Tommyrot

To the Editors:

Hoorays and thanks to Jean Stafford, in her review of Parmenia Migel’s book about Isak Dinesen [NYR, Jan. 18] for labeling as speculation the tommyrot Miss Migel wrote of Ernest’s envying the Baroness’s “poise and sophistication” and his “morbid hatred and fear” of homosexuality.

Whatever other deficiencies of character Ernest may have had, envy was not among them; and although he wrote at least one published short story about homosexuality, and also something unpublished, they are the expression of the writer, not the man.

Mary Hemingway

New York City