Too few magazines have given Truman Capote (PEOPLE, May 10), a little giant of the literary world, his day in print. Bravo to PEOPLE for publishing his story. It was a fine job of honest reporting.
Mrs. Gail S. Hansen
Oak Forest, Ill.
Thanks for nothing! Capote's artless truisms about other "celebrities" mean nothing to the vast majority of us who would thank you to keep the likes of this paunchy little man away from our eyes forever.
Mark Kertz
Lake Worth, Fla.
Mr. Capote's face or personality is no different from a hundred that we see every day (believe it or not). It is understandable how he could be overlooked. And this comes from a desk clerk who just sold George Plimpton a newspaper and didn't recognize him.
Barbara Weber
Tacoma, Wash.
The description of Capote should not have been "Tiny Terror," but "Horrible Ham." The pink cover suits his personality.
Pam Sherman
Milpitas, Calif.
Outrageous—bizarre—a real put-on, but tiny—never. In sheer capacity to produce and interpret true humans, Capote is a titan.
Bernadette Greene
Orange, Calif.
The Capote cover is in the place of honor in my locker above your Elton John cover. Truman Capote may not strike you as a teeny-bopper's idol, but to me he's the most fantastic thing since Mick Jagger. Truman's got it all—cynical humor, a slightly strange sense of decorum and universal appeal.
Roberta Miner
Vancouver, Wash.
It is quite ironic that on the date you feature "The Mental Midget" you also include an article on Greenwich High School. Though he never graduated, Capote should recall the strong support given him in pursuit of becoming a novelist by his English teacher, Miss Madelaine Wood, who, I believe, was his instructor at Greenwich High School during his sophomore and junior years. If not his teacher, Miss Wood was his adviser on the school magazine, the name of which I have long forgotten.
Bob Smith
Lexington, Ky.
Capote says he remembers Miss Katherine (not Madelaine) Wood well and dedicated the book version of A Christmas Memory to her.—ED.
Rick Monday
It's good to know that heroes do not have to be star-spangled and bemedaled soldiers or marines—they can be just plain old ballplayers. From now on, all potential flag burners will (hopefully) remember: "NEVER on MONDAY!"
C. L. Shelley Jr.
South Gate, Calif.
Our 5-year-old son insisted on taking the magazine and showing it to his kindergarten class. Rick Monday's name will remain in his heart and head forever. We love you, Rick!
Sally Margis
Midlothian, Ill.
Kevin White
Anyone familiar with the busing situation in Boston knows the total absurdity of Mayor White's statement that busing Irish into an Italian neighborhood would cause as much trouble as busing blacks into white neighborhoods. It is about time he faced the fact that I, as a black, have had to live with in Boston for 54 years: that Boston is as filled with racism as any city one might name in the South!
Franklin Johnson
Boston
Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine is an inspiration for everyone to live life more fully.
Jill Allerton
New Castle, Pa.
I fail to understand how anyone can make a trip to China and come away with a lesson on individualism.
Mark Creasser
Valdosta, Ga.
How would Shirley MacLaine like people to judge her talents by her looks (aging elf with freckles)? How small of her to judge a political candidate (Jimmy Carter) by his looks.
Ellen Lipp
Lancaster, Pa.
It was the fashionable support of people like MacLaine and her brother, Warren Beatty, that helped turn George McGovern's hopeful movement into a pathetic sideshow in 1972. Nixon is gone, but McGovern is not around (effectively) either. I hope that the Democratic front-runner will not have to resort to asking such support. It could be the kiss of death.
Brian Kidwell
Wakefield, Mass.
Frederick Mellinger
Writer Jed Home's snide remark "Can you dig it, Gloria?"—meaning Frederick of Hollywood's vulgar fashions—was totally uncalled for. While chauvinists such as he poke fun at a serious matter, namely the unnatural dissatisfaction many women feel concerning their physical appearance, women such as Gloria Steinem teach us to be proud of ourselves, proud enough not to seek our identities in our figures but in our minds instead.
Ann C. Philbrick
Boston
Mr. Mellinger claims that Frederick's of Hollywood has customers in every town. Even Hoberg, Missouri?
Genene Lilich Johnson
Joplin, Mo.
Mellinger says his mailing list includes 16 names from the Hoberg zip code area.—ED.
Robin Goodfellow
When patients comment that a 31-year-old of either sex does not look old enough to be a surgeon, pediatrician, etc., the correct reply is a smile and a "Thank you."
Carrie McKee, M.D.
Chief of Pediatrics
U.S.P.H.S. Hospital
Seattle
Dr. McKee is 33.—ED.
Since Robin Goodfellow is another name for the fairy Puck, one can only hope that Peter Bent Brigham Hospital is not plagued by the storms, broken dishes, soured milk and spontaneous abortions this mischievous spirit is reputed to cause.
R. L. Montgomery
Hampton, N.H.
Gabe Kaplan
Try again. The dictum is "Up your nose with a rubber hose."
Kerry A. McCartan
Newark, Del.
I wonder about the reasoning of the show's writers in deciding Kotter had to be married in order to give the character "stability and morality." This proves once again the American point of view that if you are to be "normal" you have to be married, formerly married, or involved in some sort of an affair. Rest assured, there are a number of unmarried teachers—male and female—who most certainly are "stable" and "moral."
Sandra J. Flowers
Teacher, Grade 5
Newport, R.I.
Cal Worthington
May the Great One above move you to Oklahoma City, Cal Worthington, so that the transplanted native L.A. insomniacs could get to sleep by watching you.
Flo Chevront
Bethany, Okla.
Sheila Young
I'm sorry to say, my admiration for Miss Young definitely deteriorated! It's sad when two such talented people can't set a better example, morally, for other young people. They are adult enough to concentrate on Olympic training, with those pressures, so why do they have to "play house" like a couple of kids? Too bad!
Mrs. W. G. Dudley
Elwood, Ind.
Miriam Blue
I want you to know that it was exciting to be written up (PEOPLE, April 19). But will you please tell Mr. Marvin Kramer in Milford, Ohio, whose letter was printed in your May 10 issue, that he need not worry, because I make a fair wage for both my on-air work and my cleaning chores at KMOX Radio. And, besides that, tell Mr. Kramer that I really enjoy my work and maybe he should consider that there are sometimes rewards other than money for a job well done. All is well!
Miriam Blue
St. Louis
Saved by the Bell Reunion
The hookups, the meltdowns, the memoires
The case reveals what was really going on what they think of each other now!
