Beagle's letter to Charlie says that 'we're all well, enjoying the new spring, and keeping in touch with AFT activities through Si and Rebby'.

This book was evidently a gift from Beagle's parents, Rebecca and Simon, who were also teachers, activists, and friends of the recipients. There is a slightly earlier inscription above Beagle's: 'March 1968, To our dear friends Tess & Charlie, with love, Rebby & Si'. This book was evidently a gift from Beagle's parents, Rebecca and Simon, who were also teachers, activists, and Tess was a professor, lawyer, and psychotherapist, who taught at Pace University and was a member of the advisory council of the New York City Board of Education. Charles was a union activist, president of New York City's United Federation of Teachers (1960-4), and later of the American Federation of Teachers (1964-8). The letter is a snapshot of Beagle's modest hopes of success: 'So far, the reviews have been very good, and the sales at least respectable'.Ĭharles and Tess Cogen were both dedicated educationalists. A live action film is purportedly in the works. It was voiced by Alan Arkin, Jeff Bridges, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury, and Christopher Lee (who brought his own annotated copy of the book to the studio). First edition, first printing, inscribed by the author on the half-title, 'For Tess & Charlie, May 1968 from Resurrection City, Peter', together with a typed letter signed from Beagle to Charlie from April 1968, hinting that 'there's a chance - only that, at this writing - of the book being turned into a movie'.īeagle's ambition for a film to be made of his book was realised, and The Last Unicorn was made into a hugely successful animated film, for which he wrote the screenplay, released in 1982.

The last unicorn original book