Roman Goul / Correspondence 31
Of course, I am VERY eager to publish this material in “The New Review.” Right now, I am just about to submit the materials for volume 85 (December). <…> I am prepared to meet with you whenever you’d like, however is most convenient for you...
I recently returned from the Soviet Union, as you may know, but, as you certainly do not know, I also brought with me a manuscript that may prove to be of explosive importance. I should like to show it to you. I have already offered an English translation (as yet non-existent) to an American publisher...
I am sending you the manuscript of “Kolyma Tales” by registered mail. I have not read everything yet. In the December issue of Novyi Zhurnal I will be giving several short stories: “The Package,” “Kant,” “Dry Ration,” “Sententious,” and maybe “Cherry-Brandy...
I very much regret that Szalamov’s manuscript need a serious adjustment and the Xerox copy is so bad. For these reasons I have, unfortunately, resign from the plan of publication in Polish, at least at present. It is possible that I shall return to this project later on...
A faithful person has just brought me a novel by Shalamov "Bunkist," 17 1/2 pages. If you want to print it, not only because Shalamov is asking to join the Writer's Union, but also because it is too long for us.
I am sending you a list of Shalamov’s stories and an article by Adamovich. As I told you, this list was in the first manuscript. The second manuscript arrived without a list. I do not need to return either the list or the article (I have a copy of the article)...
I have heard complaints about you for writing in your abstract about the next book of Novyi Zhurnal about Shalamov. I didn’t like it, and I sympathize with you. Soviet repentances, of course, are a very sad thing, but they should always be taken on faith and should not be given too much importance...
The reaction of Russkaya Mysl to "Shalamov's Protest" simply shocked me. How could Shakhovskaya write such a thing? Taking it from the article of one defector (I almost know who), who certainly has no right to write about any informers. I would like Shakhovskaya to answer me in the newspaper...
Many thanks for your proposal to publish the novella by L. Chukovskaia under the brand of our publishing house. I haven't received the second half of the novella yet since I don't yet have the 84th volume of Novyi Zhurnal. As soon as I receive it (this will be any day now)...
About Chukovskaia: my publishing budget is not impersonal but distributed between individual authors and books. I, alas, cannot, for example, replace one book with another, and even publish a book by scrimping on printing costs for other books. Chukovskaia's novella would...
If you send Shalamov's "Bunkist," I will be very grateful. I still have quite a few of his stories, but not "Bunkist," and I would gladly squeeze him (besides, he might not be a "concentration camp," which I would like so much [)]...
In the meantime, I had another idea: you won’t get much further with Shalamov, it ends, and they grumble a lot.
I have read your explanation about Shalamov and answered you in the next “report.”
You spoil me with splendid materials. Of course, your poems will appear in a good place in one of our next issues. As for the two poems by Brodskii, we didn’t find them in Grani, we checked, and I am going to print them as soon as possible, so that someone else doesn’t print them first...
Responding to your "editorial report," I forgot to say that I welcome what you said about the "strange" reaction of "Russian thought" to Shalamov's "confession." Everything that Shalamov published in Novyi Zhurnal seems to me very valuable...
What a great job Lydia Chukovskaia did! Both in "Sofiya Petrova" and – in particular – in her letter to Sholokhov. I bow to her to the earth. She is the one the world should admire, not Yevtushenko, even though he may be more talented!
As have I already told you, I need all the issues of Novyi Zhurnal with Shalamov’s stories. After looking through, I found that the first ones were printed in No. 85, back in 1966. And then there are issues Nos. 86, 89, 91, 96, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104...
Dear Giedroyc, please excuse me for not answering your letter for so long. There are many physical and non-physical reasons. I will be very happy to provide you with the manuscript of V.T. Shalamov. He needs to be published. However, there is a “but...
As for the m<anu>s<cript>, it will certainly not be in English translation (even in draft form) by March, so if you wish to use more of it you are welcome to do so.
«Шери-бренди» is an imagined account of the death of Osip Mandelstam...
I kept the typeset of the novella by L. Chukovskaia and will release it as a separate book. But then I thought that perhaps your publishing house would be interested in publishing this novella? Then I would give you a ready-made typeset. We would save a few hundred dollars...
Why is your publishing house so slow to answer about the publication of the novella by Lydia Chukovskaia? I believe this to be a very straightforward matter.
So, I will be waiting for the manuscript [of Vasily Grossman’s Vse Techet]. I can offer it to the Chekhov Publishing House, I am on good terms with them. And they can print it regardless of whether it is published in Novyi Zhurnal (it does not constrain them)...
With greatest interest I have read in Nowy Journal works of Schalamov “Kalymskie Zapiski” [sic!].
It is not only a document but also excellent literary work. Have you got the “Zapiski” as a whole book[?] If so I should be glad to have the full manuscript or Xerox copies...