stefansson-wrangel-09-21-022

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There has just been published in England a biography of Shackleton. Shackleton had many admirable qualities but there are two things known to thousands of people in England, the direct contrary of which is stated by the biographer under the impression that he is thereby helping Shackleton's reputation and protecting the feelings of certain people now discussing whether it is justifiable in a biographyr to tell outright lies, no matter how good the motive. This very discussion has completely defeated the motive of the biographer, no matter how good it was, and these two faults are now better known and are now making more of a breach in the reputation of Shackleton than would have been the case if they had been either left unmentioned of had been stated with charitable moderation.

I have cabled Le Bourdais to look after your apartment in New York and to have it ready for you in case you want to come back to it. The Macmillan Company have advanced me another 1,000 dollars on account of royalties and have sent that sum to Mrs. Wilcox who should be able to pay what bills are necessary with that until I get back, which will probably be somewhere between the 5th and 15th of October.

I am hoping to hear that Jefferies has been able to sell your"Polar Picnic" to a magazine. He had not been successful with anyone up to the point where I mentioned to George G. Harrap & Company, Ltd., that he had such a manuscript. They asked to see it, were delighted with it and are expecting to bring it out in February. I have been superintending the making of a map for it. I saw the first draft yesterday. It will be finished this week. I cabled Le Bourdais to get him and Miss Skinner to try to furnish illustrations. There are to be 16 full pages.

It was my original idea that the history of Wrangell Island expedition should be written up by us jointly and based upon the diaries. I find, however, that Harrap objects to this strongly, going so far as to say that he would probably not publish the "Polar Picnic" if a Wrangell Island book over your name were to be published about the same time. Also the Arrowsmith firm want to feature my name in connection with the Wrangell Island book, for I am now known in that connection to everyone in England. The understanding between the firms of Harrap and Arrowsmith is that your name will appear in the Arrowsmith book, but will not be featured in the adversiting. Of course it is a pity you can't be featured in both, but that is impossible since the books have to appear about the same time.