SKF NOTE: This three-page letter to Neil Peart from me was written when I was married and living in Oxford, MD on the Del-Mar-Va peninsula. I was working as Area Director for the MA based non-profit Stop Smoking Clinics, four years or so after stepping down as Modern Drummer’s Managing Editor.

If you look close at the letter images here you’ll see I typed the letter on the back side of Stop Smoking Clinics registration forms.

Neil and I kept up a correspondence. This letter of mine is a response to his March 31 letter to me.

Interesting in retrospect is what I wrote Neil about Buddy Rich’s recent death. I may have Neil’s response somewhere. But reading this letter I am reminded of how distraught I was over Buddy’s death, and how puzzled I was at how very sad I felt.

No surprise, Neil and I often shared thoughts on books. Here, replying to a long list of books Neil had written me about in his last letter, I said, “I cannot believe how many books you are able to read.” And then, at his request, I offer Neil my Jack Kerouac book recommendations.

I miss corresponding with Neil. He was a great pen pal.