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Alfred A Knopf Inc.:

A Preliminary Inventory of an Addition to Its Editorial Files and Editorial Department Files in the Manuscript Collection at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center



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Repository: The University of Texas at Austin, Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
Creator: Alfred A Knopf, Inc.
Title: Alfred A Knopf Inc., Addition to Editorial Files and Editorial Department Files
Dates: 1949-1984
Extent: 54 boxes (22.68 linear feet)
Abstract: This additional material for the Alfred A. Knopf Inc. Records contains editorial files spanning 1949-1984, concentrated in the latter years 1970-1984.
Language: English

Administrative Information

Acquisition:

Gift, 1996 (Gift no. 10631)

Processed by:

Hope Rider, 2007

Restrictions

Access:

Open for research

Scope and Contents

This additional material for the Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Records contains editorial files spanning 1949-1984, concentrated in the latter years 1970-1984. The files, received at the Ransom Center in 1996, are arranged in two series: I. Editor Files, 1965-1984; II. Editorial Department Files, 1949-1983.

Series I. contains the working files of three Knopf editors: Subseries A. Angus Cameron, 1965-1973; Subseries B. William Koshland, 1971-1977; and Subseries C. Vicky Wilson, 1972-1984. The Cameron files, the largest group spanning twenty-eight boxes, are arranged alphabetically by the author with whom, or on whose behalf, Cameron worked. Koshland's files are arranged in three date sequences: 1971-1975, including larger files on specific authors such as Simone Beck, Elizabeth Bowen, Willa Cather, Julia Child, Dietrick Fischer-Dieskau, Dashiell Hammett, John Hersey, William Humphrey, Irving Kolodin, Margaret Lane, and H. L. Mencken; and two additional date sequences, 1975 and 1976-1977, which contain straight alphabetical listings without individual author folders. Wilson's files are arranged by specific authors and their works with standard subheadings such as editorial, legal, production, and publicity. In general, the editor files contain incoming and outgoing correspondence, internal memoranda, and related documents pertaining to publications.

Series II. is further subdivided into three subseries. Subseries A. Contract Data Sheets is arranged alphabetically by author in folders labeled A to L for the years 1949-1971, completing earlier accessions that contained only letters M to Z. As with the latter part of the alphabet, these data sheets contain information on the author's contract and sales records, highlighting rights, contract options, translations, and royalties.

The Foreign Rights files in Subseries B. contain correspondence and internal forms relating to the publication of Knopf books in other countries, primarily European nations, but also Japan, Canada, and South Africa. Arranged alphabetically by author, each file pertains to one author and one book for the years 1981-1983.

As with the Contract Data Sheets, the Rejection Sheets in Subseries C. contain the alphabetical segment for C-H, 1970-1974, lacking from earlier accessions. The rejection sheets contain information on the author's name, manuscript title and form (whether typescript, proofs or sheets), name of the person submitting it, a list of the manuscript's readers, and a space for comments on the work. A few forms are accompanied by correspondence (such as a letter of recommendation for the author), narrative manuscript abstracts, internal notes, and blue manuscript reader's forms.

Container List

Series I. Editor Files, 1965-1984

Subseries A. Angus Cameron, 1965-1973
BoxFolder
1 1-2 A-Al
3 Am-Az
4 The American Sportsman
5 Artists and photographers
6 Ba
7 Bateson, Catherine
8 Be
   
2 1 Bean, L. L.
2 Bedini, Silvio A.
3 Bergman, Ray
4 Bergman, Ray and Lawrence Koller
5-6 Berton, Pierre
7 Beshoar, Barron B.
8 Bi
9 Bl
10 Bloch, Charles B.
11 Bo
12 Bourliere, François
   
3 1-2 Boyer, Richard O.
3 Br
4 Bronk, Detlev W.
5-6 Brucan, Silviu
7 Bu-By
8 Ca-Cd
9 Cairns, William and Herman Kessler
   
4 1-2 Calkins, Frank James
3-4 Calkins, Frank James, re Jackson Hole
5 Carroll, Peter
6 Ce-Ci
7 Chamberlain, Barbara Blau
8 Chambers, Ernest
9-10 Cl-Col
11 Com
   
5 1 Conservationists
2 Contests
3 Cr-Cz
4 Crampton, C. Gregory
5 Crampton, C. Gregory, re Standing up Country
6 Crunden, Robert M.
7-8 Da-Dh
9-10 Daniels, George H.
   
6 1-2 Daniels, George H., cont'd
3-4 Davids, Richard C.
5 Di-Do
6 Dolgoff, Samuel
7 Donoso, Jose
8 Dr-Du
9 Dunham, Barrows
   
7 1 Ea-El
2 Em-Es
3 Estergreen, Marion Morgan
4-5 Evans, George Bird
6 Fa-Fe
7 Father's Day circular
8 Fejes, Claire
9 Ferry, W. H.
   
