The Sons of Maxwell Perkins: Letters of F. Scott Fitzgerald Ernest Hemingway Thomas Wolfe and Their Editor

About this book

A unique look at a legendary editor and the literary giants he fostered In April 1938 F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote to his editor Maxwell Perkins "What a time youve had with your sons MaxErnest gone to Spain me gone to Hollywood Tom Wolfe reverting to an artistic hill-billy." As the sole literary editor with name recognition among students of American literature Perkins remains permanently linked to Fitzgerald Hemingway and Wolfe in literary history and literary myth. Their relationships which were largely epistolary play out in the 221 letters Matthew J. Bruccoli has assembled in this volume. The collection documents the extent of the fatherly forbearance attention and encouragement the legendary Scribners editor gave to his authorial sons. The correspondence portrays his ability to juggle the requirements of his three geniuses. Perkins wanted his stars to be close friends and wrote to each of them about the others. They responded in kind: Fitzgerald on Hemingway and Wolfe Wolfe on Fitzgerald Hemingway on Wolfe and Fitzgerald. The novelists also wrote to each other. But contrary to Perkinss hopes for a brotherhood among them their letters express rivalry and suspicion rather than affinity. Perkins encouraged the writers professionally but never took sides in their sibling rivalries. Addressing an overlooked aspect of literary study the letters center on the acts of writing editing and publishing and on the writers relationships with Scribners and one another. In addition to providing insight into the personalities of these literary heroes the correspondence reveals how editing and publishing have changed since the twenties and thirtiesa golden era for Scribners and for American literature. In particular the letters correct the incomplete oversimplified popular image of Perkins and his function as an editorespecially his relationship with Thomas Wolfe.