As an example of fan letters written by famous authors to famous authors, here is a sample of W.H. Auden’s words to James Agee’s editors in 1944:
In my opinion, his column is the most remarkable regular event in American journalism to-day. What he says is of such profound interest, expressed with such extraordinary wit and felicity, and so transcends its ostensible — to me, rather unimportant — subject, that his articles belong in that very select class — the music criques of Berlioz and Shaw are the other members I know — of newspaper work which has permanent literary value.
One foresees the sad day, indeed, when Agee on Films will be the subject of a Ph.D. thesis.
W.H. Auden’s work is often studied in Core classes.
For other such letters, visit http://bit.ly/11k9FER