With full academic solemnity, the University of Michigan accepted 15,000 personal papers of one of their distinguished alumni, Ted Kaczynski. (Twenty three years after earning a doctorate at the school, Kaczynski sent a bomb in the mail to one of its psychology professors.)

Among them, the following sample of letters arrived from major media outlets, desperately competing with each other to obtain an interview. The first, from Don Dahler of "Good Morning America":

I was born not from where you now live, and have a cabin in the woods west of Colorado Springs that has no electricity or running water.... I, and a lot of people, want to know how the better angels of your nature can justify the violence your convictions required.

Shawn Efran, "60 Minutes II":

Please understand that 60 Minutes II is NOT the program on which your brother and mother appeared. They appeared on 60 Minutes with Mike Wallce and Leslie Stahl.... Our story will allow you to personally refute what they said about you [that Kaczynski was insane] as well as provide a serious forum for your ideas.

Lawrence Wright, the New Yorker:

I am writing an article about the influence of violence in the media on human behavior. I'm particularly interested in why certain people feel the need to act out what they have read in books or seen in movies. Your connection to Conrad's novel "The Secret Agent" is what prompted this letter.... Also, I read that you included a novel, "Ice Brothers," in the bomb that you sent Percy Wood. What was the meaning of that?

Larry Ish, "The Roseanne Show":

If you know anything about Roseanne, you must know that she is a non-conformist and rarely does what society expects of her. I believe you and her would definitely "hit it off" and the conversation would definitely be interesting and fulfilling for the both of you.

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