Letter from John Lehmann to Ahmed Ali (06/02/1941)

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[[MS 2750/2/1/32]]

 

 

Mr. Ahmed Ali. 
The university, 
Luckow.

 

6th February, 1941.

 

Dear Ahmed,

 

I was very glad to get a letter from you at last to-day, it was dated the 17th of December. It had made me rather sad to have no news of you at all. In England, you know, we care very much about our friends remembering us in times like these.

 

I think that you have probably had my letter by now, in which I tol you what good reviews on the whole the book had had. There where some rather disgruntled, of course, in view of the criticisms of the British in it, but nearly all appreciated the great poetic charm of the book. I'm afraid it hasn't been a good season for rather special books of that sort, and though  have sold better than we thought likely at the worst moment in Autumn, we haven't done anything very grand. As far as India is concerned, your remarks rather puzzle me. We have had no cable orders from anyone ourselves, and very few direct orders from Indian Booksellers at all, - though some may be coming of course. And I can't understand why you say that Allied Publishers in Bombay are our agents: they are not, and never have been. I do hope you haven't put booksellers in touch with them, as results by that method will be nil. We have no special agent in

 

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India at the moment, and in any case I think you would realise if you know more about the way the publishing business is conducted that it's impossible to send large quantities of a book to a bookseller without a definite order of some sort. I am only too ready to make special terms for Indian booksellers who show their interest, - you can mention this to them if you like. I am extremely keen to push your sales in India, out with the present hazards of sea transit, I am anxious not to risk more copies than I know are wanted at any one time. As far as the leaflet circulation goes, I will indeed prepare one now that we have most of the reviews in; without reviews, such as a leaflet has little value.

 

Do write to me again soon. Folios of new writing goes on well in spite of everything, and now the Penguin New Writing has turned into a monthly on its own. I have great hopes of it, and look forward to Indian contributions. It was nice of you to send these poems translated from the Urdu, - but but why not something of your own?

 

Very best wishes,

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Reproduced with permission from Penguin Random House UK Archive and Library owner of the Hogarth Press archive collection, held by the University of Reading Special Collections.

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Source: MS 2750/2/1/32

Letter from John Lehmann to Ahmed Ali (06/02/1941)

Author:

Library:

University of Reading, Special Collections

Archival Folder:

Lehmann asks for clarity regarding sales in India.

Typescript letter signed by Lehmann