Poet Conrad Aiken and his daughter Joan… “gifted and enchanting”!
Joan Aiken’s Pulitzer prize winning father didn’t hand out compliments lightly, so it was wonderful to discover a letter that he wrote in which he sings her praises to the moon. Conrad writes to introduce his daughter to Charles Schlessiger, his own literary agent at Brandt & Hochman in New York, who not only took her on, but went on to become her life-long friend and supporter.
Certainly a genuine case for Thanksgiving, his letter was also a celebration of Joan Aiken’s remarkable, funny, totally unforgettable short stories, or as he calls them ‘fairy stories of the twentieth century’ – which were her very first published works, and lovely new editions of which have been recently been re-published in both of her home countries – England and America.
Four special collections will also be coming out to celebrate what would have been her 100th year – 2024.
Here is his letter:
* * * * *
Joan Aiken’s first published books were collections of magical stories
which she continued to produce all her life.
Find them all here on her website
Click to see the NEW Collections of Joan Aiken’s most memorable stories coming out
to mark Joan Aiken’s Centenary in 2024
Centenary Collections
Stories of Weather Witches, Fantastic Fables, Gentle Ghosts
and Siren stories from her early Argosy magazine days
See also these unforgettable stories
The People in the Castle
Celebrated as a book of the year in The Washington Post
and from Virago Modern Classics
The Gift Giving – Favourite Stories
Stories written, as her proud Pa describes,
‘For the young of all ages’
* * * * *
Joan Aiken 