Walden West [inscribed, with four signed letters] by Derleth, August - 1961

New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1961. Derleth's view of his small slice of Wisconsin as a microcosm revealing universal truths, inspired by Thoreau's 'Walden'. INSCRIBED by Derleth to Peoria educator, author and activist Julia Proctor White, with four typed signed letters to her, dated in February, March, and April of 1964. Evidently White, at the time of the correspondence in her late 80s, read a review of a collection of Derleth's journal entries and was inspired to offer him one of her books, for a young girl mentioned in the journals. Derleth points out that the entry was from the '40s and the young girl in question now has six children and perhaps the book would be better offered to the local school; Derleth then discusses Thoreau and Emerson, with whose work White was not familiar, to Derleth's astonishment (and dismay with modern education); she had read Derleth's Concord Rebel (on Thoreau); he assures her she will enjoy Walden West more, and that of course she must read Thoreau's Walden; with one letter Derleth enclosed a clipping of his column for the Madison Capital Times (included) and recommends Thoreau & Emerson readings; the final note comments on a Lowell quote Derleth had not previously seen (included is White's (carbon?) copy of the quote), and noting Lowell's quarrels with Emerson & Thoreau, ends "Such is the literary life, I believe -- I have kept out of it, I have preferred to be a provincial in my own corner without sycophants." All four letters are on Derleth's letterhead featuring a wood-engraving of a careening train by Frank Utpatel; the first, marked ad/rm was presumably dictated and typed by Roderick Meng, Derleth's assistant; the others we expect are self-typed as was Derleth's usual practice. They are on good bond paper, folded; most are numbered by White on the backs: "Derleth 1, Derleth 2, Derleth 3"; one is lightly tanned from the newspaper clipping. The book is INSCRIBED by Derleth to White, and shows only light wear, minor tanning and a staple stain to the front gutter (from the clipping); the jacket, minor rubbing mostly to the rear panel; near fine. A pleasing sequence, showing Derleth's willingness to engage with someone whom a person of lesser humanity would have seen as a nonentity.. Inscribed by the Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. Illus. by Grisha Dotzenko. Small Octavo.