Love, H: The Letters of Helene Dorn and Hettie Jones
Hettie Jones is the author of numerous books, including her memoir of the Beat scene How I Became Hettie Jones; the poetry collection Drive; and the young adult Big Star Fallin’ Mama: Five Women in Black Music. She has published in many newspapers and magazines, including the Village Voice, Global City Review, and Ploughshares. She currently teaches in the Graduate Writing Program at The New School, the 92nd Street Y, and the Lower Eastside Girls Club, and she previously taught at several colleges and universities in New York and elsewhere. Jones lives in New York City.
Helene tells story of leaving first husband, David. Hettie mentions Helene’s drinking and smoking as detriment to health, says she’s worried and loves her. Helene is ill but doesn’t reveal with what. Hettie complains: twenty-nine homeworks each week, Helene used to correct freshman English papers for Ed in Idaho. Despite illness, she’s getting to studio. Hettie’s work schedule continues to be overwhelming, though between classes one day she has dinner with Marie Ponsot and Jean Valentine, “the two of them really nice.” Big reading “Event” at Bedford “was fabulous.” Hettie even hears from superintendent of prison: “she heard it was great.” Amazing trip to Pennsylvania in “all that incredible color as I drove through the mountains.” Helene continues to get work from New York publishers; Gerrit Lansing’s companion Deryk Burton has died. Helene’s blood pressure is up, she is taking new medicine, and now her cat is sick as well.
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