W I T H T H E C O M P L IM E N T S OF

A. R. H. BIRCH

W I L L I A M H E IN E M A N N L I M I T E D

15-16 Q U E E N S T R E E T , M A Y F A I R

L O N D O N W.l

WILLIAM HEINEMANN LTD PublishersChairman. A.DWYE EVANS, J.P. Managing Uireclor CHARLES PICK E ditorial Director ROLAND OANT Directors: ELIZABETH ANDERSON, A. R . H. BIRCH. M.B.E., J.W .DETTM ER, A J . W. HILL. W. H.HOLDEN T. R. MANDERSON, N. M. VINEY Secretary D. L. RANGE, EC.A.

15-16 QUEEN STREET • MAYFAIR ■ L O N D O N W1

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AJRHB/JH L O th A u g u s t , 1 966

Mrs. H.L. Bernstein, b 1} , Frognal,London, N.W.3*

Dear Mrs. Bernstein,

It is with great pleasure that X enclose herewith your copy of our contract for THE WORLD THAT WAS OURS.

This, of course, will not reach you until after you return from your holiday, during the course of which I hope we shall meet, and also I hope that you have had a most excellent time.

Kindest regards,

Yours very sincerely,

Encs:

WILLIAM HEINEMANN LTD PublishersChairman: A.DWYE EVANS, J.P. Managing Director: CHARLES PICK E ditoria l Director. ROLAND GANT Directors: ELIZABETH ANDERSON, A .R .H . BIRCH. M.B.E., J .W DETTMER, A J W. HILL, W, H. HOLDEN T. R. MANDERSON, N. M. VINEY Secretary: D. L. RANGE, EC.A.

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Telephone HYDe p a rk 4141 Telegrams: Sunlocks London W1

ARHB/MC 5th October, 1966

Mrs. HiLda Bernstein,4 3 Frognal,N .3•

Dear Mrs. Bernstein,

Many thanks for your letter of 2nd October about Jimmy Kantor's book. This inevitably happens in publishing, in fact we are constantly faced with the problem. However,I believe your book to be such a warm and personal book that it will be able to overcome the competition from others. In any case we have found by experience that it is always a mis­take to rush a book out to beat somebody else, for in the process one loses so much that it is difficult to recover these losses subsequently. So we will keep to our present plan and it will be interesting to see how the other fares after which we will try and do a good deal better.

I have the second copy of the manuscript ready in my office for you to collect whenever convenient, but if you would rather I posted it to you then do give me a ring.

Kindest regards,

W I L L I A M H E I N E M A N N LTD PublishersChairman: A. d w y e e v a n s , j.p . Managing Director: Ch a r l e s p i c k Editorial Director: r o l a n d g a n t

Directors: e l i z a b e t h a n d e r s o n , a . r . h . b i r c h , m .b .e., j. w . d e t t m e r , a . j. w . h i l l , w . h . h o l d e n ,

t . r . m a n d e r s o n , n . m . v i n e y Secretary: D .L . r a n g e , f .c .a .

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Telephone: H Y D e p a r k 4141 Telegrams: Sunlocks London W1

21st November, 1966.

Mrs Hilda Bernstein, 4-3 Frognal,N.W.3.

Dear Mrs Bernstein,May I introduce myself as the editor who

will he seeing your book through to the printer? I wondered if we could meet one day fairly soon to clear up some final points and also to talk about the libel situation.

I'd also like to say how glad I am, personally, that we are doing your book, which I found gripping and disturbing. I did wonder if some of the pre-Rivonia material might be cut down, but this is something we can talk about.

Do please give me a ring - I'll look forward to hearing from you.

Tours sincerely,

W I L L I A M H E I N E M A N N LTD PublishersChairman: a . d w y e e v a n s , j.p . Managing Director: C h a r l e s p i c k Editorial Director: r o l a n d g a n t

Directors: e l i z a b e t h a n d e r s o n , a . r . h . b i r c h , m .b .e., j. w . d e t t m e r , a . j. w . h i l l , w . h . h o l d e n ,

T. R. m a n d e r s o n , n . m . v i n e y Secretary: d . l . r a n g e , f .c .a .

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Telephone: HYDe p a r k 4141 Telegrams: Sunlocks London W1

6th January, 1967

Mrs. Hilda Bernstein, 43, Ths Frognell, London, N.W. 3»

Dear Hilda,I'm enclosing photostats of our lawyer's

report and, as you will see, changes will have to b e made.

