David Irving frequently received and responded to correspondence from readers, which he considered important for maintaining engagement with his audience and gauging the reception of his work. These interactions provided encouragement and sometimes sparked debate, influencing his writing and perspective.
Reader correspondence was a regular feature of Irving’s life and work, documented extensively in his diaries. He valued the feedback and appreciation he received, finding it motivating during periods of writing and publication. The content of these letters ranged from expressions of gratitude and requests for clarification to debates about historical interpretations.
* 2021: Received a letter from a reader praising his work and inquiring about a potential second volume covering Himmler's life during World War II. Irving confirmed the project’s progress but cautioned against announcing it prematurely. Churchill’s War * 2021: Kathy, a frequent correspondent, reported on the antics of her cats, Lu and Suzy. Kathy 2022: Milen from Bulgaria expressed enthusiasm for publishing Irving's works in Bulgarian, specifically mentioning Hitler's War and Dresden*. Bulgaria * 2022: Received a Christmas letter from Benjamin Power, who appreciated the mailing list and had read several of Irving’s books. Christmas 2022: Kathy sent orders and inquired about shipping details, including a collector’s edition of Hitler's War*. Orders * 2023: Cal wrote, expressing appreciation for Irving’s work and acknowledging the author’s impending completion of his series. Irving responded with gratitude, highlighting the importance of reader appreciation. Cal * 2023: Michael Santomauro shared a 50-page debate with a PhD student, Matt Cockerill, on anti-revisionism. Irving expressed interest in publicizing the debate. Anti-Revisionism 2023: A reader ordered 500 copies of Royal Navalese and inquired about slipcases for Hitler's War*. Orders * 2023: A reader expressed appreciation for Irving’s work and commented on the state of Western culture. Reader Appreciation
The volume and nature of correspondence varied across years. In 2021, correspondence often included updates from Kathy. By 2023, the focus shifted towards discussions about historical interpretations and promotional efforts.
Reader Appreciation Kathy Orders Bulgaria Anti-Revisionism Christmas Churchill’s War