File FL0688 - Toppings, Earle. 1966-1972

3 files of textual material: 3 folders (193 Items)

• Consists of correspondence between E. Toppings and John Metcalf.
• Letters encouraging and advising John Metcalf in his writing career; expressing John Metcalf's appreciation for E. Toppings' assistance; discussing, sometimes in detail, E. Toppings' critiquing of John Metcalf's fiction; relating to writing and publication of New Canadian Writing, 1969 (Clarke, Irwin), The Lady Who Sold Furniture (Clarke, Irwin, 1970) and Going Down Slow (McClelland and Stewart, 1971) and to John Metcalf's winning the University of Western Ontario President's Medal for short story The Estuary; recommending little magazines and publishers who might be interested in John Metcalf's fiction; requesting letters of reference to accompany John Metcalf's grant applications; discussing publishers, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, books read and various other topics; regarding current literary endeavours, including textbooks and Anthologies edited by John Metcalf; and relating personal news. Includes copies of letters from E. Toppings to others.
• Handwritten, signed; typescript (carbon copy); typescript, signed. All letters from John Metcalf are originals; letters from E. Toppings are carbon copies. According to John Metcalf (March 1995), because copies were not made of the Toppings/Metcalf correspondence, E. Toppings returned John Metcalf's original correspondence present in this file.
• Includes references to the following: The Children Green and Golden; A Thing They Wear; One For Cupid; A Process of Time; The Happiest Days; Biscuits; Egg and lettuce sandwiches; The realm of gold; Keys and Watercress; The Estuary; Our Mr. Benson; A Bag of Cherries; A Pointless Story; Apple Pie and Custard; Just Two Old Men; The Tide Pool; The Tide Line; Pretty Boy; Early Morning Rabbits; Geography of The House; I've Got It Made; Like in movies; Walking Round the City; The Lady Who Sold Furniture : novella; The Lady Who Sold Furniture : Short Stories; Robert, Standing; Rhyme and reason; Wordcraft series; Sixteen By Twelve; Salutation; Going Down Slow; The Narrative Voice; Particular life.

Title based on contents of file.

E. Toppings worked as editor at Ryerson Press, where he critiqued John Metcalf's fiction, 1966-1967. After leaving Ryerson Press, E. Toppings continued to advise John Metcalf in his literary endeavours. Correspondence dated 1966 or 1967 should properly be entered under Ryerson Press; however, because the correspondence continued in the same vein after E. Toppings left Ryerson Press, all the files have been entered under Earle Toppings in order to keep the correspondence together as a unit.