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Letter to Naomi Long Madgett January 10 1984
![LOTUS PRESS, INC.
P. O. Box 21607
DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48221
February 1, 1984
Dr. James A. Emanuel
340 E. 90th Street - #3B
New York, NY 10028
Dear Jim:
Congratulations! ("Oh, frabjous day, calloo, callay" or something like that!) The
winter here has been so unfriendly so far that I have been especially happy that I didn't
have to drive those forty miles. However, I was so far behind in everything concerning
the press that I still haven't begun to catch up, in spite of putting in regular office
hours at my other house, which I am in the process of setting up as an office for Lotus
Press.
So far, since my last exam, I have gotten two books to the printer, have a third book
typeset and waiting for me to paste up the pages, and a fourth book (due out in April)
almost ready to be typeset. (Somewhere down the line, I hope to get a chance to work
on some of my own poetry, but right now I can't say when.)
I understand your concern about the copyright pages papers and promise that this night, before
I go to bed, I will have the application filled out for The Broken Bowl. As I send that
in, I will also request a duplicate of Chisel in the Dark. (I know it is here somewhere--
the original, that is--but it is probably filed with correspondence of that year which I
haven't been able to go through. Getting a duplicate may be easier than trying to find
the original.)
I wish you infinite joy and freedom in your retirement--and happy writing.
Most warmly,
[signature - Naomi]
(313) 861-1280
P.S. One of my unfinished poems is tentatively entitled "Jim in Motion." I began it after
seeing you in Paris and noticing how much more vibrant you are in real life than your pictures](https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/system/resource/f/3/1/f31c42af-c8c9-4d18-8eb0-4e153d16ba6e/attachment/486f5a14f04e580033e5b1bbf43ad618.jpg)
Letter from Naomi Long Madgett February 1 1984
Letter to Cedric Brut April 1 2004 Page 1 of 2
Letter to Naomi Long Madgett April 15 1985
Bust of Naomi Long Madgett Photo
![Comments (usable in publicity) on James A.
Emanuel’s poetry:
“In the annals of American poetry it is difficult
to conceive of a more neglected great poet than
James A. Emanuel” (Daniel E. Scheider, “The Not
So Strange Emanuel Case,” Internet essay, March
6, 2001, www. Cosmoetica.com/S1-DES1.htm, else-
where adding “for my money THE most neglected
published poet of the 20th Century.”
“Emanuel is a GREAT POET-period.” (Schneider,
same essay, p. 4)
“Un poète de premier order ....Indubitablement,
Emanuel a dèja plus d’un pied sur la terre -pro-
Mise.” (Michel Fabre, rev. of The Force and the
Reckoning in AFRAM Review, June 2001)
“I love [italics his] your work, and look forward
to reading more.” (Ltr from Henry Louis Gates, 1995)
With “a grand irony,” Emanual writes “direct-
experience poetry,” beautiful poems, but also
poems “short and violent like sort of a rifle
shot.” (“Panorama” program, France Culture Ra-
dio, 3 Sept. 1992)
“Dr. Emanuel, a pioneer in the study of black li-
terature and a critically acclaimed poet, is a
living link to past expatriates, says Princeton
University literary scholar Arnold Rampersad ....
There were no courses in African American liter-
ature when Emanuel started out .... He researched
everything from the original texts. Dr. Emanuel
managed to publish an error-free volume on [Lang-
ston] Hughes. My book had mistakes .... His didn’t.”
(Toni Y. Joseph, One Voice, 1994, pp. 144-45)
“It is high time for James A. Emanuel, one of our
finest and most adventurous poets, to receive his
due acclaim. ... to be heard round the world.”
(X.J. Kennedy, cover of The Force and the Reckoning.)
The Force and the Reckoning “is splendid and
original achievement. I know of know similar book.”
(Michel Fabre, cover of this book)
Naomi on JAZZ (ltr 19.04.2000), herein.](https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/system/resource/4/4/5/445e8d3e-1f19-48f9-9797-249dbc7d1dff/attachment/accf4d36017c7f74427f5cc6a1625b02.jpg)
Comments (usuable in publicity) on James A. Emanuel's poetry
![-2-
If all details can be worked out amicably, we can anticipate
publication no later than June, 1978. Anything earlier than that
would be virtually impossible for us. Would this time be satis-
factory for you?
When you write again, please send your home telephone number. If
it is necessary to call, I would probably do so in the evening.
My home number is (313) 861-1280; please feel free to call any
evening if you have any questions.
Have your received a copy of 0 Africa, Where I Baked My Bread
from Lance Jeffers? I did not send you one from the press as
he said he would send an autographed copy. Please let me know
your reaction to it. (Thank you for your critical comment, by
the way.) If you see fit to write a review of the book, I am
sure it will be most helpful.
I discussed your poem, "The Negro," in my creative writing class
today. It is an extremely controlled and effective poem, I think,
and I have often used it in my classes.
I look forward to hearing from you soon and hope for a long and
mutually satisfactory professional relationship.
Sincerely,
[signature]
Naomi Long Madgett
Editor](https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/system/resource/e/e/f/eef96df1-7f82-4b93-a0fe-bff30ae11b9c/attachment/77f9edfa701ab4c8a91bdc4f94550476.jpg)
Letter from Naomi Long Madgett November 4 1977 Page 2 of 2
Letter from Naomi Long Madgett November 4 1977 Page 1 of 2
![LOTUS PRESS
P. O. Box 601
College Park Station
DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48221
September 27,
Professor James A. Emanuel
P.O. Box 593
Scarsdale, New York 10583
Dear Professor Emanuel:
I must apologize for my failure to respond to your note of query
earlier. I was so involved completing Lance's book and also try-
ing to complete my sabbatical year project that I just had to let
some things wait.
I am well acquainted with your work and would be interested in con-
sidering publication of your post-1970 poems. In considering the
submission of this work, you should keep in mind that it probably
would not be published until early 1979; that, however, would be a
firm date and not subject to the usual publishers' delays.
I do not know how much Lance told you about this very small company.
It is a sideline with me; I am a full professor in English at Eastern
Michigan University and, at the same time, try to keep up with my
own writing somehow. I am seeking to avoid getting in over my head
financially as a publisher by taking on only the books which I can
pay cash for as I go along. This cash comes out of my own pocket
in large outlays; it dribbles back in very slowly. Nevertheless,
this whole publishing venture is a labor of love and I enjoy the
challenge. I cannot pay royalties as such; the best I can offer
is twenty-five complimentary copies to the author and a 20% discount
on any additional copies which the author may wish to order. There
is no requirement that he order any, nor do I expect him to contribute
financially in any way. I send out announcements of publication and
list the book in the usual places. Several distributors are handling
our books and the exposure is increasing all the time; distribution
is, however, still a problem for any small publisher. In the event
that an author's book sells especially well, we will be happy to share
the profits with the author. If you are still interested in submitting
your manuscript, I will welcome the opportunity of considering it.
I appreciate your comments on 0 Africa, Where I Baked My Bread,
which are included on the enclose leaflet.
Thank you for your comments on my three poems. It is unfortunate
that anthologists tend to select the same few poems for reprinting,
especially when their selection does not represent a poet's best
work.
Sincerely,
[Signature - Naomi Long Madgett]
Sorry I
ran out of space. Lance is sending you an autographed copy of his book.](https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/system/resource/2/b/f/2bf967af-a049-431a-be5b-e95ca4a1559c/attachment/bcc44d421ea6ab2262664c1d284eb7d1.jpg)
Letter from Naomi Long Madgett September 27 1977