1971-1972. Three typed letters signed and two typed notes signed by DeLillo, all written to his publisher and regarding his second and third books, End Zone and Great Jones Street. The first two letters clarify a dozen or so changes to End Zone, with the second containing a brief discussion of the Vienna Circle of philosophers. A third note corrects a typo ("cases" for "oases"). In the fourth letter, DeLillo defends his abbreviation of "Dr." for the character of Dr. Pepper [in Great Jones Street], in part, "I'd like the character's name to echo the brand name as closely as possible." He also agrees that they are "well on our way to setting some sort of book-a-year record." The fifth note alludes to a missing manuscript, about which he is not "unduly bereaved." Also included is one photocopied internal memo from 1971 saying that DeLillo has agreed to the title change, from The Self-Erasing Word to End Zone, provided that it be spelled as two words. The lot is fine. An early look at DeLillo's writing: his winning the National Book Award in 1985 for White Noise elevated him to the top tier of American literature, and each of his books after that point was viewed as a major literary event. [#036687] $1,750