Dear Mr. Smith,
I was under the employment of Jubal Harshaw. One day, as I came to clean the pool, I saw a lifeless man sitting on the bottom of the pool. He looked like he had drowned, but he stayed down on the botttom. (How is that even possible? He was naked and there was nothing holding him down.) I didn't even clean the pool that day, because I grew nervous about the matter and left. When I came back the next day, I SAW THAT BODY WALKING AROUND. Now tell Mr. Harshaw that I'm not stupid, and I can tell when something funny's going on. Tell him that I QUIT, before the cops come.
Dear V.M. Smith,
I'm in the Army. Not too long ago, this guy, Private Jones, joined, and really shook things up. I was watching him when they first presented him with a gun. He looked like a vampire who had just been offered garlic, and then, to my great surprise, THE GUN VANISHED!!! In a snap, poof, gone! He was given another one, and it went too! Later, he gave this preachy speech about how guns were stupid, and he was immune to bullets. He even offered to let himself get shot! What a looney! I'm glad that they gave him the sack, before he pulled his gun trick on people, making them vanish.
Dear Mr. Smith,
I had a great idea for a new song. It's all about some of the major events of our life time, and how this next generation, although we didn't cause the problems, we need to stop them. I'm calling it "We Didn't Start the Fire," and I would like to mention the title of your book in the following way:
"Hemingway, Eichmann, 'Stranger in a Strange Land'/
Dylan, Berlin, Bay of Pigs Invasion" I'm sure you know by now that your book has had a resounding impact on the youth of the '60's. I even hear that people are forming their own churches based on yours.(Sounds a little too hippie to me, but, hey, I'm just a pop singer.) So, how about it? Can I use the name of your book in my song?
Sincerely,
Billy Joel
Dear Mr. Smith,
I just finished reading your book. I really enjoyed Mr. Heinlein's style of writing. He doesn't overload you with descriptions, but offers enough details that you feel that you are in the scene. It's amazing that even with 30% of his words cut out before orginal publication, he still has beautiful writing. I felt, however, that sometimes Mr. Heinlein took Mr. Harshaw's voice to express his own opinons. Is this true? I would think that Mr. Harshaw would be very upset to be used that way.
A Fan,
Joe
Hello Jubal,
It's been a long time, and I was really sorry to hear about Mike. He was a great kid, a little weird, but once you grok him, he's easier to understand. Wow, the book sales have been phenomenal. That kid really has the Midas touch! Anyway, I've been getting a lot of letters about Mike and his 'Church of All Worlds.' I know we did a good job telling Mike's story but, ". . .I would never undertake to be a `Prophet,' handing out neatly packaged answers to lazy minds. [. . .] anyone who takes that book as answers is cheating himself. It is an invitation to think--not to believe."
RAH