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Scope and Contents -- Records (Gifts, 1963-1996) |
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The records of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1873-1995 (bulk 1945-1980), document the daily
activities of an established and prestigious publishing firm. Beyond recording the
history of the firm, its founders, editors, and other staff, the collection serves
to articulate the publishing process (especially in terms of editorial and
promotional practices at Knopf), to offer detailed information on the numerous
prominent authors and books published by the firm, and to illuminate the
interactions between publishers, authors, editors, literary agents, manuscript
readers, translators, and book designers, all engaged in the endeavor to produce
quality books. The pervasive influence and hallmarks of the firm's founders Alfred
A. and Blanche Wolf Knopf are evident throughout the archive: unwavering commitment
to worthy books; introduction of international writers to the American public;
insistence on quality book design and manufacture; and the pursuit of books on
topics of personal interest to the Knopfs and their editors. The collection also
provides a glimpse of the personal lives of the Knopfs, which were closely
intertwined with their business concerns. |
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The collection's date span is strongest for the post-World War II period to the
1970s, due to an office move in 1945 that precipitated the destruction of many of
the firm's older files. However, some of the more important author files from
Knopf's "golden age" of publishing in the 1920s and 1930s were saved for their
literary significance. Other early records document promotional activities, and a
number of Alfred Knopf's personal files contain earlier date ranges. Only a very few
items, generally consisting of individual family documents and single pieces of
correspondence, date from prior to the founding of the firm in 1915. |
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The collection is arranged in nine series: I. General Correspondence, 1922-1971 (500
boxes); II. Alfred A. Knopf Personal, 1874-1984 (184 boxes); III. Blanche W. Knopf,
1918-1968 (12 boxes); IV. Author and Book Designer Files, 1911-1979 (36 boxes); V.
Editors' Files, 1873-1984 (197 boxes); VI. Editorial Department Files, 1930-1984
(239 boxes); VII. Other Department Files, 1916-1995 (341 boxes); VIII. London Office
Files, 1910-1957 (4 boxes); IX. American Mercury,
1923-1960 (1 box). The original order has been maintained in as many cases as
possible, generally following the standard firm practice of grouping files by year
and alphabetizing within each year. Occasionally subseries have been alphabetized
for ease of use. In a very few instances subseries have had order imposed upon them
by the archivist. An extensive name index, listing more than 52,000 correspondents
across the nine series, has been compiled by the catalogers and can be found at the
end of this finding aid. |
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While containing chiefly correspondence, the collection also includes account books,
address books, appointment books, autobiographies, awards, balance sheets, book
reviews, business records, certificates, Christmas cards, contact sheets, contracts,
copyright certificates, diaries, drafts, editorials, ephemera, exhibition catalogs,
financial records, galley proofs, guest registers, house organs, internal forms,
interviews, invitations, invoices, itineraries, journals, legal documents, mailing
lists, membership lists, menus, a motion picture, negatives, personal effects,
photographs, press releases, profit and loss statements, promotional materials,
publishers' catalogs, reminiscences, schedules, slides, and tear sheets. Authors'
manuscripts were generally not kept by the company; however, a selected number were
retained. These include writings by Alfred A. and Blanche Knopf, as well as by
authors such as Elizabeth Bowen, Albert Camus, Gilberto Freyre, John Galsworthy,
Knut Hamsun, Langston Hughes, William Humphrey, Thomas Mann, Yukio Mishima, and Carl
Van Vechten, among others. Since the firm is still in existence, important vital
