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I remember waiting for that magazine every month. I think that I told you that I won a silver badge when I was thirteen for “How I Spent My Vacation”--an epic!

Have you done any more of Commager at all?

We did a sequel, but like all sequels, it wasn't nearly as successful. It consisted of St. Nick pieces that Henry didn't think were good enough for the first volume, and it didn't really deserve to make the grade. Henry has never stayed with one publisher. I guess that he has about twelve different ones. Some day I hope we may work together again.

Then came one of our greatest coups. Jim Michener came to Random House!

Jim Michener was one of those glorious accidents that happen to publishers sometimes. When people tell me what a good publisher I am, I must admit that often I just had dumb luck. Michener was a miraculous piece of luck, and so was Saxe Commins, our editor. Jim Michener was the textbook editor of MacMillan. Haven't I told you this story?

A little bit of it. I'm trying to remember.

George Brett was the head of MacMillan.

And he didn't like the book. That's right. I'm sorry.