I'll be in touch again as soon as I've had a chance to go through the typescript again myself.*

Yours sincerely,

John Selby

R UBINSTEIN , NASH & CO.SOLICITORS

C O M M IS S IO N E R S F O R O A T H S

STA N LE Y J RUBINSTE IN H r. RU BIN STE IN

J O A N 8 R U B IN STE IN M IC H AE L B R U B IN STE IN

A N T H O N Y B J S- R U B IN STE IN

5 & 6 , R A Y M O N D B U I L D I N G S ,

G R A Y S I N N ,

L O N D O N , W. C. I

T E L E O R A M S R U B IN S T E IN . L O N D O N . W C .l

T E L E P H O N E CHANCERY 8 4 0 4 f l o l i n e s )

HFR/JF 28th December, 1966

J. Selby, Esq.,William Helnemann Ltd 15-16, Queen Street Mayfair London W .1.

Dear Mr.Selby,

THE W0R1D THAT WAS OURS by Hilda Bernstein

I was able to read the first volume of this book in the holidays, and think you might like to have my observations as an interim report.

As I understand, it is unlikely that copies of the book will be made available in South Africa, but this would not rule out claims for libel on behalf of any person mentioned in the text (and, if unnamed, identifiable) who might regard the references as defamatory. The subject*- matter of the book being unquestionably of public interest, fair comment would be legally allowable, but any factual inaccuracy could render such a defence ineffective. The author's very natural feelings of indignation seem at times to run away with her, which makes it advisable that, before any~question of sending it to a Printer arises, it should be carefully vetted by someone with special knowledge of all the events described in the narrative, and could delete allegations incapable of verification.Perhaps I ought to add that, should any proceedings be instituted in this country, it would obviously be difficult (and expensive) to procure evidence from South Africa in defence of such a claim.

Here are some points for special consideration:-

Pages 60-61^ Contain typical statements which, if inaccurate, could maketrouble . ■ b f »

Page 68 (also 70) Unnamed officers are described in clearly libellous terms:They are held up to hatred, ridicule and contempt with such obviously improvable statements as "his mean ulcerish look", "big, fat, softly repulsive" etc.Similarly on page 89 one of them is described as "a red-faced

(U & thug".All such statements would be potentially actionable.

R U B I N S T E I N , N A S H a. Co . C o n t i n u a t i o n s h e e t N o ........................1 .

J. Selby, Esq ,William Heinemann Ltd.

THE WORLD THAT WAS OURS

Page 115^ Defamatory suggestions against Gerhard Ludi.

Pages 115-116 Mrs. Oosthuizen could deny allegations which could beinterpreted as defamatory against her. JUc. ^ q I

/Ixils' h t Of* VPage 153^ The allegations against Mr. Justice Snyman would be dangerous,

if proof were not available. <* fitn/r / W — Ajl'

Page 157. Libellous references to Swanepoel. which would be difficult toprove.

RUBINSTEIN, NASH & CO.SOLICITORS

C O M M IS S IO N E R S F O R O A T H S

STA N LE Y J RUBINSTEIN

H F. RU B IN STE IN J O A N 3 . RU B IN STE IN

M IC H AE L B R U B IN STE IN A N TH O N Y B .J S RU B IN STE IN

5 4 6 . R A Y M O N D B U I L D I N G S ,

O R A Y S I N N ,

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T E L E P H O N E CHANCERY 8 4 0 4 (1 0 LINES)

HFR/JF

J. Selby, Esq.,William Heinemann Ltd., 15-16, Queen Street Mayfair London W .1.

2nd January, 196 7

Dear Mr. Selby,

THE WORLD THAT WAS OURS by Hilda Bernstein -Volume II

Following my letter of the 28th ultimo, I have now read the Second Volume of this harrowing story and would like to emphasize the remarks contained in the second paragraph of my previous letter as to the necessity of checking the accuracy of factual statements, and toning down passages giving expression to the author's natural re-action to the cruelties endured by her husband and his comrades.

