A TYPED LETTER SIGNED by the Science Fiction author and writer of Westerns G.C. EDMONDSON, to his friend and colleague Science Fiction author REGINALD BRETNOR, offering his belated sympathies on the death of Bretnor's wife Helen Harding and another close mutual friend, while reflecting on the subject of death, together with 4 TYPED POSTCARDS, 3 of which are SIGNED by HIM, also addressed to Bretnor.

San Diego, California, August 17, 1964 through March 16, 1970. [1968]., [1968]. Fine. - A substantial letter dated July 31, 1968 consisting of over 370 words typed on 11 inch high by 8-1/2 inch wide creamy white paper with his name & address stamped at the top. Though Reginald Bretnor's wife, Helen Harding, died in 1967, G.C. Edmondson has just heard the news and writes a deeply insightful letter to Bretnor, musing on the subject of death, "I don't know how it happened - one of those inexplicable breakdowns in communications." "I didn't know she was gone until Hillary dropped by Sunday & told me. And then a moment ago I finally got around to opening the Magazine and saw it again in yr obit to another good and irreplaceable friend." He muses on the death of Bretnor's wife and their friend "AB", "I don't know what to say. Guess there's nothing anyone can say; just turn a fearful glance inward & selfishly hope I go first." Musing about God and death, he writes "When younger I went thru all the phases only to return to an older & darker way. Agnosticism - silly sophistry. When the moment of truth comes, then comes one's ancestral god." "Perhaps years of pain have clouded my thinking but I look forward to the old white whiskered anthropomorph on the seat of judgment. Perhaps in his infinite wisdom & mercy he'll forgive me my sins. And then, maybe I'll get close enough to get my hands on him." "In the dark night of the soul it's comforting to have a god to blame and curse, I suppose the Greeks had a word for it." . "I hope you'll understand that I'm trying to express my sympathy as honestly as I know how & it isn't particularly arty." He briefly mentions publications and offers to bring him "anything from the Tijuana markets", signing off with "Ishtar diminish thy enemy's member!" Signed "GCE". Folded for mailing, else fine. Together with 4 plain signed postcards, the first three of which are typed on 3 inch high by 5 inch wide card stock, the fourth typed on a 3-1/2 inch high by 6 inch wide card. In the first, dated August 17, 1964, Edmondson writes "I've propositioned Philip K. Dick to park the Coloso del Norte en su patio but don't know if he's still living there." He then asks Bretnor, as a backup, he could then park the car which is in need of repair, at Bretnor's home. Signed "GCE". Addressed to Reginald Bretnor on the verso and postmarked. In his second postcard, dated June 18, 1965, Edmonson asks Bretnor if the Westercon's is "going to be worthwile this year: and whether he'll be there. Signed "GCE" and addressed and postmarked on the verso. In his third postcard, dated July 15, 1968, he mentions that "Poul warned me that Berkeley is full of the culturally deprived these days." He states that he'd like "to make the con." and asks if there is any chance they could park where they did the last time. Unsigned but addressed and postmarked on the verso. His fourth postcard, dated March 16, 1970, is written in Spanish telling Bretnor that he'll be passing through there with the Andersons in a few days. Signed "GCE" and addressed and postmarked on the verso. The science fiction author Garry Edmonson, whose full name is "Jose Maryo Garry Ordonez Edmonson y Cotton", wrote under the name G.C. Edmondson (1922-1995) served in the U.S. Marines during World War II. Born in Mexico, Edmonson could speak six languages. Though best known as a Science Fiction author, Edmondson also wrote Westerns under the pseudonyms of Kelly P. Gast, J.B. Masterson, and Jack Logan. Born Alfred Reginald Kahn, the Russian-American science fiction writer Reginald Bretnor (1911-1992) wrote numerous short stories, many of which featured a whimsical story line or ironic plot twist, as well as volumes on military theory and public affairs. His collection of short stories titled "Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot", published under the pseudonym of Grendel Briarton, gave birth to the humorous story pun which came to be called a "Feghoot". The stories were.…