Dear Miss Dressner,

Re: WARD 402 by Ronald Glasser

As per yours of the 1st June, I write to tell you I received the copy of the book, for which my thanks. It came in last Friday, and I read it this weekend.

Read it, I must say, with genuine interest and considerably mixed feelings. It is, in its lowkey, even downbeat way, an extremely powerful story. The ending, of course, has a terrible impact, and so does the message, which I take to be “Let ‘em die… with dignity” and which I don’t ever recall in a “doctor” book. And well told, a pleasingly unassuming tone, a solidly constructed narrative which brings the reader along. I don’t know Glasser’s 365 Days, but he surely has talent, and I hope he keeps writing.

There you may have my fresh and personal reaction. As to what it means for Albin Michel and/or the book’s chances in France I don’t immediately know. I’m an American myself, have been sufficiently exposed to the “folklore” of Marcus Welby etc. to respond to a book which appears to offer a glimpse of unvarnished truth, however painful. And I think enough American readers and sophisticated and savvy about hospitals and medicine – those perennial subjects – to give you a good run with the book in the trade.

I’m not sure, though, about the French market. I know the traditional folkloric imported0from-U.S.A. fiction sells well here, Frank Slaughter among others. But before committing myself to an offer, I’ll want at least one French opinion to compare with my own, for I worry about the sometimes-ability of the French to seal themselves off from unwanted truths of versions of truths.

In any case, I’ll know more of where we stand by the first of next week, and although this letter doesn’t bring the “acceptable offer” you mention, I hope it will encourage you to keep from closing in the meanwhile.

Which every good wish,

Sinceley yours,
Peter Israel