I noted the following passages in particular:- •

Page 240 Any one of the numerous allegations on this page might, in case of a slip, give rise to a serious claim.

Page^243 Is the reference to Joel Joffe correct?

Page 248 (and passim) -notably pages 267 et seq. 271-2, 276-9, 293, 339a) Violent personal attack^ on Dr. Percy Yutar is launched with references on this page to his "vanity and inordinate love of publicity". The cumulative effect of these passages would, in my opinion, almost inevitably provoke this man to sue for libel, and, since it would be quite impossible to prove such charges as that he was actuated by evil motives arising out of his being a Jew (page 339a) the only line of defence reasonably open would be one of 'justification' which would be very speculative indeed. I can only advise that all references to the man should be made factually and objective.

Page 252 et seq. Head Warder Breedt is described as "completely hypocritical" etc\ -giving rise to similar dangers, on a minor scale.

Page 254 et seq. Similar references to other named Police Officers.

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R U B I N S T E I N , N A S H ft C o . C O N T IN U A T IO N SHEET N O . .1 .*.

J. Selby, Esq.,William Heinemann Ltd.

THE WORLD TBVT WAS OURS Volume II

Page 269 Similar references to Dirker and Swanepoel.

Page 285 et seq. The Chapter commencing on this page ("Victims and Accomplices") is again potentially dangerous, in that factual allegations, apparently defamatory, abound.For example Leftwich on this page appears as a self-confessed traitor to his friends, and Mtolo -page 286 et seq- is represented as a coward. Others are similarly stigmatized and it might be prudent to conceal names in all such cases.

Page_3 5 9a Presumably Nusas would not deny his cowardice, but again,it seems an unnecessary risk to mention his name.

Page 368 Equivocal reference to John Lloyd.

Page 407. The suggestion that Sheppard and Higgings "don't reallycare a damn what happens" is potentially defamatory, though a claim is obviously unlikely. All references to these men should be strictly accurate.

Page 408. Might Rosemary Wentzel dispute that "she bought her release bybecoming a State witness"?

Page 410 Suggestions implying bad faith in Doig, who might seek tovindicate his reputation.

Page 438 Dennis might object to the statement that he "is unpleasantlyrude". Unlikely.

I have not referred to Justice de Wet about whom the authormakes critical remarks, none of which I think go beyond the bounds of"fair comment".

I have tried to follow all the ink and pencil alterations, but some are not easy, and I won't guarantee that I may not have missed something here.

I will leave the two volumes of this typescript in my outer office, to be collected by your messenger.

Yours sincerely, •>

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4-3 Frognal, London, N.W.J,16th March 67

Dear Mr . GrantYour letter C/JEG/WJF of 1st February:

The passages I wish to quote come from the essay 'Gagged', Dage 119 in Il?ome and Exile.'

'Language must be inhabited, it must be enlarged by usage|.South Africans abridge it and stop it from referring too closely to those emotions which they spend almost all their lives trying to obliterate or deny.1

(P.120) 'What the silendod people are wondering about at this stage is whether Western Intellectuals, and British writers especially, will say nothing at all, administer no rebuke to the South African Government, when the very fundamentals of what they believe in al?e attacked in the Republic. I cannot ;ayself see the essential differences between the case of Boris Pasternak and the case of these 'gagged' South Africas exceot that the former occurred in the Soviet Union and the latter in a republic which supposedly represents Western democracy'•

I finally quote the words of Wordsworth at the end of Lewis Nkosi's essay, saying that he (Mr. Hkosi) rccalls the words of Wordsworth: (Quote).

The above quotations are used in a chapter of ay book which oeals with the banning and silencing of writers and journalists, of whom I myself was one. The chapter is called 'Netopf Silence.'

At present I am only seeking permission to use these quotations for the British Commonwealth market.

