FORGETFUL MEMORIAL

Tom Dardis’ allegation, in his review of David King Dunnaway’s “Huxley in Hollywood” (Book Review, Oct. 22), that Huxley wrote only “two novels highly regarded in their day”--”After Many a Summer Dies the Swan” and “Time Must Have a Stop”--is incredible. Yes, they were and are admirable novels. But what of his vastly popular, satiric early works, “Antic Hay” and “Chrome Yellow”? What of his elegant essays, poetry, short stories and historical studies?

How can Dardis compare Joyce, Virginia Woolf and D. H. Lawrence to Huxley? Except for Huxley’s close friendship with Lawrence (based upon the attraction of opposites), four more dissimilar writers can hardly be construed. As for Dardis’ comments about Huxley being an irresponsible doper, let us recall that his LSD experiments were taken under medical supervision, part of a life-long spiritual quest.

The polymathic man whose pellucid and pervasive spirituality meshed with good-humored common sense deserves a better memorial than Dardis’ parody of a book review.

LEE HOPKINS, TORRANCE