Letter from Association Press publication department of the National Council of the Young Men's Christian Associations to Norman Leys (29/06/1925)

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[[MS 2750/255/76]]

 

[pre-printed letterhead] ASSOCIATION PRESS PUBLICATION DEPARTMENT OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 347 MADISON AVENUE, NEW YORK

 

Mr. Norman Leys, 
Brailsford, 
North Derby, 
England.

 

July 29, 1925.

 

Dear Mr. Leys:

 

I am taking the liberty of writing you regarding your book on KENYA. Mr. E. C. Carter with whom I am associated in several undertakings lent me his copy. I have read it with the greatest interest. I wish there were some way of making it available in America. The difficulty is that the constituency is limited and would have to be carefully cultivated. Also, if the book were to do its best service some changes ought to be made. It would be a deep regret to me and to others if so effective and sincere a book should unwittingly play a part in stirring up anti-British prejudice. I think the point could be quite easily protected but it is a very important one.

 

It is my business in life to read many books but it is a long time since I have run across as stimulating a volume as yours. The combination of close study of a local situation with effective generalizations puts it in a class by itself. We issue this fall a book on the democratic process by Professor Harrison S. Elliott of Union Theological Seminary. He expects to make frequent reference to your volume because it furnishes the most effective commentary on the whole "dominating principle" that is, in our opinion, the chief poison in modern society.

 

[logo of the Association Press] [pre-printed text] THE MARK OF A BOOK WRITTEN TO MEET A NEED

 

 

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I shall take up again with Mr. Carter the possibility of doing something here in America. If the publisher of KENYA were willing to send us a number of copies on consignment we would be glad to advertise them and push the book. Re-publication, however, in this country, involves an expense that would make it necessary for our Board of Publication to consider the question very carefully. Our Association Press here reaches far beyond the Y.M.C.A. We have a big church constituency and quite a large general trade. Besides we are in touch with special groups that would be very much interested in promoting the effort.

 

For the sake of those who read it I wish your book every success.

 

Yours very sincerely, | Frederick Harris [signature]

 

FH: A.

Source: MS 2750/255/76

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Letter from Association Press publication department of the National Council of the Young Men's Christian Associations to Norman Leys (29/06/1925)

Library:

University of Reading, Special Collections

Archival Folder:

Frederick Harris writes in regards to Kenya and that E. C. Carter has lent him a copy, He talks about his interest in the book but that changes need to be made. He speaks of the book unwittingly stirring up anti-British prejudice. He also discusses the merits of the book. Harris also requests copies of the book which they could advertise.

 

Typecsript letter signed by Harris