The Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University

MERTON'S CORRESPONDENCE WITH:
Pasternak, Boris Leonidovich, 1890-1960

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Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence

Dates of materials: 1958-1960

Volume: 7 item(s); 11 pg(s)

Scope and Content

All items in this file are photocopies from other collections or from a United States government Freedom of Information Act request. Merton donated his letters from Pasternak and carbon copies of this letters to the University of Kentucky.

Biography

Boris Pasternak was the Russian novelist and poet best known for Dr. Zhivago. This novel earned him the Nobel Prize for Literature, but, after the nomination, he was forced to leave the Soviet Writers' Union.

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

Related Information and Links

See also the "FBI Materials and CIA Materials", "Harris, John", and "Wolff, Helen" files; and see also published letters from Merton to Pasternak published in The Courage for Truth, pp. 87-93. All letters between Merton and Pasternak were published in Merton & Hesychasm: The Prayer of the Heart, pp. 397-408.

Other Finding Aids

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.
   

Series List

This Record Sub-Group is not divided into Series and is arranged chronologically.

Container List

SeriesDateTypeTo/FromFirst LinesPubFull TextNotes
 1958/08/22 TL[x]from MertonAlthough we are separated by great distances and even greater barriers it gives me pleasure to speakYes  
 1958/09/27 HLS[x]to MertonThank you from all my heart for your warm congenial letter. It also (like my writing to you) seemsYes  
 1958/10/03 HLS[x]to MertonI thank you for "Prometheus" and for the kind unmerited dedication, which I have received yesterday.Yes  
 1958/10/23 TL[x]from MertonWhat a great joy it was to receive your two letters. It has given me much food for thought,Yes  
 1958/11/18 TLS[x] from Harris, John / to MertonMr. Boris Pasternak wishes me to pass a message to you. I quote his own English: Write if possible   
 1958/12/15 TL[x]from MertonFor a long time I have been holding my breath in the midst of the turmoil of incomparable nonsenseYes [see also the "FBI Materials and CIA Materials" file for a copy of Merton's letter intercepted and copied by the United States Central Intelligence Agency and thence forwarded to Pasternak]
 1960/02/07 HLS[x]to Merton[…] Thank you immensely for giving me such inexhaustible marvelous reading for the next futureYes  
        

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