Exchange with R. Abraham Cohen about Manuscript of His Essays on "The New Morality" (1970)
Dear Rabbi Lamm, How are you? You will remember that I approached you after your address at Rabbi Forman’s synagogue here in Toronto; I mentioned then I am a ’62 musmach of Y.U. and am presently engaged in the field of school psychology here in Toronto. I told you that I was working on a book dealing with the new morality (touching upon various aspects of it). You indicated that if I sent a sample chapter and an outline you might show the manuscript to someone at Harper’s. I thought, and I hope you’ll agree, that I would be best first sending you two component parts for your opinion; that is, just a simple statement of whether you think it’s a matter worth carrying further. I could immediately send you the outline (which is something I might like to work on further) which could then be shown to a publisher. I am enclosing a lengthy analysis of the sex-movie phenomenon which I once sent to several magazines. Saturday Review indicated (i.e., a member of the editorial staff) that they read the article with considerable interest, but that it just wasn’t right for their magazine. Harper’s indicated that it was a “very well done job” but was too academic for them. I realize that it is probably too lengthy and complex for most popular magazines. The other chapter is on the subject of marriage; while photostating a copy for you I photostated another copy and may send it to some magazine for consideration. I have basically dropped concern with magazines which would involve a different, and perhaps painstaking approach, and one of much more limited ambition. As I noted, I would appreciate just a statement of your impression, and any advice or help you might offer me. I wonder if there is anyone else at Y.U. who might take some interest in this matter (since I am a graduate). I would imagine that if you expressed any interest in my efforts that any additional assistance would be pretty unnecessary. But then, you could answer that best. Finally, I might just remark in the way…