When Beauty Rode the Rails ‘stinks on toast’ as a book title

 

 

 

 

SEPTEMBER 24, 1961 with response by Morgan OCTOBER 4, 1961

This exchange includes a letter from noted author, railfan, and bon vivant Lucius Beebe and a response from then-Trains Editor David P. Morgan about the book project, “When Beauty Rode the Rail”, published by Doubleday in 1962. Beebe notes that Morgan helped him with the title for “Narrow Gauge in the Rockies,” published in 1958 by Howell-North, and is looking for title advice on this book. Both covers are included here.

Transcription follows:

Lucius Beebe to David Morgan, Sept. 24

804 Vista Rd
Hillsborough, Calif.
Sept. 24.

David,

Chuck and I are running up a quick for the Christmas trade which is contracted for with Doubleday next year to sell for $5.95 God willing. We want to try to tap some of the non-luxury, non-fan trade and see if there is any, although it will be a good anough book for the fans unless they are nuts and bolts psychos.

We are tentatively entitled ” When Beauty Rode The Rail.” Phil Hastings has written to tell me it stinks. We both know it stinks on toast.

Everybody seems to think its stinks except the salesmen who will handle the book who don’t seem offended.

You dreamed up “Narrow Gauge in The Rockies,” now supposed you come up with something that won’t make all our friends throw up to cover a wistful, dreamy anthology, mostly devoted to smoke order yesterdays and white fenced rights of way. Theodore Bunner or somebody once wrote a poem beginning

“Bless me, this is pleasant

Riding on the rail!”

You see any merit in the second line?

Lucius

Letter reply from David Morgan to Lucius Beebe:

October 4, 1961

Mr. Lucius Beebe
804 Vista Road
Hillsborough, California

Hello, Lucius:

I can’t say I foam at the mouth at the idea of “When Beauty Road The Rail,” although I do think it conflicts with Hamilton Ellis’ new English pictorial entitled “The Beauty of Railways.”

I do like:

“Bless me, this is pleasant

Riding on the rail!”

I’ve liked that live ever since I originally saw it in one of your books many years ago. Perhaps it was “High Iron.” However, you’d have to use the entire quote if at all because “Riding the rail” smacks of a hobo anthology. Too close to “Riding the Rods” or “Riding the Blinds” for comfort.

Why not settle for Edna St. Vincent Millay’s classic “Yet there isn’t a train I wouldn’t take. . .” Fact is, the more I contemplate that line, the more I like it–and if you don’t use it, let me know because maybe I can dream up something between hard covers to warrant its usage.

Cordially,

Editor

David P. Morgan/mp