Add MS 89002/3/5

A small hard-covered notebook containing notes made by Upward during his 'educational tour' of the U.S.S.R. (Leningrad, Kharkov, Kiev), as part of an Intourist group excursion, led by Beatrice King, in April 1932. The notebook includes notes and observations about schools, factories, and places of cultural interest visited.

Together with the notebook (and originally folded inside) are:

• a tour programme (typed) with notes in pencil on the verso;
• an unsigned letter (dated only 'March first', without year and perhaps incomplete) from Christopher Isherwood at an address in Berlin (letter author indicated by letter contents), with further notes in pencil by Upward made in the U.S.S.R. on the verso;
• a small sheet of paper (dated 11/4/1932) containing various signatures;
• a business card for 'Miss Mercer', giving an address in Blackburn.

The letter from Isherwood begins by noting his continuing tendency to look to Upward for literary advice: 'I'm still as utterly reliant as ever on your judgement, you alone can speak the double Chinese necessary to discuss the probleme du style'. It includes passing reference to Stephen Spender and to W. H. Auden, and notes that Isherwood is 'at present writing a novel in diary-form about Berlin' the first draft of which should be completed 'sometime in April'. (Upward returned home from the U.S.S.R. via Berlin, where he met with both Isherwood and Spender.)