Yours sincerely

WILLIAM HEINEMANN LTD PublishersChairman: A. DWYE EVANS, J.P. Managing Director: CHARLES PICK Editorial Director: ROLAND GANT Directors: ELIZABETH ANDERSON, A .R .H . BIRCH, M.B.E., J .W . DETTMER, A .J . W. HILL, W. H.HOLDEN T, R, MANDERSON, N. M. VINEY Secretary: D. L. RANGE, EC.A.

15-16 QUEEN STREET • MAYFAIR • L O N D O N W1

Telephone HYDf. p a rk 4141 Telegrams: Sunlocks London W 1

16th March, 1967

Mrs. Hilda Bernstein, 4-3, The Frogneli, London, N.W. 3»

Dear Mrs. Bernstein,John Selby tells me that you have protested

at our plan to publish THE WORLD THAT WAS OURS in September which is one month after the 12 months mentioned in the contract. We obviously owe you an explanation and it involves various aspects oZ publishing. They are as follows:1. Taking the publication date clause first, the publication period actually begins from the time when the book is ready for press. As you know, there was some delay while your manuscript was being checked for possible libel by our solicitors and there was also some delay occasioned by the extensive cutting and editing carried out byJohn Selby of which you approved.2. However, discussion of a technical point is not a full and satisfactory explanation. What is far more important is that your book, on such an important subject, should a ) be published at a price which means that it can be bought by as many people as possible in our market and b) that it should also be available to American readers who need to be told the truth of what goes on in South Africa.

- 2 -

3. This leads me to the question of the cost of production. We always try to get an American publisher to either buy the rights of the book or to buy sheets or bound books from us. We do this for two reasons, the first being that it reduces substantially the unit cost of our own edition, enabling us to publish at a lower price than would otherwise be possible, and secondly that the running on of sheets enables an American publisher to issue a book which they frequently would not otherwise be able to set up and publish themselves at a suitable price. American publishers come to London to search for books throughout the year and I am going to the United States next week where I shall certainly do my utmost to plsce the American rights of THE WORLD THAt WAS OURS, gearing in mind that this may take one or two months and also that to achieve a maximum pre­publication sale our representatives throughout the world must have proofs and jackets for as long as possible before publication, it is not possible to publish before September. We plan our publishing programme with great care and where one type of book is ideal summer reading and can be most profitably published in June or July, a serious non-fiction book is, in our experience, likely to achieve better sales and more review space when launched at the beginning of the autumn publishing season.

As you know, Hamish Hamilton are publishing Jimmy Kantor's book sometime this spring and it would be advisable to have a gap of several months before your book is published. I hope this explanation makes sense to you and that you will see that the delay in publication is the result of hard and inescapable facts.

Yours sincerely,

Roland Gant

43 Frognal,London, N.W.J.Saturday 18th March 1967

Dear Mr. Gant,I'm afraid that your explanation does not make

sense to me, and as far as I can see the only hard and inescapable fact that has delayed publication is the extreme dilatoriness with which your firm has act-ed.

1 would also firmly dispute your claim that tie manuscript was not complete in °August. The deletions which your legal advisor (in January) thought necessary were questionable, I had legal advice from a South African lawyer with intimate knowledge of the whole affiiir that they were not, in fact, necessary and this seems to be confirmed by my reading of the proof cop;/' of Jimmy Cantor’s book where there are statements far more'potentially actionable than the few which your lawyer asked me to remove. However, this is scarcely relevant because as you so aptly put it, it is a technical point and no doubt you are very well aware that I would not resort to litigation however strong I might believe my case to be. But let me place on record here that I do not accspt your interpretation of the agreement between us in respect to this.

What happened between August, when the agreement v»as signed, and November, when Mr, oelby first wrote to me? Mr* Birch was aware that the manuscript had to be vetted by your lawyers - he mentioned to re several times that this would be done, and I simply assumed that it had been done. Most of the deletions and editorial cuts were accepted so promptly by myself because I was already troubled by the ISng delay and precisely because I aidn t want to make any contribution towards further delay.In fact, I would have fought for the retention of much more had I guessed how much delay etill lay ahead.

But let me, rather than replying to your arguments, put my own point of view to you.

