Brooklyn ¶
My dear Rupanuga, ¶
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of November 24, 1971, as well as your telegram of December 3, 1971, and I am very glad to know that MacMillan Co. is enthusiastic to print our Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 30,000 paperback and 10,000 hardback. Now you carry out all negotiations very carefully, and reserve for us all editing rights. They should not change it from our version. Examine the contract very thoroughly and consult with your GBC men for their approval. You may also send me a copy of the contract. Now let them also promote and advertise Bhagavad-gita widely all over your country, and that will help them and it will help us. ¶
Regarding Krishna Book paperback size, I originally intended the pocketbook size for the Africans, who have not got sufficient money. And if Brahmananda is ready with at least half of the total cost for printing 50,000 copies each volume or 150,000 copies total, then let him send and we shall invest for recomposing. I think the total cost is 36,800, so he will have to supply at least 18,400 before we can spend for recomposing. So I think the best thing is to reduce our existing plates to 5 1/4 x 7 1/2 size and print Krishna Book in that way, as many as required. But I have just received a letter from Karandhara, wherein he proposes to establish a rival ISKCON Press in Los Angeles. This is a very good idea. It will accelerate my work, especially when I return to L.A. So he is thinking to buy some computerized typesetter which will reset Krishna Book type in a very short time for a pocketbook edition. So you all GBC members discuss among yourselves what is to be done, but I have no objection to the 5 1/4 x 7 1/2 size. It is still legible for everyone. ¶
I wanted that there should be some color prints in the paperback edition, so I think 16 prints will be nice. The following is quoted from a letter to me by Mr. Ogata dated June 1, 1971:
Extent:
Cover: 4 pages
Text: 250 pages
Picture Pages: 16 pages
Quantity:
50,000 copies per one title
150,000 copies for three titles according CIF Destination
Price:
@ 0.24533
Total: US 12,267.00
Grand Total: US 36,800.00 per 3 titles. ¶
Karandhara has a copy of this letter from Mr. Ogata so if you need you can get a copy from him. I think some color pages will be nice, as many as possible, under the circumstances. We can get 16 color pages each volume for less than 25 cents each copy. Is that all right? ¶
Regarding the philosophy book, some tapes were lost and we have to do them over again. And due to our moving about the work has slowed down. Syamasundara informs me that each tape will require a lot of editing work, and that all of the tapes must be finished before editing can be completed, because each philosopher must be seen in his relationship with all of the others. As soon as this work is finished I shall let you know. ¶
I hope this meets you in good health and cheerful mood. ¶
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ¶
ACBS/sda ¶