Excellent TLS, two pages, 8.5 x 11, January 24, 1953. Lindbergh writes to Wesley Price. In part: “I am late returning these carbon copies of the first four articles.... However, the ‘lint’ I found in your condensation is negligible, and won’t involve many minutes of your time... You have done an extraordinarily fine job in the condensation; I couldn’t have done it, and I can imagine how difficult it must have been. The two things that surprised me most were 1, that you were able to hold such accuracy in condensing; 2, that you used no word or phrase that was annoying to me, as the author. Your accuracy required perception, a detailed knowledge of aviation, and a most understanding reading of the entire manuscript.... I am under the impression that your condensation tells the story consecutively and comprehensively; but I am a bad judge here, for I am too close to the unabridged manuscript, and know each line too well.... I am in full accord ... with your major omissions—they are well chosen. Thanks also for the additional items of criticism of the manuscript ... especially items such as your calling my attention to the contradiction between ‘Only Nungesser’s plane had escaped an accident among the planes that have been flown.’ And, ‘Newspapers say - - - Drouhin - - - has been running secret tests with a Farman biplane.’ The manuscript is certainly contradictory here, and I’ll make the necessary changes.... Of course I didn’t know it at the time, but it turned out that the French entries, aside from Nungesser’s did not amount to much—probably mostly rumor. Coste made the westward crossing, but at a far later date, and in a plane that was not being tested in the spring of ’27.... I have a letter from Hibbs, suggesting that for the Post series my title, ‘The Spirit of St. Louis’ be replaced by something like ‘I Had to Fly.’ He feels that ‘The Spirit of St. Louis’ is not as drawing a title for the magazine’s readers. I am anxious to cooperate in every possible way, but personally I feel that ‘I Had to Fly’ is a punk title. I think I feel like the young housewife when the interior decorator said, ‘It just isn’t you.’ I don’t talk that way, think that way, and never felt under such compulsion about flying, much as I loved it....” Faint show-through to top margins from small pieces of mounting tape to reverse, faint paperclip impressions, and a block of mild uniform overall toning from previous framing, otherwise fine condition. Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
