Merton had been reading William Carlos Williams since the 1930's. Their mutual publisher, James Laughlin of New Directions, informed Merton that Williams had been sick. Merton wishes him better health and writes in praise of Williams' essay on Daniel Boone. Williams suggests that Merton read Allen Ginsberg's books of poetry, and, in particular, Kaddish and Other Poems 1958-1960.
William Carlos Williams was a poet, novelist, playwright and essayist from Rutherford, New Jersey, where he also maintained a pediatric medical practice. (Source: The Courage for Truth, p. 289.)
Please click here for general restrictions concerning Merton's correspondence.
See also published letters from Merton to Williams in The Courage for Truth, pp. 289-290.
If the person in correspondence with Merton has full text records in the Merton Center Digital Collections, there will be a numeric link to them below.
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# | Date | From/To | First Lines | Pub ✓ | Notes |
| y/m/d | Merton | | Scan ✉ | |
1. |
1961/04/06 |
HLS[x] from Merton |
J. Laughlin - your publisher and mine,- tells me you have been quite sick, a fact which I am sorry |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
2. |
1961/04/10 |
TLS to Merton |
The passionate addiction to God which you show me has penetrated even my thick hide, not that I am |
|
«detailed view» |
3. |
1961/07/11 |
TLS[x] from Merton |
It has taken me a long time to get to be able to follow your advice and read Kaddish, because nobody |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
|
|