8 1 Fi-Fl
2 Fireman, Bert M.
3 Fletcher, Colin
4-5 Fo-Fz
6-7 Freeland, Richard M.
8 Ga-Gh
9 Garrett, Wendell
10-11 Gaston, Paul M.
   
9 1-3 Gi-Go
4 Gilbert, Bil
5 Gilchriese, John D.
6 Gillmor, Daniel S.
7 Gr-Gz
8-9 Graham, Loren
   
10 1 Green, Ben K.
2 Greene, A. C.
3 Gresseley, Gene M.
4 Gutman, Judith and Herbert
5 Ha-Ham
6 Hampshire, Stuart
7-8 Han-Hay
   
11 1 Han-Hay, cont'd
2-4 Hancock, Lyn
5-6 He
7 Heizer, Robert F.
8 Helmericks, Harmon
   
12 1 Helmericks, Harmon, cont'd
2 Hi-Hok
3 Hiss, Alger
4 Hoagland, Hudson
5 Hodge, Carle
6 Hol-Hoz
7-8 Hoover, Helen
9 Hu-Hz
10 Hume, Ivor Noel
   
13 1 Hume, Ivor Noel, cont'd
2 I
3 J-Ja
4 Je-Jz
5 Josephy, Alvin
6-7 Ka-Ke
8 Kennard, J. Spencer, Jr.
9 Kh-Km
   
14 1 Klare, Michael
2 Klein, Herb Arthu
3 Kn-Kz
4 Knopf projects
5 Koller, Lawrence
6 Kortum, Karl
7-8 La-Ld
9 Le-Lh
10 Leaks, Sylvester
11 Lewis, Clarence E.
   
15 1 Li-Ln
2 Lillard, Richard
3-4 Lo-Lz
5 Ma-Mai
6 Maj-Maq
7 Mar
8 Mas-Mb
9-10 Mayer, Arno
   
16 1-2 Mc
3 McCarthy, Richard D.
4 McDonald, John
5-6 McElroy, Thomas P., Jr
7-8 McHugh, Tom
9 McLaughlin, Andrew
   
17 1 McWilliams, Jerry R.
2 Me
3 Meier, Hugo A.
4 Mesches, Arnold
5 Mi-Mol
6 Mon-Mop
7 Mor-Mz
8 Morgan, Dale L. and James Holliday
9 Na
10 Ne-Nz
11 O-Ol
   
18 1 O'Connor, Jack
2 Olsen, Fred
3-5 Olson, Sigurd F.
6 Om-Oz
7 Ovington, Ray
8 Pa-Pen
9 Peo-Phi
   
19 1 Pho-Pl
2 Piatt, Jean
3 Piel, Gerard
4 Po-Pz
5 Q
6 Ra-Rek
7-9 Rabinowitz, Louis M. - Foundation
10 Random House projects
11 Reader's Digest
   
20 1 Reinhold, Robert
2 Rel-Roc
3-4 The Ridge Press
5 Rikhoff, James and Eugene Smith
6 Rod-Ros
7 Rosen, Samuel and Daniel Gillmor
8-9 Rossi, Paul and David Hunt, Gilcrease Institute
   
21 1-2 Rossi, Paul and David Hunt, cont'd
3 Rot-Rz
4-5 Russell, Andy
6 Russell, Carl
7 Sa
   
22 1 Sand, George X.
2-3 Sch
4-5 Schaller, George B.
6 Sci-Sd
7 Se-Sha
8-9 Sennett, Richard
   
23 1-2 Sennett, Richard and Jonathan Cobb
3 Sh
4-5 Si-Sn
6 Slavin, Arthur Joseph
7 So-Sta
8 Solomon, Maynard
   
24 1 Solomon, Maynard, cont'd
2 Starobin, Joseph Robert
3 Ste-Sty
4 Su-Sz
5 Sypher, Wylie
6 Ta-Tg
Terres, John K.
7-8 Encyclopedia of North American Birds, prior to 1973
9 "Never Room with a Falcon," new book proposal
10 "Wonders of Trees," project
   
25 1 Th-Tre
2 Thomas, Gertrude Z.
Tilden, Freeman
3-4 The National Parks
5 The State Parks
6 Yellowstone project
7 Trefousse, Hans L.
8 Tri-Tz
9 Turner, Justin
   
26 1-3 Turner, Justin and Walter Schmidt (Charles B. Bloch & Associates)
4 U
5 V
6 Van Tassel, David D.
7 Wa-Wam
8-10 Wallace, Anthony F. C.
   
