Part of a collection of letters from John Steinbeck to Alicia Patterson Guggenheim, written from New York and during his travels in Ireland, England and Israel in 1965-1966. Alicia had died in 1963, and Steinbeck wrote the letters in this series as a weekly column for Newsday. She was the editor and publisher of Newsday from 1940 until her death in 1963, and Steinbeck addressed his letters "not ... to someone who is dead, but rather to a living mind and a huge curiosity" (see MA 2519.39). Letters in the collection have been cataloged individually; see collection-level record for more information.
Typed on Newsday letterhead stationery.
Asking if Steinbeck would be willing to write a column once a week, on anything that came to mind, for Newsday and national syndication. Noting that Steinbeck would have complete editorial freedom and suggesting that the pieces be approximately 750 words in length. Inviting him to dine or to come out for a day at the Aqueduct races. With a penciled remark in Steinbeck's hand: "E.O. In answer to this I asked what he had in mind about distribution and payment."