documents and financial records are not present in this collection, with the
exception of two defunct enterprises. Materials relating to personnel, sales, book
productions, and other publishing areas (such as Vintage paperbacks, periodicals,
children's books, and college texts) are incidental to the collection and are
present in very small numbers. |
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The primary focus of the collection is on the editorial and promotional side of the
publishing business, particularly emphasizing Knopf trade books. By using the firm's
central editorial correspondence files (Series I, General Correspondence) in
combination with the working files of seventeen Knopf editors (Series V, Editors'
Files), the internal forms and documentation contained in the Editorial Department
Files (Series VI), and the abundant publicity and promotional materials (Series VII,
Other Department Files), researchers can follow the publishing process from initial
submission, through rejection or acceptance, editing, publication, promotion, and
public response, generally in the form of correspondence. While many files consist
of single exchanges with the firm, the more significant correspondence files
document the close and complex relationship that developed between an editor and
author, also revealing the respect and loyalty the firm fostered. The presence of
internal paperwork further illuminates the publishing process, offering frank
opinions and information for the firm's private use only. Other files demonstrate
that relationships with quality literary agents, excellent translators, qualified
manuscript readers, trusted foreign publishers, and talented book designers all
contributed to the success of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. |
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From its beginnings as a publisher of Russian literature, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
quickly established a reputation for promoting quality writers from all over the
world, and numerous literary figures are well represented in the collection. The
following genres and writers confirm the breadth of the firm's list, and are usually
represented in multiple files across the nine series: |
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- African-American literature: James Baldwin, Chester Himes, Langston
Hughes;
- American literature: Frederick Buechner, Witter Bynner, W. R. Burnett, George
Harmon Coxe, Clarence Day, Bergen Evans, Mark Harris, Sterling Hayden, Joseph
Hergesheimer, John Hersey, Gilbert Highet, Randall Jarrell, Oscar Lewis, H. L.
Mencken, George Jean Nathan, Robert Nathan, Jack O'Connor, Sylvia Plath, Chaim
Raphael, Conrad Richter, Maurice Samuel, Robert Shaplen, William Shirer, Wallace
Stegner, Wallace Stevens, John Updike, Carl Van Vechten;
- British literature: Eric Ambler, Brendan Behan, Roald Dahl, John Galsworthy,
Macdonald Hastings, W. H. Hudson, Hammond Innes, Nicholas Monsarrat, Alan
Sillitoe;
- European literature: Pio Baroja, Simone de Beauvoir, Albert Camus, Pierre
Daninos, Friedrich Durrenmatt, Ilya Ehrenburg, Kahlil Gibran, Andre Gide, Jean
Giono, Jose Maria Gironella, Knut Hamsun, Joseph Kessel, Thomas Mann, Henri de
Montherlant, Elsa Morante, Jules Romains, Jean-Paul Sartre, Mikhail Sholokhov,
Isaac Bashevis Singer, Germaine Tillion;
- "Hard-boiled" detective fiction: James M. Cain, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell
Hammett, Ross Macdonald
- Japanese literature: Kobo Abe, Yasunari Kawabata, Yukio Mishima, Jiro Osaragi,
Junichiro Tanizaki;
- Latin American literature: Jorge Amado, German Arciniegas, José Donoso,
Gilberto Freyre, Joao Guimaraes Rosa, Clarice Lispector, Eduardo Mallea;
- Texas literature: Robert Flynn, William Goetzmann, John Graves; Ben K. Green,
A. C. Greene, Shelby Hearon, William Humphrey;
- Women writers: Elizabeth Bowen, Kay Boyle, Willa Cather, Mildred Cram, Nan
Fairbrother, Erna Fergusson, Jon Godden, Rumer Godden, Shirley Ann Grau, Shirley
Hazzard, Rodello Hunter, Storm Jameson, Pamela Hansford Johnson, Margaret Lane,
Margaret Laurence, Anne S. Mehdevi, Muriel Spark, Elizabeth Taylor, Angela
Thirkell, Anne Goodwin Winslow, Elinor Wylie.
