‘I WISH I WAS AS ATTRACTIVE AS YOU MAKE ME SOUND’: A Letter from a blue-blooded American Socialite

A 3 page hand written letter penned by the American writer, political activist and saloniste Susan Mary Alsop who writes to Scottish writer and journalist Iain Finlayson in November 1978 in a snatched moment during a busy tour to promote the publication of her latest publication, ‘Lady Sackville: A Biography’. The letter is full of warmth. ‘Thank ya very very much’ she writes to Finlayson following the success of his recent ‘sensational’ interview’ with her which was published in Tatler Magazine, ‘I wish I was as attractive as you make me sound’. Finlayson requests some ‘interesting letters’ be sent to him but Mary apologises that they cannot be located among the ‘movers boxes’ in her new home. ‘It has been a rough year - so worrying’ she writes possibly alluding to her divorce that year from columnist Joseph Alsop. The loss of the art of letter writing is lamented and fond memories fill the page of the fifties when herself and Marietta [Peabody] Tree exchanged letters about current issues and 12 page letters were received from Pam Berry [Pamela Berry, Baroness Hartwell] on British politics, ‘brilliant letters’.

The letter is in excellent condition on green edged writing paper headed ‘1611 29th Street Washington D.C. 20007’.