I am totally and completely unable to understand why it takes 13 months to publish a book. All the points you raise regarding the U.S. sales, the time between proof and publication date and so on do not explain this - you are simply using them as an excuse for still further delays. Obviously, sale of American rights for your books does not wait u^on a director going to the States, and if you should fail to find a publisher there, the £corjomic arguments you raise are still there.

Perhaps you may detect a high whine of resentment in my voice when I point out that Kantor's manuscript was submitted to his publisher some time after I had already signed the agreement with you; or is there some deep and fundamental reason why ueinemann's can't do what Ilamish Hamilton can? Yes, I do

resent this very much. I believed my book was to be the first to tell thestory of t!;e Rivonia trial.

If my book is important, as you say, all the more reason for getting it out speedily. The events described have even today been superceded by others which reduce them in significance, i’his will be even more so in September. And even more so as Rantor and I cover the same ground, reveal the ’inside story1 of certain episodes such as the Wolpe-Goldreich jail escape.If the books could have appeared close together, we might both have benefited by the increased interest. But a story twice told, with a long time lag, is no longer news.

However, most of all I would, like to convey to you the deep sense of bitter frustration and disappointment that I feel about the whole affair, your explanation included. The rewards for the author are meagre enough; to have them so long postponed is insulting to the really considerable amount of effort and work that any writer must expend. 4ould this happen to a more important author and a potentially more profitable book? somehow I think not, and the thought is not a pleasant one.

Finally, if you retort that 15 months is not unusual for the production of a book, and that other writers accept this without all the fuss that I am making, all I can say is that it is high time someone told you how the poor miserable long- suffering frustrated and impotent writer feels about such a situation.

I still believe you could speed up publication date if you so wished. But if you refuse so do so, do I now have an underbaking that publication will take place in September, regardless of your successes or otherwise in the U.S.?Will you give me a firm date?

Ycurs truly,

Hilda Bernstein.

4-3 Frognal, N.W.3-18th April 67

Dear Alwyn Birch,- ' It seems I am destined to quarrel with

Heinemanns and everyone I come into contact there, although I assure yotT I am normally a most unquarrelsome person and actually hate this sort of acrimony.

However, I continue to nurse a tremendous resentment and every time I have contact with one of your staff if flares up again.

Perhaps Mr. Gant shaed you our correspondence he did not reply to anything except an irrelevancy, and therefore left me feeling just as resentful as before.

This morning I spoke to Janet Robertson (I was unaware that John Selby had left you) and she said that proofs, which were supposed to be ready on April 12th for thetnew publication date of September hove been delayed and won t be ready until May 1st - at least, that is the date given, but it will be astonishing if they are ready then.

This, of course, can go on indefinitely, because as I mentioned to Mr I Gant, you know very well that there is just about nothing I can do about it.

Except to write letters expressing my feelings, so this one is directed at you instead of Mr. Gant.If the book is of no importance, why accept it in the first place? If it is, why should I have to tolerate this endless mucking about?

Yours

Hilda Bernstein

WILLIAM HEINEMANN LTD PublishersChairman; A.DWYE EVANS, J.P. Managing Director: CHARLES PICK Editorial Director: ROLAND GANT Directors: ELIZABETH ANDERSON, A .R . H. BIRCH. M.B.E., J .W . DETTMER, A .J.W . HILL, W. H . HOLDEN T R. MANDERSON, N. M. VINEY Secretary: D. L. RANGE, EC.A.

15-16 QUEEN STREET • MAYFAIR • L O N D O N W 1

Telephone H YDe p a rk 4141 Telegrams: Sunlocks London W1

21st March, 1967

Mrs. Hilda Bernstein, 43, Frognal,London, N.W. 3*

Dear Mrs. Bernstein,Thank you for your letter of 18th March which

I will answer paragraph by paragraph.I can never take legal advice from American,

South African or any lawyer who does not practise law in this country. This may sound chauvinistic hut it has often happened that a plaintiff cannot sue under the laws in the country in which he or she lives but can do so under the laws of the country in which the book appears. I have not read Jimmy Kantor’s book and I have no idea of what is potentially libellous, but it is not my concern but Hamish Hamilton's.

