To Lorine Pruette [Letter 274]

October 28, 1946 

Miss Lorine Pruette
27 Ryder Road
Ossening, New York

Dear Lorine: 

I was very startled and sorry to hear that The Times had given ANTHEM to another reviewer. If it was my publishers who sent a copy of ANTHEM to The Times, they did so in spite of a specific agreement with me to the contrary, and I shall have to inquire as to how or why this happened. 

Thank you for the nice things you said about ANTHEM—I wanted to know your opinion. No, I don’t agree with you that the end is not as good as the beginning—I think the end is much the best of the book. The last two chapters are the actual anthem. But I am glad that you liked the rest of it. 

As to my next book, I think I will put it in my contract that you are to review it, if you are willing to, by that time. At least, I intend to try, as I still don’t want any other reviewers for my writing, and I won’t change my mind until and unless you tell me to. I think the next book will interest you. It is a very serious undertaking, and it will be in the nature of a bombshell. 

Let me hear from you once in a while until then. 

Affectionately,

Ayn Rand