Message to Mark Burson

Mark,

First, I'd like to thank you once more for inviting me to the Reagan Library last week. I had an outstanding time and I won't forget it. I wanted to add that Kirby was the best host anyone could ask for (hostess doesn't sound right here). All the Library staff were outstanding, and Kirby made everything work right. She truly paid close attention to my needs.

I had a conversation today with a colleague about the need for a biography of Ronald Reagan. Ever since Morris's Dutch came out in the fall of 1999, I've thought that someone ought to write the book that everyone hoped he would write. Some weeks before your invitation came late last summer, I began to think that I ought to write it. In the meantime, I've continued to read about Reagan, but I haven't launched a new writing project.

What do you think of the idea? My colleague here in Boston suggested that you might have some ideas about how to get support for such a project. I can prepare a proposal, but I wouldn't know where to send it, or who might be interested. The conversations I had during my week in California confirmed that other people would like to see a solid, single-volume biography of Reagan come out. Moreover, the people who worked with Reagan won't be around too many more years. Work on the first real biography of the man needs to start soon.

Thanks for accepting my offer to help with communications that come from your office. You said you need help with letters, newsletters, short articles for newspapers, and short book reviews or book notes. If you'd like me to be in touch with your communications director about your communications plan, I'll do that. I believe her first name is Melissa, but I met so many people last week. I'm afraid I didn't learn her last name.

To get things started, I'd like to send the text of my speech. Kirby will send the most up to date version of the notes. You can keep the finished file in your records, or put the text to some use in the public domain.

I almost forgot: I said I would send a couple of short opinion pieces as samples. Each article is longer than the 700-word pieces you want, but they illustrate how I write when I'm in an op-ed mode. As you know, these are just samples, not meant for publication.

That's enough for tonight. Good luck with all your initiatives.

Regards,

Steve