iREC'VLCE D PfiLL;Ei\f- ald Dean of Graduate Studio: 1Refer. /Action EB 1 - 1982 Signature 57i7: Dear Deon Livingston, 1-1omestead 307 70 Celestial day Jun)Beach, Fla. 33408 28- January 1982 T:every time I see a letter from you I feel a pang of conscience. I fear I'm putting you to yet one more round of trouble, and I 'eant my visit to your campus Lo be as painless as it could possibly be. I promise you I 'eon't add to your burdens. A"' to the housing for me, I shall listen attentively to any advice. I shall be in Austin sometime soon after 15 April 1932 for a few brief (lays and can reach some tentative or even final decisions then. By that time, also, John Kings will have had a chance to look around. ek) I suggest we hold all that in abeyance for the moment. As to the two assistants, I am impressed by Dr. Gould's throughtful letter and am'stringly inclined to take your advice and leave the nomination in his hands, but I do not think the selection should be cast in cement before I reach Austin in April. I propose this: Dr. Gould, with whom I had the most pleasant discussion last summer, should advise i;obert 'dooster in the field of Texas history and Jesus F. de la Teja in Mexican colonial history that they have been reeommended and that i will meet with them in icipril with every probability that the appoihtment will be final. John Kings could probably meet with them around April 1 when he gets there to satisfy himself that there are no gross disqualifications. It is important that the nominees understand the working arrangements and agreements and especially that if the book does well, which we pray it will, I shall bc giving the academic wing of the university a substantial grant in appre- ciation of the courtesies accorded me. I deem l this eesential. My decision to choose Mr. de la Zja is based on nothing more profound than that it might be helpful for me to work with someone of .1;panish background, since Mr. Wooster will represent the anglos. '',ut if Mr. de la Teja is apt to create unforseen problems, or if rr. French is markedly superior, then the reasons for my choice would vanish. Only Dr. Van Young can advise on that, and his recommend- ation of Mr. de la Teja was so strong that I judge he feels no anprehension. I am finishing my novel on space, a massive undertaking as I look back upon it, and look forward to October or Noveliter publication.. .maybe later. I am dis- tressed at the moment by the appearance on the stands of a book being peddled as if it werela me. I had nothing to do with it, neither editorially or financially, and while it is not disgracefully bad it is partial, fragmentary and casual, three attributes which certainly do not apply to my tarditionul work. It is handsomely presented and I am reminded of the comment by an actor who had done a so-so motion picture: 'At least I didn't have to hide behind the popcorn stand when they came out of the theater.' Congenially, t.,,,,. ' /7