27 1 Wan-Wes
2 Waterman, Charles
3-4 Weinstein, Allen
5 Wet-Wh
6 White, George Abbott
7-8 Who-Wim
9 Wilson, Steven C.
10 Win-Wol
   
28 1 Win-Wol, cont'd
2 Wom-Wz
3 Wormington, Marie
4-5 Wulff, Lee
6 X-Y
7 Z
Subseries B. William Koshland, 1971-1977
BoxFolder
28 1971-1975
8 A
9 B
   
29 1-3 B, cont'd
4 Beck, Simone
5 Blickensdorfer, Hans, re translation of Die Baskenmutze
6-8 Bowen, Elizabeth
9 British contract
10 Buchheim, Lothar-Gunther, re Das Boot
11 C
   
30 1-3 C, cont'd
4 Camus, Albert, La Mort Heureuse, Cahiers II
Cather, Willa
5 Estate, Edith Lewis
6-8 University of Nebraska
   
31 1 Child, Julia
2 D
3 E
4 Ellul, Jacques
5-6 F
7-8 Fischer-Dieskau, Dietrich
9 Frank, Philipp, re Einstein
10 G
   
32 1 G, cont'd
2-4 H
5 Hammett, Dashiell, England
Hersey, John
6-7 General correspondence
8 The Writer's Craft
   
33 1 The Conspiracy (1972); My Petition for More Space (1974); The President (1975)
2 Herzen, Alexander
3 Himes, Chester
4 Humphrey, William
5 I-J
6 Johnson, James Weldon, Mrs. (Grace)
7-8 K
9 Kahn, Anthony, re Russian reader
10 Keller, Werner, The Etruscans
11 Kerman, Joseph, The Beethoven Quartets
12 Kolodin, Irving, The Interior Beethoven
   
34 1-2 L
3 Lane, Margaret, biography of Lord Chesterfield
4 Lawrence, D. H., re editions of his work
5-7 Lichine, Alexis
8-10 M
   
35 1 Marchand, Leslie A., Byron
2 Maximov, Vladimir
3 Mencken, H. L.
4 N-Z
1975
5 A
6 B
7-8 C
   
36 1 D
2 E-F
3 G
4-5 H
6 I-K
7 L
8 M
   
37 1-2 M, cont'd
3 N-Q
4 R
5-7 S
8 T
   
38 1 U-V
2 W
3 X-Z
1976-1977
4 A
5-6 B
7-8 C
9 D
10 E
   
39 1 F
2 G
3-4 H
5 I-K
6 L
7-8 M
9-10 Mann, Thomas, The Magic Mountain (television)
   
40 1 N-O
2 P-Q
3 R
4-5 S
6 T
7 U-V
8 W-Z
Subseries C. Vicky Wilson, ca. 1972-1984
Adams, Alice
Beautiful Girl (1979)
9 Editorial
10 Legal and production
   
41 1 Publicity
Rich Rewards (1980)
2 Editorial
3 Legal and production
4 Publicity
To See You Again (1982)
5 Editorial
6 Legal and production
7 Publicity
Babitz, Eve
Sex and Rage (1979)
8 Editorial
9 Legal and production
10 Publicity
Slow Days, Fast Company: The World, the Flesh, and L. A. Tales (1977)
11 Editorial
   
42 1 Legal
2 Permissions, production, and quotes
3 Publicity
Colwin, Laurie, Happy All the Time (1978)
4 Copy and editorial
5 Legal and production
6 Publication and quotes
Dahl-Wolfe, Louise, re book of photographs
7 Editorial and legal
8 Articles about Dahl-Wolfe
Fleming, James C., "The Catman"
9 Editorial
10 Legal
Freddi, Cris, Pork and Others (1981)
11 Editorial
12 Legal and production
13 Publicity
   
43 Giardina, Tony, Men with Debts (1984)
1 Editorial
2 Legal and production
3 Publicity
Johnson, Nunnally, The Letters of Nunnally Johnson (1981)
4-6 Editorial
7 Legal
8 Production
9 Publicity
Love, Iris Cornelia, untitled work re archaeology
10 Editorial
11 Legal
12 Articles about Love
13 Mark, Mary Ellen, untitled book of photographs of Mother Theresa; editorial, legal, and publicity
Pennwick Publishing projects, edited by Clark Worswick
14 India
   
44 1 India, cont'd
2 Japan
3-4 Legal
5 Publicity
6 The Exotic View, travel book
Ramati, Raquel, New York photography project
7 Editorial
8 Legal
9 Publicity
10 Rand, Christopher, untitled book on Egypt; legal
Schwartz, Nancy and Sheila, The Hollywood Writers' Wars (1982)
11 Editorial
   
