] Walter including one featuring [Clifford] Curzon, and two ballets featuring [Alexandra] Danilova and [Alicia] Markova; the best thing he has seen is Marcel Pagnol's film 'Marius', which has the texture of a novel; asks for details of his psychiatrist; asks about friends there, news of Dave Calhoun and Tony, glad to hear Mr Wisdom is looking good.

Describes a 'magnificent' concert featuring Clifford Curzon with Bruno Walter and the N.Y. Philharmonic, which brought back memories of the glorious weekend with PS before he left for Paris; it's been a great year for English pianists, describes a concert by Solomon and also mentions Myra Hess; is getting on well with Frances [Whyte], but no break on the matrimonial front; is pleased to read what PS had to say about analysis, that the work is all the patient's; says PS is a lot sicker than he is, and will have to do a lot more work; describes his religious problems, has been studying Will Herberg, appreciates that he writes meaningfully about Judaism.

Describes his sessions with his analyst: 5 days a week, is aware he has to do all the work, while the analyst merely restates what he has said; describes the work he needs to do for his PhD; describes the many concerts he has attended, the two highlights already described: concerts by Solomon and Curzon, followed by Beethoven conducted by Walter, Koussevitsky with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Toscanini in a non-broadcast benefit concert at Carnegie Hall, with the result that he heard the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 9th in 10 days. Read [Graham Greene's] 'The Heart of the Matter'; asks if PS has resumed psychiatric sessions on his return to Cambridge.

Encloses a letter for Dave [Calhoun] in hopes it reaches him before he leaves Cambridge; describes his schedule with psychiatric analysis, dental work, courses in German and French to attain reading proficiency by the autumn, and piano lessons. He and Frances [Whyte] are getting on well; it has been a year since Frances arrived in England; wonders how things are going with Judy [?].