The book was not submitted in its original form to the solicitor as this would have meant his reading a great deal more material, some of which was not included in the final version. As it was, the legal fees amounted to £63*

By bullying the printer the Production Department, has extracted a hope from him that we can have galleys in the middle of April. John Selby will send you a set of these for correction and a set will be airmailed to me in New York where I shall try to place the American rights.

/.

I know how exasperating it is to you to wait for proofs. I used to write and the time between submitting a book and receiving proofs seemed interminable. I did however recognise, because of my experience on the publishing side, that it is fatal to try to rush a book out too quickly.

If the printer can keep to his date of the middle of April for galleys and if you will correct and return them to us as quickly as you can we will be able to publish in September.

Yours sincerely

Roland Gant

W I L L I A M H E I N E M A N N LTD PublishersChairman: a . d w y e e v a n s , j .p . Managing Director: Ch a r l e s p i c k Editorial Director: r o l a n d o a n t

Directors: e l iz a b e t h a n d e r s o n , a . r . h . b ir c h , m .b .e ., j. w . d e t t m e r , a . j . w . h i l l , w . h . h o l d e n ,

T. R. m a n d e r s o n , n . m . v i n e y Secretary: d . l . r a n g e , f .c .a .

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ARHB/LJA 26th April 19^7Mrs. Hilda Bernstein,43, Frognal,London, N.W. 3.

Dear Hilda Bernstein,Many thanks for your letter of

the 18th April. I agree that it is unfor­tunate that the proofs have been delayed, but we now know that they will definitely be ready on the 1st May and you can rest assured that we have the book's promotion well in hand.

Delays in production are always likely to arise because one is entirely dependent on one's printers, but as you can see, it is only a matter of three weeks and we will do our best to make up for the time lost.

Yours sincerely,

4-3 Frognal, London, N.w.3.

3rd ^ay 1967

Dear Alwyn,(1) It is only a matter of three weeks, but

the new date Riven was May 1st, and I ’ve still heard nothin-. To me, it's not three weeks but thirteen months and getting longer all the time. Does it never cooe to an end, and is it never possible in London to do anythingon tine? And when will I get proofs?

(2) How can you ask me to 'rest assured' that you have the book's promotion well in. hand after what has gone before? Not only do I not rest assured, but I would very rrmch like to know exactly what that means, what is being done about promotion, and whetheror not I am ever consulted about it to have an opportunity of contributing any ideas on the subject.

Yours niacerely

/ [Hilda Bdrnstein

W I L L I A M H E I N E M A N N LTD PublishersChairman: a . d w y e e v a n s , j.p . Managing Director: Ch a r l e s p i c k Editorial Director: r o l a n d g a n t

Directors: e l iz a b e t h a n d e r s o n , a . r . h . b ir c h , m .b .e ., j. w . d e t t m e r , a . j. w . h i l l , w . h . h o l d e n ,

t . r . m a n d e r s o n , n . m . v i n e y Secretary: o. L. r a n g e , f .C.a .

15-16 QUEEN STREET • M A Y F A IR • LONDON W1

Telephone: HYDe p a r k 4141 Telegrams: Sunlocks London W1

PN/AC 26 April 1967

Mrs Hilda Bernstein k3 Frognal London N W 3

Dear Mrs Bernstein,As you no doubt know, John Selby has now left

Heinemann. I shall be taking over fron him as your editor.

The proofs of THE WORLD THAT WAS OURS have now come in, a few days earlier than expected, and I enclose two sets and the original typescript. Could you please let me have one set back by 16th May, if possible a day or two before.

Yours sincerely,

" i L— --------

Patricia Newnham

o - 1 / /O Vo k-f S . £b-o f

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/ 1* * - ' 0

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ROYALTY STATEMENT

Hilda Lilian Bernstein, 43 Frognal,London, N.W.3.

