Columbia Library columns (v.32(1982Nov-1983May))

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  v.32,no.2(1983:Feb): Page 7  



Harold .11 at son and His Authors                       7

later he called from the ship to report that, just as he turned away,
he heard a voice say, "Hi Bill, how about a few words about you
and the Kennedys." It was Bob Trout from CBS Radio with a
microphone in hand. The mere fact that Manchester was sailing to
Europe was big news. Today Manchester is just as well known,
but for different reasons, for the quality of his work in such books
as American Caesar, the MacArthur biography, and his own mem¬
oir of World War II, Goodbye, Darkness.

About this time iVlatson purchased the literary agency, Mcin¬
tosh, McKee & Dodds, whose clients, including lA'illiam Styron,
Flannery O'Connor and John Irving, joined our list. Also, at about
the same time, Herman \A ouk decided to «Tite a new novel about
World AA'ar II. He wanted to make a contract long before tlie
manuscript was finished, and so one of the first direct paperback
negotiations between such an established author and a paperback
publisher were completed b)' Matson with Pocket Books. Subse¬
quently, Wouk decided the story would be extended to two nov¬
els instead of one; nothing wrong with that except the publisher
claimed that the early agreement and advance guarantee covered
both volumes; Matson and Wouk disputed that claim. The matter
was resolved favorably for AA'ouk, but only after many months of
negotiations. There were lawyers at work on both sides, but it is
my opinion that the favorable outcome was a result of Matson's
patience, skill at firm negotiation and his reputation of integrit^•.
These are estimable traits in the book publishing world where oral
negotation is the custom and agreements are made long before
contracts are written, signed and fulfilled by the writer. Llaving
observed Harold Matson for almost forty years, I can say that he
deserves his reputation as a forceful but fair negotiator for his cli¬
ents and I believe an examination of our correspondence, now at
Columbia, will bear it out.
  v.32,no.2(1983:Feb): Page 7