45 1-2 Editorial, cont'd
3-4 Legal
5 Photographs
6 Production
7 Publicity
8 Shorris, Earl, untitled biographical novel on Pancho Villa
9 Wegman, Ann, untitled book on postcards; legal
10 Weidegger, Paula, re royalty statements
11 Whitney, Charles A., astronomy books
   
46 1-4 Whitney, Charles A., cont'd
Willis, Ellen, Beginning to See the Light (1981)
5 Editorial
6 Legal
7 Production
8 Publicity


Series II. Editorial Department Files, 1949-1983

Subseries A. Contract Data Sheets, 1949-1971
BoxFolder
46 9-10 A
   
47 1-2 Ba-Bl
3-4 Bo-Br
5 Bu-Bz
6 C-Ce
7 Ch
8-9 Cl-Co
   
48 1 Cr-Cu
2 D-De
3 Di-Dy
4 E
5 F-Fo
6 Fr-Fu
7 G-Gi
8 Gl-Gu
9 H-Ha
10 He
   
49 1 Hi-Hy
2 I-J
3 K-Kn
4 Ko-Ky
5 L-La
6 Le-Ly
Subseries B. Foreign Rights, 1981-1983
7 Appel, Alfred, Signs of Life; Germany, Netherlands, Japan, U.K.
8 Beard, James, Beard on Pasta; Japan, U.K.
9 Bettelheim, Bruno, Freud and the Soul; England
10 Brewer, Gail and Janice Presser, Breastfeeding; England, France, Germany
11-12 Brooks, Louise, Lulu in Hollywood; England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan
   
50 1 Brooks, Louise, cont'd
2 Casas, Penelope, The Food and Wine of Spain; Holland, England
3 Clampitt, Amy, The Kingfisher; England
4 Cortazar, Julio, A Change of Light; U.K.
5 Davidson, James West and Mark Hamilton Lytle, After the Fact; England, Germany
6 DeLillo, Don, The Names; Canada
7 Dovlatov, Sergei, The Compromise; England
8 Ellis, Richard, Dolphins and Porpoises; England
9 Gaines, Ernest, Gathering of Old Men; U.K.
10 Golob, Richard, The Science Almanac; England, France, Italy, Germany, Japan
11 Josephy, Alvin, Now That the Buffalo Is Gone; Germany
12 Kennedy, Raymond, Flower of the Republic; England, Germany
13 Kirk, John, American Furniture and the British Tradition; England
14 Lichine, Alexis, Encyclopedia of Wines and Spirits; England
15 Loftus, John, The Belanus Secret; England, France, Germany
16 Magubane, Peter, Black Child; England, France, Germany, Holland, South Africa
17 Marshall, Alexandra, Tender Offer; England, South Africa
18 McAulay, Sara, Chance; England, France
19 McHugh, Gretchen, The Hungry Hiker's Book of Good Cooking; Australia, Germany
20 Money, Keith, Anna Pavlova; England, France, Germany
   
51 1 Newhouse, John, The Sporty Game; England, France, Germany, Japan
2 Olken, Charles and Earl Singer, The Connoisseurs' Handbook of California Wines; England, France, Germany
3 Poesch, Jessie, The Art of the Old South; England, France
4 Proper, Datus C., What the Trout Said; England
5 Rasponi, Lanfranco, The Last Prima Donnas; England
6 Robinson, Charlotte, The Women Artists and the Quilt; England
7 Selznick, Irene Mayer, A Private View; England, France, Germany
8 Shakespeare, William, Romeo and Juliet; Brazil, England, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Sweden, Spain
9 Silberman, Neil, Digging for God and Country; England, France, Germany
10 Skinner, B. F., A Matter of Consequences; France
11 Smith, Patrick J., A Year at the Met; England
12-14 Stein, Jean and George Plimpton (ed.), Edie: An American Biography; France, Germany, Italy
15 Tanizaki, Junichiro, various titles; England
16 Walker, John S. P., Bad Dogs; England, Germany, Japan
17 Williams, T. Harry, The History of American Wars; England
18 Williamson, Alan, Presence and Other Poems; England
19 Zeidner, Lisa, Customs; England
Subseries C. Rejection Sheets, 1970-1974
BoxFolder
52 1-3 Ca-Cl
4-6 Co-Cz
7-8 Da-Del
9 Dem-Dz
   
53 1 Dem-Dz, cont'd
2-3 E
4-5 Fa-Fl
6-7 Fo-Fz
8-9 Ga-Gl
   
54 1 Ga-Gl, cont'd
2-3 Go-Gz
4-6 Ha-He
7-9 Hi-Hz