AUTHORTITLE THE WORLD THAT WAS OURS

Date March 1968In account with

William Heinemann LtdThe Press at Kingswood, Tadworth, Surrey

Telephone: MOGador 2323 Telegrams: Sunlocks Tadworth

Pee received from B.B.C. £2 • 6s

WILLIAM HEINEMANN LTDPublishersChairman: a . d w y b e v a n s , j .p . Managing Director: C h a r l e s p i c k

Editorial Director: r o l a n d g a n t Directors: e l iz a b e t h A n d e r s o n , j . w . d e t t m e r ,

a . j . w . h i l l , w . h . h o l d e n , t . r . m a n d e r s o n , n . m . v i n e y , Secretary: D. L. r a n g e , f.c .a .

1S-16 Q U E E N S T R E E T • M A Y F A IR • L O N D O N W 1

Telephone: 01-493 4141 Telegrams: Sunlocks London W 1

EMA/MEE 30th July 19&8

Mrs Hilda Bernstein, 43 Frognal,London, N.W.3.

Dear Mrs Bernstein,I enclose a letter received this morning

from the Tuttle Agnecy containing an offer for Japanese rights in THE WORLD THAT WAS OURS.I have not acknowledged Mr Katahira's letter, so would be grateful if you would saj thatI passed it to you when you write to him.

Yours sinoerely,

5A „

Agreements and Rights Department.Enclosure.

Heinemann Educational Books22 BEDFORD SQUARE LONDON WC1B 3HH

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Hilda Bernstein 5 Rothwell Street London NW1 8YH

10 January 1984

Dear Hilda Bernstein

Thank you for your letter of 17 December 1983. I remember reading The World That Was Ours in 1967 when I joined Heinemann. Fi^e copies are kept in theory. I think it would be faster if you lent me a copy/re-read and consult my colleagues in Africa about. We should send them photocopies.With the active help and involvement of our Kenyan and Nigerian companies we have steadily included South African titles.

Yours sincerely

James Currey

CHAIRMAN TONY BEAL MANAGING DIRECTOR HAMISH MACGIBBON DIRECTORS KEITH SAMBROOK KEITH NETTLE JAMES CURREY RICHARD GALE MIKEESPLEN ROYDAVEY ANDREW BARRETT GRAHAM TAYLOR

SECRETARY PAUL HUTCHINGS ACA

Registered at 22 Bedford Square London WC1B 3HH England Registered No 677944

5 Rothwell Street London, NW1 8YHl^€h January 84

Dear James Currey,

Herewith a copy of The World That Was Ours. As I have only two copies of the book, please do return it to me when you have finished with it.

A Prologue or Epilogue - probably both - would be needed to locate the events in their period and give them significance for the 1980s.

With good wishes

Hilda Bernstein.

/

5 Rothirell St T.. .1. : r •, rr*l OYH

17th ueC o'-cjTr .7arnc ; Curry,■ •„ neir.anna -t o .

v . V Curry,

I;. 1 i7 , , -.o iia i.e i ^ o~ok 1 wrote: i«iovOUJjL) Aw OURS, i t f a i l s , i sup^os^, into tnecotc.'.orj o j . personal memoirs, oca lint, .vi tn the i « s t

. ■„< r\.- o f ju .' ;j .? j‘i 3«..'uth r in o .3 . Vie opolf was uuai;ahed ;.n hard-back, aiu. has not been ouolisiiedi ir. p£ per-vaek.

C voulr* I kr' to :• ;t a oer-htcK ec ition o f th is jook, anc wc;.tiert<i .hether i t wcu.lil be consxderec io r the Meiiic ..ifaiin A ir. can jc r . s s . ■ oc nt o.' r-:- ~ l tl**i• with book fctiat deals wltn events o f!: ic 15G Is i ;j <.hat ;t: contains che oi*.ty account { co ■•:/ cvv Jo(t»«f) o f the '<n'orn a T r ia l :.n tfhich Woloor*Mirniela and hip ^asociat^rs were convicted and iient to l i i ' e imprisonment. The proceeds o f t ie t r . s l occapyy • rv o s ; >e.'*V e o r i io '1 o f l-is> bcok. ... tt.i verhui. j au

epilogue to exp lain tne nosition o f the tiivonia men t.ouay, I f e l t that tn is hook voaxd ne l i to f oons :■ tciiiio : v*:i . ’ u'ori l~~i( ? oa: /pa... ;n fo r roivao. o f r ii)d^L.t. Vojir job as t ;;ubii3hor r.;.y not b-2 to var’- : o ip - be* in o i l t - c a l nnnp&i^ninu, bu« the enormous

o f siupporc fo r Mandela vi thin Couth A frica .'i-id I he need fo r j.nt‘orir ation autslde :j?ein3 tc. re to jay;.; *y pu b lica tion .

