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			JAMES RESTON, Jr.

				   4714 Hunt Ave.
				Chevy Chase, Md. 20815		
				  Fax: (202) 363-7164
				    February 27, 1993

Andrea Cane
Non-fiction editor
Arnoldo Mondadori Editore
20090 Segrate (MI)
Italy

Dear Andrea:

	You probably know that Ed Burlingame has left HarperCollins, a fact that makes me very sad. But life goes on. My Galileo biography has been put in the hands of another Harpers editor, Rick Kot, and it is nearly complete, with thirteen chapters written and one to go. I think it is quite good, as do Misters Burlingame and Kot. I expect to deliver a final, polished manuscript in May.

	Meanwhile, the television adaptation of the book has been taken on by the premiere station of the American public television network, WGBH in Boston, and I expect to shift my energies to that project after the book is complete. 

	Meanwhile, I'm coming back to Italy between March 24 and April 8, to spend most of my time in Pisa, but will be in Rome and Florence for a few days as well.

	Assuming that there is still some interest in the book at Mondadori, I wanted to pursue a subject which we discussed briefly in our last conversation: the possible interest at Berlusconi in associating itself with the television production of Galileo. It is certain that in the coming months, WGBH will be holding discussions with possible foreign co-producers. (The station is already talking with ZDF in Mainz, since Bertelsman Verlag has purchased the German rights to the book.) An Italian co-producer is an obvious match as well, and Berlusconi is the logical entity, offering the possibility of a combined book-and-video package. I mentioned to you, I believe, that Berlusconi had agreed to provide considerable funding for the epic Galileo exhibition in Padua. But I learned, only yesterday, that for political reasons, the Padua exhibition will not go forward. With interest already thus established, I would like to suggest that it be shifted into a major, international television production on Galileo.

	Therefore, I'm wondering if there isn't some value in trying to get me together with the appropriate person(s) at Berlusconi when I'm in Italy on this forthcoming trip. I'm hoping that those persons are in Rome rather than Milan, and that I could have the meeting on Friday, March 26. I would be glad to send a current treatment for the TV program to the right person, if you will fax me a request. (Number above)

	If you think this is a good idea, are you in a position to make the arrangements?

®LM10¯®RM70¯®PT3¯






					4714 Hunt Ave.
				Chevy Chase, Md. 20815
				FAX #: (202) 363-7164
					March 3, 1993

Rosaria Carpinelli
Direttore Editoriale
Rizzoli Libri
20138 Milano, Italy

Dear Ms. Carpinelli:

	After our meeting last May 15 in the New York office of my editor at HarperCollins, Ed Burlingame, I was very pleased with your interest in my Galileo biography, and therefore, I'm eager to keep you informed of the current developments, now that the work is nearing completion. As you may know, Mr. Burlingame left Harpers in December, and the book has been reassigned to a senior editor named Rick Kot. The biography is now 90% complete, with thirteen chapters written and only one more to write. I expect to give Mr. Kot the final, polished manuscript on May l0. Meanwhile, I'll be making my final research trip to Italy between March 24 and April 8, spending most of my time in Pisa.

	Additionally, the television production of Galileo is in the hands of WGBH, the premiere station of the public television network of America, and I have every expectation that after the book is complete in May, I will be shifting my energies into the preparations for the television project, which I hope will go into production in a year's time.

	Now that both the book and video forms of the project are coming together, I naturally hope for the continued interest of Rizzoli Books and Rizzoli Video. The ideal possibility, of course, would be for a book and video package to be presented simultaneously.

			   Cordially yours,