E.B. White, a Biography, 1982-1985 Summary and Analysis

By 1982, White's vision deteriorates because of retinal degeneration, to the point that he gives up doing newsbreaks for The New Yorker after 56 years. In letters to friends and relatives, White mentions that his eyesight only permits him to see half of the keyboard, and says proofreading is a real chore. Nevertheless, he begins putting his papers in order for eventual donation to the Cornell archives.

In an April 1982 letter to a woman who had been a secretary at The New Yorker when White first joined, White expresses his pleasure at hearing from her and confesses that he has never fully understood "The Elements of Style" even though he is one of its co-authors. White advises Scott Elledge, who is writing a biography of E.B., that they should try to work...