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Apart from literary texts published, the collection also documents the firm's
interest in the areas of history, the environment, science, law, politics, music,
and cookbooks, following the careers of writers such as Paul M. Angle, James Beard,
Simone Beck, Samuel Flagg Bemis, Eric Bentley, Pierre Berton, Geoffrey Bibby, June
Bingham, Morris Bishop, Hal Borland, Francois Bourliere, Julian P. Boyd, Fawn
Brodie, Sally Carraghar, C. W. Ceram, Julia Child, Robert G. Cleland, Alistair
Cooke, Carleton S. Coon, Virginius Dabney, Clifton Fadiman, Frank Freidel, Donald
Gallup, Arnold Gingrich, Lawrence H. Gipson, Eric F. Goldman, Albert J. Guerard,
Louis M. Hacker, Learned Hand, Melville J. Herskovits, Alger Hiss, Richard
Hofstadter, Alvin M. Josephy, V. O. Key, Mildred Knopf, Irving Kolodin, Alexis
Lichine, Richard G. Lillard, Samuel Eliot Morison, Allan Nevins, Ernest Newman,
Sigurd F. Olson, Arthur Rubinstein, Abram L. Sachar, Eric Sevareid, Arthur M.
Schlesinger, Joseph Szigeti, Benjamin Platt Thomas, Freeman Tilden, Philip M.
Wagner, and T. Harry Williams. |
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Among the many others who did not publish for the firm, but are nevertheless well
represented in the collection, are literary agents Franziska Becker, Lurton
Blassingame, and Jenny Bradley; book designers Warren Chappell and W. A. Dwiggins;
scouts Grace Dadd, Harriet de Onis, Anthony Gishford, and Raymond Postgate;
translators Robert Pick and Barbara Shelby; law firms Stern & Reubens and Weil,
Gotschal & Manges; as well as general correspondents Lester Cappon, Bennett
Cerf, Clifford Crist, Bernard DeVoto, Irving Dilliard, J. Manuel Espinosa, W. H.
"Ping" Ferry, Joseph Henry Jackson, Elizabeth Janeway, Jacob K. Javits, Edith Lewis,
Alfredo Machado, Katia Mann, Mauricio Nabuco, National Park Service, Wallace Pratt,
James Reston, Holly Stevens, Aaron Sussman, Jose Vieitas, Edward Weeks, and Walter
Muir Whitehill. Additionally, virtually every important domestic and foreign
publisher, literary agency, and periodical published in the twentieth century has
some correspondence in the collection. |
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Although the correspondence of Alfred A. and Blanche Knopf is concentrated in the
series bearing their names, their letters are also scattered through the rest of the
collection. Additionally, editors, salesmen, promoters, and other Knopf employees
initiated correspondence. Names which recur throughout the collection as
correspondents for the firm are Leon S. Anderson, Robert P. Armstrong, Gretchen
Bloch, Angus Cameron, Henry C. Carlisle, Eleanor Carlucci, Clifford Crist, Charles
Elliott, Eleanor French, Jane Becker Friedman, Thomas Gervasi, Lee Goerner, Robert
Gottlieb, Ashbel Green, Patrick Gregory, Sidney Jacobs, Carol Janeway, Judith B.
Jones, Alfred (Pat) Knopf, Jr., William A. Koshland, Seymour Lawrence, Harding
(Pete) Lemay, Joseph C. Lesser, William T. Loverd, Thomas Lowry, Anne McCormick,
Ellen McNeilly, Michael Magzis, Nancy Nicholas, Dan Okrent, Robert Pick, Stewart
Richardson, Henry Robbins, Regina Ryan, Anthony M. Schulte, David I. Segal, Bernard
W. Shir-cliff, John J. Simon, Bernard Smith, Harold Strauss, Philip Vaudrin, Sally
Waitkins, Herbert Weinstock, and Sophie Wilkins. |
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The collection also registers the impact of Alfred and Blanche Knopf on the firm.