WouJ •.-* .you h- In terested in th is ' .voaic . ou tike .iu to j». \d yuua-t copy o j the bookr J at.sums that your f i r 1; -^opioi o f a i l ’..ooiuj p a b i. «r.e«j .or perhapsc le j-a them out every decade.)

four^ s in ce re ly ,

H ilda Bern.it.-in

Heinemann Educational Books22 BEDFORD SQUARE LONDON WC1B3HH

TELEPHONE: 01-637 3311 TELEGRAMS HEBOOKS LONDON TELEX 261888 ANSWERBACK CODE: HEBLDN G

6 February 1984

Dear Hilda Bernstein

I spent an enjoyable evening re-reading The World That Was Ours. It brought that period back so vividly. We have taken a photocopy and are returning the valuable and scarce copy to you by recorded delivery. I shall try it on my colleagues in Africa just as I did the Nadine Gordimer collection of stories and Hugh Lewin's Bandiet before we accepted them.

It is indeed valuable to have your description of the Rivonia trial. It certainly brought back that court room which I can still picture from a visit when I happened to be in Pretoria at the time. I thought you handled most vividly the descriptions of getting on with ordinary life in a Johannesburg suburb while all these events were building up. I also found the escape to Bechunanalano. 'between two cock crows' extremely well told and the nail-biting waiting round for the plane.

I am afraid that my view is rather subjective. It is proving quite difficult with the lack of foreign exchange in Africa to keep publishing at quite the rate we were a few years ago and we are giving first priority to novels. However let's see if we can squeeze this in as we have autobiographical South African works by Molefe Pheto and John ya-Otto. It will take a few months to get all the responses.

Yours sincerely

James Currey

CHAIRMAN TONY BEAL MANAGING DIRECTOR HAMISH MACGIBBON ANDREW BARRETT JAMES CURREY ROY DAVEY MIKE ESPLEN RICHARD GALE KEITH NETTLE KEITH SAMBROOK GRAHAM TAYLOR

SECRETARY PAUL HUTCHINGS ACA

Hilda Bernstein5 Rothwell Street London NW1 8YH

Registered a t 22 Bedford Square London WC1B 3HH England Registered No. 677944

Heinemann Educational Books22 BEDFORD SQUARE LONDON WC1B3HH

TELEPHONE 01-637 3311 TELEGRAMS HEBOOKS LONDON TELEX 261888 ANSWERBACK CODE: HEBLDN G

Ms Hilda Bernstein Pinswell Woodlandsfarm ChedworthGloucestershire GL54 4NT

16 July 1984

Dear Hilda BernsteinThe World That Was Ours

I've just had a detailed meeting in Nairobi on tne publishing programme for the African Writers Series. I regret that we will not be able to find space for it in the publishing programme, which as I said to you in February, reflects the drop in sales of new titles in Africa. I personally hope that if circumstances alter we could consider it again.

Yours sincerely

James Currey

CHAIRMAN TONY BEAL MANAGING DIRECTOR HAMISH MACGIBBON DIRECTORS KEITH SAMBROOK KEITH NETTLE JAMES CURREY RICHARD GALE MIKE ESPLEN ROYDAVEY ANDREW BARRETT GRAHAM TAYLOR

SECRETARY PAUL HUTCHINGS ACA

Registered at 22 Bedford Square London WC1B 3HH England Registered No 677944

Collection Number: A3299 Collection Name: Hilda and Rusty BERNSTEIN Papers, 1931-2006

PUBLISHER: Publisher: Historical Papers Research Archive Collection Funder: Bernstein family Location: Johannesburg

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This document is part of the Hilda and Rusty Bernstein Papers, held at the Historical Papers Research Archive, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.