BURROUGHS, Edgar Rice (1875-1950). Typed letter signed (“Edgar Rice Burroughs”) to Forrest J. Ackerman. Tarzana, 5 April 1932 on personal letterhead.

1 page, 8vo (folds). Provenance: Forrest J. Ackerman (1916-2008), American editor, magazine publisher, and science fiction author; acquired by the present owner directly from Ackerman.

In full: “Please accept my thanks for your letter of April 3. I am afraid you have wasted your time trying to enlighten English teachers as to the value of entertainment over pure literature. I am glad that you like TARZAN THE INVINCIBLE and my nephew’s art work. In my next book, JUNGLE GIRL, which will be published about April 15, there are five full-page illustrations and the frontispiece, in addition to the jacket illustration, by him. I have written one story on Venus and hope to continue the series. A young American named Carson Napier is the principal male character in this story and will run through the series if I write more. I cannot tell you what title the magazine will use, as they often change the working titles of my stories.”

The story which Burroughs refers to would be published in mid-1932 as a six-part serial in Argosy as Pirates of Venus.