Estate / Collection: The Jean Vounder-Davis Collection of Raymond Chandler

STEINBECK, JOHN

Autograph letter signed. [Sag Harbor, N.Y.:] circa 19 June 1961. A two-page autograph letter written on legal length yellow lined paper, signed in full "John Steinbeck," the letter addressed to Jean Vounder-Davis in La Jolla, CA. With the original envelope written out in Steinbeck’s hand. Folds, else fine; Offered with a copy of the letter from Jean to Steinbeck to which Steinbeck here responds. Two pages on carbon paper; And the first edition copy of Cannery Row that started the affair. New York: Viking, 1945. First edition, in the second issue canary yellow cloth, in original dust jacket. Wear to jacket.

In the letter from Jean Vounder-Davis to John Steinbeck, she reports to the author how his novel Cannery Row "was forbidden to my high school daughter. The teacher said that other parents would no doubt consider it corrupting to youth and pornographic" and noting how the teacher left the school over the issue. Steinbeck's response to this is striking:

"I feel for him and wish him well, but he is the lucky one. Consider the position of the complaining mothers trapped by their own dullness into the defensive conviction that their failure with their children is the result of reading ... " It has been my observation that the instigators of restrictions whether political, moral or artistic are invariably frightened people and the fear ridden must of necessity be fierce." He continues suggesting that it is through the banning of books that makes children revolt and read them ("Do you want literacy? Pass laws against reading") but notes that "I don't think Cannery Row can help or hurt anyone very much, but this one inspired mother has probably caused people to read it who otherwise might never have heard about it."

Steinbeck was likely drawn to respond in such length to Jean due to her connection with Raymond Chandler who he mentions here: "I greatly admired his work but I only met him once, shortly before his death when his whole being was a bleeding wound. I wish I had known him in the days of his flowering. His letters then were full of fine things."