Finding an Agent: May-June 1954
By May 1954 Sigurd was ready to find an agent to market the book that became The Singing Wilderness. While in Washington, D.C. on National Parks Association business, he visited his friend Howard Zahniser, executive director of the Wilderness Society. Zahniser recommended New York agent Marie Rodell. The letters below start with one from Zahniser giving more details and contact information for Rodell, then Sig's first letter to Rodell (accompanied by a sample from the manuscript), her response (a scan of the original), and his reply to her. To see these journal entries in larger context, read The Making of The Singing Wilderness.
Howard Zahniser to Sigurd Olson, May 25, 1954
25 May 1954
Mr. Sigurd F. Olson
Box 157
Ely, Minn.
Dear Sig:
The agent whom I was suggesting to you is Miss Marie S. Rodell, whose address is 542 Fifth Avenue, New York 36, N.Y. If you are jotting this down in an address book somewhere you may as well note also that her telephone number is Murray Hill 2-2595.
I told you that she has handled Rachel Carson's writings very successfully. In fact, from what I learned a couple of years ago it seems to me that the difference between the immediate and great success of The Sea Around Us, as compared with the earlier book Under the Sea Wind, could be attributed to a very great extent to the skilful work that Miss Rodell did in preparing the way for book publication.
I neglected to tell you that Miss Rodell also handled Durward Allen's recent book, Our Wildlife Legacy, which also, you may have noted, has had an excellent send-off.
With all good wishes,
Sigurd Olson to Marie Rodell, June 10, 1954
Ely, Minn.
June 10, 1954
Miss Marie S. Rodell
542 Fifth Ave.
New York, 36, N.Y.
My dear Miss Rodell:
In Washington recently, I was discussing my coming book The Pipes of Pan with Mr. Zahniser of the Wilderness Society. He told me of the wonderful promotional job you had done for Rachel Carson's "The Sea Around Us" as well as Durward Allen's "Our Wildlife Legacy." Feeling that you had a real understanding and appreciation of the out of doors and its interpretation, we wondered if you might be interested in the promotion and handling of my book.
The Pipes of Pan is a collection of essays and sketches, each one averaging between 1500 and 2000 words in length, covering my experiences in the north. I took the name from the old French Ballade, "The Pipes of Pan," because it seemed to point up exactly what I was trying to do in my writing, recapture some of the music, the wonder, and the joy of a way of life that is fast being forgotten.
I am enclosing herewith a verse of the ballade, the table of contents, introduction, and a chapter, "The Forbidden Land," to give you an idea of what the book is like and so that you can get the feel of my writing. The essays are about finished and could have them ready for submission by early fall.
As to illustration, I think the artise Lee Jaques, (Canoe Country, Canadian Spring, Snowshoe Country) could do a sympathetic job. Lee knows the north and what is just as important, knows me and my work. Some time ago, he promised to do this whenever I was ready.
It would be much better, I know, to sit down with you to discuss the possibilities of the book, but shall be in the Quetico-Superior wilderness much of the summer. I do spend considerable time in the east, however, and perhaps sometime this fall it would be possible to come to New York to see you.
These essays and sketches are, I feel, a little different from the ordinary inasmuch as in each of them is a chance to listen to the Pipes of Pan. They might be the answer for many to the gnawing ennui of today. If they can bring some joy to those who seem to have lost their capacity to see the world of nature in a fresh, clear light, the book will be justified. I would be very pleased and happy if you would be willing to consider it.
Marie Rodell to Sigurd Olson, June 16, 1954
Sigurd Olson to Marie Rodell, undated draft, June 30 or July 1, 1954
This is a draft of a letter that Sigurd composed shortly after receiving the above letter from Rodell. Whether he sent a final draft or not to Rodell is unclear, but she did accept his desire to write it his way and market it as such, and she did follow through with his suggestion to send the manuscript to Paul Brookes at Houghton Mifflin. Rodell would remain Sigurd's agent for the rest of his career. [Note: the expedition he refers took place from July 1-14 along a 266-mile section of the historic voyageurs' trail that formed the international boundary from Grand Portage to Fort Frances. The expedition ended up receiving extensive media coverage in Canada, and from then on Olson and his companions were known as "the Voyageurs." For much more on this group and their expeditions, see "The Voyageurs" section of this website.]
My dear Miss Rodell:
I appreciated your letter of June 16th and following your suggestion am enclosing the balance of the MSS.
I judged from your reactions that you thought readers would be more interested in my personal natural history observations and adventures in the wilderness than my abstract philosophy and feeling.
There was only one reason for writing this book and that to bring in my interpretations of the meaning of the country, philosophy and appreciation. The adventure and actual observations were simply brought in as a medium through which the other could be carried.
There are many books of adventure and factual accounts of observations in the out of doors. It was not my wish to do another. The value of my book as I see it is in my interpretation of the wilderness, its meaning, and my reactions to it. I have discovered in my speaking and writing generally that this is what people want and expect from me.
You may not agree with me at all but I feel very strongly about this. If you are still interested and want to try it out why not consider The Oxford Press who published Aldo Leopold's Sand County Almanac or Houghton Mifflin, whose Editor Paul Brookes had a recent article in the last Atlantic Monthly on a canoe trip he took through this area. I know there are publishers who are looking for a different slant and interpretation of the out of doors, something that will be more than an adventure book, something that will enrich understanding, appreciation and possibly make for richer living. That is exactly what I had in mind.
I am leaving this morning for an expedition so will not be able to contact you for a month but I shall be looking forward to my return and a letter from you.
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