Skip to main contentResource added ![6/25 [1985]
Dear Jim,
We’ve been up here at Livingston Manor for a full month
now (vacated May 19th for our blessed summer sublets) and
there is not much in the way of news. Up until this past
week I’d taken a total vacation from reading, writing and
figuring the check book- that is, once I’d finished final
exams and term papers and going back to the city to hand in
grades and enjoy final conferences. That was not a bad day
at all: cony was painless and the city itself felt great
after all that grading in the country- I was away from the
family and since I couldn’t go to our apartment I had to
lay down in a strange bed ... and that too was painless;
Back upstate my only activities had to do with the out-
of-doors- cleaning up the place- raking, picking up leaves,
dealing with an assortment of plumbing problems and heater
problems. Everyday a new country chore to absorb me (Dan too)
- a rotten log that needed to be chopped out and filled in
with cement; chimneys that needed cleanding out- a slate
path in need of resettling- that sort of thing. Out of the
self and into the elements or into the self by getting out
of thought (organized thought).
But this week, at last, feeling settled and maybe calmer
away from the city, I’ve begun to work on my poetry every-
day. I work best at night- around 10 to 1am. Then, if I have
the courage, I see what I’ve done as soon as I wake up and then
fiddle with it through the day. I also read a novel through
the week, one I recommend to you especially since you have
been (I think) to Prague- M. Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness
of Being. Asinde from all that, the highlight of the week
was Danny’s graduation from playschool up here. For the past
few weeks he’s been going the Methodist Church where a play
school meets from 9 to 12 every day. We did not expect anything
special from the graduation ceremony. Then Dan appears at
the front of a line with children- in cap and gown- blue and
white. It was quite a to|do. Dan’s first pledge of allegence-
a minister offered a prayer (complete with hands in the right
position). And there was a nice little American audience. I
wish I could have memorized the faces and at the same time
developed the gift of description. A lot of fatness and latent
hatred, the latter covered by the cuteness of the occasion.
What to say about the children? Jessie is already fetching-
saying words; she’s a great mimic and a better eater. Dan is
still indifferent (sometimes hostile) to food, but somehow is
vigorous and quite healthy. Almost every day we do batting. He
is much better at that then chess which we also play. But if
he improves just a little each month he’ll beat me by xmas.
What ever happened to the guy who was reviewing your work? He
did drop me a note that he was working on it etc. But nothing
yet. I’m only afraid that so much time has gone by since the
publications that there might be a squawk from some of the
editors. If the piece is very well written that would tip the
scales in its favor.
Yes, our anniversary was in March 19th. Thanks for remembering.](https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/system/resource/7/f/9/7f9c6171-9dbd-46a6-83a8-8bcccba6ca14/attachment/28d1e716632523851b67e3a57266f497.jpg)
![6/25 [1985]
Dear Jim,
We’ve been up here at Livingston Manor for a full month
now (vacated May 19th for our blessed summer sublets) and
there is not much in the way of news. Up until this past
week I’d taken a total vacation from reading, writing and
figuring the check book- that is, once I’d finished final
exams and term papers and going back to the city to hand in
grades and enjoy final conferences. That was not a bad day
at all: cony was painless and the city itself felt great
after all that grading in the country- I was away from the
family and since I couldn’t go to our apartment I had to
lay down in a strange bed ... and that too was painless;
Back upstate my only activities had to do with the out-
of-doors- cleaning up the place- raking, picking up leaves,
dealing with an assortment of plumbing problems and heater
problems. Everyday a new country chore to absorb me (Dan too)
- a rotten log that needed to be chopped out and filled in
with cement; chimneys that needed cleanding out- a slate
path in need of resettling- that sort of thing. Out of the
self and into the elements or into the self by getting out
of thought (organized thought).
But this week, at last, feeling settled and maybe calmer
away from the city, I’ve begun to work on my poetry every-
day. I work best at night- around 10 to 1am. Then, if I have
the courage, I see what I’ve done as soon as I wake up and then
fiddle with it through the day. I also read a novel through
the week, one I recommend to you especially since you have
been (I think) to Prague- M. Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness
of Being. Asinde from all that, the highlight of the week
was Danny’s graduation from playschool up here. For the past
few weeks he’s been going the Methodist Church where a play
school meets from 9 to 12 every day. We did not expect anything
special from the graduation ceremony. Then Dan appears at
the front of a line with children- in cap and gown- blue and
white. It was quite a to|do. Dan’s first pledge of allegence-
a minister offered a prayer (complete with hands in the right
position). And there was a nice little American audience. I
wish I could have memorized the faces and at the same time
developed the gift of description. A lot of fatness and latent
hatred, the latter covered by the cuteness of the occasion.
What to say about the children? Jessie is already fetching-
saying words; she’s a great mimic and a better eater. Dan is
still indifferent (sometimes hostile) to food, but somehow is
vigorous and quite healthy. Almost every day we do batting. He
is much better at that then chess which we also play. But if
he improves just a little each month he’ll beat me by xmas.
What ever happened to the guy who was reviewing your work? He
did drop me a note that he was working on it etc. But nothing
yet. I’m only afraid that so much time has gone by since the
publications that there might be a squawk from some of the
editors. If the piece is very well written that would tip the
scales in its favor.
Yes, our anniversary was in March 19th. Thanks for remembering.](https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/system/resource/7/f/9/7f9c6171-9dbd-46a6-83a8-8bcccba6ca14/attachment/medium-38661556414b5b456739193d484b2f06.jpg)
Letter from Anthony Suter June 25 1985 Page 1 of 2
Full description
Typed letter from Anthony Suter to James Emanuel, dated June 25, 1986. Suter updates Emanuel on his life and the books he has been reading. The second to last paragraph has several "X" marks. (Page 1)
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- typeImage
- created on
- file formatjpg
- file size3 MB
- container titleJames A. Emanuel Papers
- creatorAnthony Suter
- issueBox 3 Folder 26 Suter, Anthony, 1973-1994
- rightsJames A. Emanuel Estate
- rights holderJames A. Emanuel Estate
- version25-Jun-86