"Peut-être que le meilleur livre de cette époque si creuse (sauf les journalistes) c'est "Histoire d'O" (n'en parlez pas à l'Académie)."

Autograph letter dated by Jacques Chardonne and signed with his initials to literary critic and novelist Jacques Brenner, 52 lines in black ink on a single leaf recto verso regarding the worlds of publishing and literature mired in an overly capitalist vision.
Mailing fold as expected.
For Jacques Chardonne, capitalism rests not on money but on men: "Money is nothing; it gives nothing, saves nothing, it's the barometer, that's all. Everything rests on men... [...] this is very clear in publishing. Le Mercure is a good example (Charpentier likewise; all the 'literary' publishers, for that matter.") ... Do reserves of publishers exist, when they are lacking in a house? (Charpentier was a 'publisher'; the Fasquelles were nothing); similarly Arthème Fayard was a publisher; his successors nothing."... "One can pour capital (which is what we do today) into a house without a 'publisher' and without authors; it's like pissing on sand".
Jacques Chardonne also attacks a consolation prize that displeases him because of its political connotation (the exploitation of misfortune): "I thought that the 'consolation prize' was a figure of speech: I had no idea that she was really poor... [...] what I don't much like about this prize is the political background; the exploitation of misfortune. This has gone on long enough."
He also sharply criticizes certain people like Pierre Dumayet: "You can't imagine Dumayet's behavior. If a nice little lady sings on television quite often, it's because she agreed to see him! I know one who fled (I had recommended her to Dumayet) immediately." or Roger Nimier: "I read Boisdeffre's article on 'five years before'. He's right. One feels the emptiness of Roger Nimier; about which he had no illusions... He only wrote one good book, one of the very first: 'Un grand d'Espagne'. All this is only more tragic."
The author of Destinées sentimentales concludes his letter with this peremptory impression: "Perhaps the best book of this hollow era (except for journalists) is 'Histoire d'O' (don't mention it at the Academy).
Fine autograph letter from Jacques Chardonne, at the twilight of his life, full of bitter condemnations of society and men.