Records about the founding of the firm and its early successes are best documented
in the two series bearing their names, particularly in Alfred Knopf's files, because
many early records were saved as research material for his unpublished memoir. The
Knopfs' presence is felt throughout the collection; they corresponded with authors,
monitored the publishing process, and often developed close personal relationships
with their literary contacts. Alfred Knopf's outside interests in conservation,
wine, Latin America, history, and music are well documented in his personal series;
an examination of the firm's list, known for its quality books on those same
subjects, reveals how closely the interests of the firm and the man were
intertwined. Similarly, Blanche Knopf's love of France brought a number of important
French writers to the firm, and her control of the European side of operations, up
to her death in 1966, is revealed in numerous series. Very little personal
information on the couple is present in the collection, however. Only a small cache
of letters from their courtship and early marriage survives, and they are more
revealing about the early days of the firm than the relationship between the two.
Additionally, while Alfred Knopf's personal papers contain diaries, family papers,
guest books, memoir drafts, personal correspondence and photographs, they focus more
on his day-to-day activities rather than his private life and thoughts. |
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The collection also offers a history of the firm and twentieth century publishing
in
general, focusing especially on the post World War II period. While few records are
present that document staff changes explicitly, information can be gleaned by a
close examination of folders dating from the years of internal change. For example,
the sale of the company to Random House in 1960 is documented in only two folders
maintained in Alfred Knopf's personal files, but the firm sent out letters to most
of their long-term contacts describing the sale, which are scattered elsewhere.
Additionally, the travel folders found in most series, filled with itineraries,
correspondence, and narrative reports, offer a time frame for new literary
discoveries, including regions, writers, and contacts. The collection follows the
rise (and sometimes fall) of authors published by the firm, as well as changing
relationships with scouts, translators, readers, new talent, literary agencies, and
other publishing houses. |
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Series Descriptions -- Records (Gifts, 1963-1996) |
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Series I. General Correspondence, 1922-1971, bulk 1946-1966
(boxes 1-500) |
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This series consists of the central editorial files of the Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
company, dating primarily from 1946 to 1971. These files contain the correspondence
for the day-to-day operations of the firm, including letters from foreign publishers
seeking publication and translation rights, contacts with young writers, inquiries
from aspiring authors, correspondence on legal matters such as copyright, letters
from literary agents, and requests for information about writers. The General
Correspondence series also contains correspondence between editors and Knopf
authors, many files of which follow the creation of a book from the original idea,
by either the author or editor, to its final publication. Taken as a whole, this
series offers a comprehensive overview of the activities of the editorial
offices. |
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The series is organized chronologically, and within each year alphabetically. While
some correspondents have their own files, most are contained within files labelled
by letter. In a few instances, correspondence from previous years has been brought
forward by the firm for background information or to continue important dialogues
(see the container list for datespans). Because of this arrangement, correspondence
with the same person or organization will be scattered throughout the series. All
of
the correspondents in this series, which totals almost 35,000 names, can be found
in
the name index of this finding aid. |
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Correspondence within a folder has generally been filed in reverse chronological
order. Materials not in this order were stapled or clipped together by the company
and are now held together with paper sleeves. The series generally contains the
original correspondent's letter and the carbon copy of the response by the Knopf
Company. The firm encouraged a standardized letter form, so much of the
correspondence follows a similar pattern. Although the files have been refoldered
for preservation purposes, the original title of the folder has been transcribed as
the last entry on the new folder -- for example, on a label reading 56.4 Knopf-Gen.
