31 OCTOBER 1941, Page 12

Six,—I have read with interest the article by Erwin D.

Canham in your issue of October 24th, and previous articles in The Spectator on Anglo-American Co-operation. It occurs to me that you may be interested to see the attached list of books and pamphlets which we have published recently, or have in preparation, intended to spread a knowledge of American history and institutions in this country. We got the list out in August, in connexion with the excellent courses on American history organised by the Board of Education in the summer holidays for the benefit of teachers. Since the list was printed, several items in it, announced as forthcoming, have already been published, namely two more volumes in the " World Today " series, Canada, by B. K. Sandwell, and South America, by J. B. Trend, and the first Oxford Pamphlet on America, D. W. Brogan's on American Foreign Policy. A. J. Brown's Oxford Pamphlet on the Arsenal of Democracy is in proof, and will be published in November.

The most important item in the list is perhaps the first, Allan Nevins' Brief History of the United States. This is in the press, and we hope to publish it before the end of the year. Though its principal usefulness will perhaps be in secondary schools, it is not written in the least as a textbook, and we hope that the general public will benefit by it also. I am sure that to promote a reasonable and sympathetic attitude towards America in this country, which can only be based on a real knowledge of America, is not only a good thing in itself, and essential in a long view for post-war co-operation, but also, in an indirect way, is extremely good propaganda.—Yours