3 April 1950 typed letter signed from Winston Churchill to Viscount Camrose

Description: "It is certain now that if I live and have my liberty, the book will be six volumes."A 3 April 1950 typed letter signed from Winston S. Churchill on his Chartwell stationery to his close friend, the publishing magnate Viscount Camrose, regarding edits to, and both serialization and publication timing for, the fourth volume of Churchill's Second World War memoirs, the letter including Churchill's autograph valediction and signature, as well as Camrose's margin notes Chartwell, Westerham, Kent, London: 1950 Condition: Very Good This artifact of Winston S. Churchill’s preparation to publish the fourth volume of his Second World War memoirs is a 3 April 1950 typed letter signed by Churchill to his close friend, the publishing magnate Viscount Camrose. This three-page letter on Churchill’s Chartwell stationery features, in blue ink, Churchill’s autograph valediction “Yours ever,” and his signature “Winston S. Churchill”. Condition of the letter is very good, clean and complete with a single circular hole punched at the upper left for filing, adjacent staple scars, and one centered horizontal fold, presumably from original posting. There are three separate pencil notations in the blank left margins, two on page 2 and one on page 3, all presumably those of Camrose. The letter begins “I shall be able to deliver Volume IV to you before May 1…” The letter goes on to discuss timing and details of “improvement in the next three or four following months” as well as serialization in LIFE magazine and subsequent publication in book form by his U.S. (Houghton Mifflin) and British (Cassell) publishers. Churchill was known to vex his publishers and delay publication with myriad corrections. Here he offers numerous caveats. First, he states “Although I can probably work to a middle of August delivery of Volume IV, I do not know why there is all this hurry.” The pencil margin note beside this comment, which may contain a note of vexation, is “Date chosen by W.S.C.… when he spoke to me.” Regarding the proposed October serialization, Churchill states “The above is still influenced by the political uncertainty.” Labour had just achieved a small majority in the late February general election and Churchill remained Leader of the Opposition. Also worthy of note is the certainty about the final projected length of the work. When first proposing his initial conceptions, concerns, and conditions about writing his war memoirs in October 1946, Churchill had told Camrose “The work would seem to divide itself into four or five books, each with heavy appendices comprising one hundred and fifty to two hundred thousand words”. Both the volume and word counts proved a considerable underestimation. In March 1949, Churchill had proposed a sixth volume to Camrose. Now, in this letter, Churchill wrote “It is certain now that if I love and have my liberty, the book will be six volumes.” Beside Churchill’s comment about “full payment… for the fifth Volume” is another pencil notation: “Intention to present matters in that way”. In his final paragraph, Churchill notes that “a definite statement should be made at the time of the publication of Volume IV that the total work will be six volumes.” The pencil note beside this statement states “Nothing settled”. Churchill concludes “Pray let me know whether there are points which are not clear between us.” Despite the close friendship and long professional association between Churchill and Camrose, the dynamic tension on points of editing, length, and publication seems manifest in this letter and Camrose’s marginalia. William Ewert Berry, 1st Viscount Camrose (1879-1954), co-owned the Daily Telegraph and Morning Post – both papers for which a very young Churchill had served as a war correspondent in the final years of the 19th century during the reign of Queen Victoria. Churchill’s Second World War and postwar publisher in Britain – Cassell – was also linked to Camrose. In the postwar years, Camrose played crucial roles in securing Churchill’s prosperity. Of Camrose, Churchill later said “He was one of my most true and most valued friends for more than thirty years.” This letter was part of an archive of correspondence from Churchill to Camrose and his sons, centered on the conception, writing, and publication of Churchill’s Second World War memoirs, and spanning sixteen years, from October 1946 to October 1962. The file in which the correspondence was kept bore a typed label “LETTERS SIGNED | (or initialed) | by SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL”. Ref #: 008041 CHURCHILL BOOK COLLECTOR We are Churchill Book Collector, a professional bookseller specializing in books and other published works by and about the great twentieth century statesman and acclaimed writer, Sir Winston Churchill. We offer both a singular inventory and approachable expertise. The integrity of our inventory is backed by our membership in the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America (ABAA), the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), and the Independent Online Booksellers Association (IOBA). Churchill's official biographer, Sir Martin Gilbert, rightly called Churchill's long life "remarkable and versatile". Statesman, soldier, war correspondent, ardent social reformer, combative cold warrior, painter - Churchill was many things, but perhaps above all a master wordsmith. We’re here to help Churchill’s words find your shelves. 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Price: 4200 USD

Location: San Diego, California

End Time: 2024-12-04T03:55:42.000Z

Shipping Cost: 20 USD