Corr.-1947-Gaa-Gat, the original folder was labelled Gaa-Gat. |
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Knopf employees contributing to this series include both Alfred A. and Blanche Knopf
as well as other editors and regular staff. Documents from the late 1940s are
generally marked with letter stamps such as "A" for Alfred or "B" for Blanche which
designate the correspondent's primary contact with the firm. The color of carbon
copies can reveal the creator of the letter -- Alfred A. Knopf's were blue, Blanche
Knopf's yellow, Alfred "Pat" Knopf, Jr.'s pink, and green for Vintage editor Thomas
Lowry. Other editors used white carbons, but can be identified by initials in the
lower left hand corner of the page. |
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Although Alfred Knopf founded the firm in 1915, several moves by the company, coupled
with a need to clear out older files, led to the destruction of the older general
correspondence in 1945. (Some of the early files were saved and renamed Author
Files, found in series IV.) As a result, the General Correspondence series begins
in
1946. While folder 1.1 consists of some early editorial correspondence that was
received by the Ransom Center over a period of time, the bulk of the collection
starts with file 1.2. The files from 1946 to 1966 are nearly complete; each year
consists of between 10 and 35 document boxes, with an average of 22 boxes. The files
from 1967 to 1971 are less complete, perhaps reflecting the firm's increasing
reliance on the Editors' Files (series V). Further, the following parts of the
series are lost: 1946, A-Cq, Pm-Sz; 1947, Coj-Hoq, Mu-Sj; 1948, A-C (except Paul
Bragg and Jimmy Cannon); 1949, Gor-Hal; 1951, Cl-Gn; 1954, P-Ster; 1955, Mi-Schl;
1963, A-Bh (except Horace Albright); and 1966, Scq-Sd. |
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Much of the collection consists of single exchanges with persons or organizations,
such as requests for foreign publication rights, fan mail, and letters from aspiring
authors. However, the main strength of the series derives from the individual files
devoted to writers published by Knopf. These files typically reveal the writer's
first connection with the company, which might have occurred when the firm contacted
the writer expressing their interest in her or his work, or when the author
submitted a manuscript. Some of the files contain correspondence with the literary
agent or scout who first made contact with the writer. Files follow the
correspondence between the editor and writer, revealing the relationship between the
two as the manuscript progressed, continued once the book was published, and showed
how the book was received and how well it sold. Especially interesting is the way
the files reveal how an editor would guide the creative process, as she or he
suggested changes, additions, or deletions. For example, in James Baldwin's Go Tell it on the Mountain (1953), editor Philip Vaudrin
proposed important changes in the text because of fears that the book would be
censored (see file 121.3). Many of these files also contain internal notes written
by company employees, updating information and giving editors' personal opinions,
and may be marked "form sent" or "yes" to show how the company responded to a
particular request. Because the Knopf firm fostered a sense of closeness and loyalty
with writers, authors like John Hersey, John Updike, and Robert Nathan chose to
publish exclusively with the company, and developed friendships with their editors
and sometimes Alfred and Blanche Knopf themselves. |
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The Knopfs' contact with writers is only one facet of their many close relationships
with other significant persons in the literary world. The company had ties to the
European, Asian, and Latin American literary communities, and correspondence with
agents and foreign publishers reveals information both about the firm and its
writers. Researchers interested in a particular writer should also examine the
folders of the writer's agent and foreign publishers for insight into works in
progress and information about her or his personal life and activities; the files
often contain frank appraisals of the writer and their work. Although the
correspondence with agents and foreign publishers is largely business related, some
significant friendships developed over time. For example, Blanche Knopf became very
close to Jenny Bradley, head of the William Aspenwall Bradley literary agency. As
a
result, their correspondence contains information about business as well as personal
information about the two women. |
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Other long term contacts offering valuable information for researchers include
extensive correspondence with company printers (Kingsport Press), lawyers (Stern and
Reubens, Weil Gotschal and Manges), and advertisers (Sussman and Sugar). Further,
correspondence with scouts such as Clifford Crist, Anthony Gishford, and Ben Ray
Redman reveals the network of contacts used by companies like Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
to find new writers. |
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Just as the firm maintained long term contacts with agencies outside Alfred A. Knopf,
Inc., it also fostered loyalty within the ranks. In particular, the editorial
department was marked by a spirit of independence and initiative, allowing each
editor to follow her or his own interests and with great freedom to explore (a
practice which continues to this day). The correspondence within this series
reflects the wide range of interests of Knopf editors. The firm's pioneering
interest in Asian literature, which led to the first American publication of
Japanese writers such as Yukio Mishima, largely derived from the interest of
