Letter to Charles Schultz (17 February 1964)
Norman Mailer's Letters on An American Dream, 1963–1969, ed. J. Michael Lennon (Sligo Press, 2004); transcription via the An American Dream Expanded digital edition (Project Mailer).
Dear Mr. Schultz,1
Normally I think I would want to say yes to your invitation for the Forum, but since it falls on March 12, which is three days after I’ll be handing in my next installment 2 of my novel to Esquire, I can know to a certainty that it will be impossible to prepare anything for the Forum or even think constructively in advance about what I would like to say and what my ideas might really be. So for that reason, most regretfully, I’m afraid I must decline.