Olive Higgins Prouty

393 Walnut Street     Brookline,  Massachusetts

November 1, 1946

Dear Paul,

Thank you very much for Mister Roberts. I think it's a delightful book and it's author must be a delightful person. He certainly is a wonderful story teller and character-drawer.

I write this after having read only thirty-five pages in the early dawn this morning. I stopped because I decided it was far too rare writing to waste it as a sedative.

The chief reason I am grateful to you for the book is because of its effect on the conclusion of my novel. I wonder if you had designs! The remarks on the inside flap of the jacket were very like what I think you were trying to get across to me. The result is I am going to try changing the last two chapters— and, if it isn't plagiarism, put Murray on a cargo boat with no glamour, no combat, no chance for recognized heroism until he had the opportunity to rescue the officer from the raft — proving to himself and to others that he didn't lack physical courage. This act alone may accomplish my purpose. I'm not sure until I get at it.

The rest of the novel is all ready for the copy-editor. I have made changes and inserts and cuts that improve it I think and strengthen the end.

I'm still liking "Home Port".

Sincerely

Olive Higgins Prouty

P.S.
I'm asking Lewis to leave this with the elevator man as he goes to lunch at the Union club. I'm sending the manuscript by messenger this P.M.

MS Am 2105 (210), Houghton Mifflin Publishing Co. archive, Houghton Library, Harvard University