editor-in-chief Harold Strauss. In most cases, therefore, his signature can be found
on most correspondence with Japanese writers, agents and publishers. Other editors
covered other topics -- for example, Angus Cameron helped publish a number of
leading works on environmental issues in the 1960s, Herbert Weinstock contributed
to
the publication of books on music, and Judith Jones edited a number of well-received
cookbooks. While Alfred and Blanche Knopf supported this editorial freedom, they
brought their own interests to the imprint as well. For example, Alfred Knopf's
interest in natural history and Latin America expanded the firm's list. Further, his
close relationship with the American academic community led to the firm's excellent
reputation as a publisher of history. These scholars were called upon regularly to
offer criticism of new books or writers and to make suggestions for new topics. |
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While the vast majority of the files contain correspondence only, some files relate
to the inner workings of the firm. These are labelled by department or, more often,
by employee name; the most significant are for Blanche and Alfred Knopf, and can be
found in most years. The files rely on the heavy use of documentation in the form
of
internal memorandums that were sent from editors and employees of other departments
to update the Knopfs on current activities. Folders titled with the name of a trip
taken by Alfred or Blanche Knopf in a specific year often include narrative
descriptions of the visit, including detailed lists of publishers, scouts, literary
agents, and writers with whom they met. Further, information about writers is also
available in these folders. For example, internal memos about the rejection of John
Knowles' A Separate Peace are in one of Blanche
Knopf's European trip folders (see file 261.1). Other employee named files, like
those of Secretary and later President William A. Koshland, give an overview of the
firm's administrative history. |
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Series II. Alfred A. Knopf Personal, 1874-1984, bulk 1953-1984
(boxes 501-685) |
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This series consists of Alfred A. Knopf's personal files and papers, which were
maintained at his office in New York City and at his home at Purchase, New York. It
is made up of four subseries: A. Personal Correspondence, B. Office/Subject Files,
C. Purchase Files, and D. Other Subjects and Interests. Sent to the Ransom Center
over a period of years, the arrangement has been recreated from Knopf's personal
file system, documented in folder 653.13, labeled "Files." Generally, the first two
subseries consist of correspondence and subject files from Knopf's office, while the
Purchase files were kept at his home and used for his memoirs. The last subseries
consists of materials sent to the Ransom Center that were not originally present in
either his office or home file systems. |
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These subseries must be used together to give the researcher an overall perspective
of Knopf's life and achievements, since his personal and professional lives were
tied so closely together. Further, because the files were created at different times
and in different places, some overlap exists. For example, researchers interested
in
Knopf's relationship with the National Park Service will find files about
conservation in all four subseries. Other subjects so scattered include travel, his
publishing interests, author correspondence, and wine and food materials. |
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Consisting largely of correspondence, generally an original letter with a blue carbon
of Knopf's response, the series also includes manuscript drafts, clippings,
photographs, minutes, memoranda, diaries, programs, artwork, menus, awards, account
books, slides, and other printed materials. While the date range of this series is
very broad, the bulk of the files range from the 1950s to the 1980s. Only a very
small number of items date from the nineteenth century, and they generally refer to
Knopf family history. |
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All of these files were reviewed by Knopf before they were sent to The University
of
Texas. In some cases this is quite helpful, because Knopf made notes on the folder
or added extra papers. For example, in Knopf's Office Files, on a folder titled
"Americas Foundation Citation" (which gave Knopf an award in 1967), he wrote in
part, "Sat on dais on Nixon's [whom Knopf detested] right. After shaking hands we
did not exchange a word." However, it is also likely that he purged some materials
at this time. Knopf was intensely private about his personal life, and did not save
letters from his family and friends dealing with awkward issues. When his son Pat
Knopf left the firm in 1959 to form Athenaeum, Knopf wrote his correspondents that
he would give them the details in private, when they next met. |
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Scholars interested in Alfred Knopf's life should also examine the Ransom Center's
Vertical Files, which include ephemeral printed materials collected by Knopf. |
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Subseries A. Personal Correspondence, 1895-1984, bulk
1950-1980 (boxes 501-562) |
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This subseries contains Alfred A. Knopf's personal correspondence. Although often
created at his office, the bulk of this correspondence pertains to his personal
interests, not matters of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. It has been divided into three
sub-subseries: 1. Chronological Files, 2. Blanche Wolf Knopf correspondence, and 3.
Manuscripts Removed from Books. |
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Sub-subseries 1. Chronological Files, 1911-1984, bulk 1958-1984 (boxes 501-560) |
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Although the chronological files, the largest sub-subseries, span the years 1911 to
1984, the bulk date from 1958 to 1984. Following Alfred Knopf's own arrangement,
correspondence is filed by year and then alphabetized within each year. While a
small number of correspondents have their own files, most are contained within files
grouped by letter. A few files labeled by subject, generally referring to specific
events, can also be found. Occasionally a large amount of correspondence with an
individual was pulled together by earlier Ransom Center catalogers; this arrangement
has been maintained to make the correspondence easier for the researcher to read in
its entirety, and is filed under the latest year of the correspondence. |
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The personal correspondence dating from 1911-1957 came to the Ransom Center at
different times, and has been arranged chronologically. This early correspondence
contains some of Knopf's earliest literary contacts, such as letters with Kay Boyle,
Joseph Conrad, Clarence Day, Theodore Dreiser, W. A. Dwiggins, Joseph Hergesheimer,
Vachel Lindsay, and others. Also present are the beginnings of what would become
life-long literary friendships with such notables as Warren Chappell, Felix
Frankfurter, and Carl Van Vechten. In addition, these early folders contain
fragments of Knopf's editorial correspondence from the late 1910s and the 1920s.
Since this correspondence is incomplete (consisting of only slightly more than two
document boxes), most folders in these boxes contain multiple years (e.g., box 502.4
contains the years 1941-1945). In these cases, all the correspondence in that folder
has been alphabetized for ease of use. |
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A 26-year span of these files, dating from 1958 to 1984, was donated as a group.
Within the rest of the chronological files is the bulk of Alfred A. Knopf's personal
correspondence from 1958 to his death. His interest in such subjects as
conservation, politics, Latin America, the American West, and fine wine is well
documented. He was a voluminous letter writer, who sought out advice from noteworthy
people and never hesitated to venture his own opinions on the topic at hand. |
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A strength of this sub-subseries lies in its correspondence with authors. Since
Knopf's life was so interconnected with the firm he founded, many of his authors
became friends as well. For example, Knopf's personal interest in the fields of
history, sociology, and science led to close friendships in the academic community
with such noted historians as Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., and Samuel Eliot Morison.
Further, authors like Jorge Amado and John Hersey, whose correspondence is scattered
throughout this sub-subseries, corresponded with Knopf on both a personal and
professional basis. Although much of this correspondence is routine, it nonetheless
reveals the respect with which Knopf treated his authors and their strong loyalty
to
him. A good example of the way business and friendship overlapped for Knopf can be
taken from the publication of John Hersey's White
Lotus in 1965. After a particularly savage review by Time, Knopf wrote Hersey a consoling letter, emphasizing
that neither Hersey's literary reputation nor his sales would be hurt by the review
(see file 517.4). |
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In addition, Knopf enjoyed corresponding with political figures, never hesitating
to
offer his suggestions or to critique his correspondent's recent performances, as
letters to Senators Jacob Javits, Irving Ives, and many others attest. A prominent
Republican until Watergate, Knopf refused to accept form responses from the
legislators he knew, and often drew them into lengthy discourses by mail. |
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Other files of interest in this subseries are Knopf's extensive travel files, which
contain correspondence, schedules, and often narrative accounts written by Knopf
detailing his visit. In addition there are 25 folders of condolence letters, written
in 1966 on the occasion of Blanche Knopf's death. Knopf used extracts of some of
these letters when he dedicated a Borzoi Quarterly to
his late wife. Other correspondence chronicles Knopf's interest in Latin America,
attested to not only by his exchanges with great writers, translators, and
publishers, but also by his many contacts within the diplomatic community,
especially in Brazil. His contacts with other connoisseurs of fine food and wine,
and his letters to the pioneers of the environmental movement are also represented.
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Finally, there are many letters of complaint to hotels, restaurants, and stores that
failed to meet Alfred Knopf's high standards. Most of the letters complain of
inferior service that Knopf believed he received. These letters grew increasingly
frequent and more severe as he aged. A particularly extensive file covers a six year
long conflict with the Eastman Kodak Company over a roll of lost film (see file
503.13). |
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Sub-subseries 2. Blanche Wolf Knopf, 1912-1923 (box 561) |
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A smaller group of files (5 folders) contains letters from Knopf's fiancée and wife,
Blanche Wolf Knopf. Arrangement is chronological, with one file of undated letters.
Dating from the earliest years of their relationship, the letters begin with short,
slightly formal notes of thanks or replies to date requests and become increasingly
warm and loving as time progresses. Blanche eventually begins to use nicknames in
the letters, referring to Alfred as "Reuben" or "Monkey" and signing herself as
"VV." |
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By the late 1910s and early 1920s, most of the letters were sent to Knopf while he
traveled on business, and in many of them Blanche mentions the daily business of the
new firm. This correspondence reveals how closely the two worked together in the
early years of the firm. |
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Sub-subseries 3. Manuscripts Removed from Books, 1895-1983, bulk 1950-1980 (boxes
561-562) |
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The last sub-subseries consists of manuscripts removed from books in Alfred A.
Knopf's personal library. They are arranged by the call number of the book from
which the letter was removed. Although the sub-subseries has a broad date range,
most of the letters date from the 1950s to 1970s. The vast majority of this
correspondence arrived with the book, originating from its author or publisher. The
letters are generally very short, recommending the book to Knopf. Some of these
letters are paired with Knopf's reply on his signature blue carbon paper. Some books
that were published by Knopf contain internal memoranda referring in some way to the
publication of that book. In a few cases, the correspondence is quite revealing. For
example, Philip Unwin's book The Publishing Unwins
(call number CS 439 U55 1972) arrived with a letter from Unwin detailing the events
in his life since the publication of his book. In another book, Francis Parkman by Mason Wade (call number E 175.5 P28),
a letter from Bernard DeVoto describes how Knopf can find much more information
about western routes than are offered in the book. Name access is provided in the
index of correspondents. |
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Subseries B. Office/Subject Files, 1894-1979, bulk 1940-1965
(boxes 563-595) |
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These files, arranged alphabetically by subject, were originally maintained in Alfred
Knopf's office. The range of subjects covered is extremely broad, representing
Knopf's work in the publishing industry as well as his personal interests. Although
the files span over 80 years, the bulk of the files date from the 1940s through the
early 1960s. All files under the letter "D" were not found. In many cases a carbon
copy of Knopf's correspondence was filed both chronologically in his correspondence
files and also by subject. |
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The contents of these files vary enormously. While a very few contain only clippings,
most have a wide range of materials, including correspondence, reports, flyers, and
clippings. For example, a file labeled "Advertising" (see file 563.2) includes
letters of complaint from Knopf to the New York Times
regarding their advertising policies, general clippings about advertising, clippings
of Knopf advertisements, and a chapbook detailing the history of advertising in the
Knopf firm. |
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A strength of this subseries derives from the files related to the functioning of
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. With correspondence, memoranda, internal reports, and staff
records, these files offer a view of the inner workings of the company and Knopf's
management style. Since the Ransom Center's holdings of General Correspondence files
begins in 1946, the collection as a whole is augmented by the files in this
subseries dating from the 1920s through the early 1940s. For example, correspondence
and paperwork related to the purchase of the William Penn backlist in 1943 is
located here. Other company related folders of significance include a file of
correspondence with editor Angus Cameron, offering candid appraisals of writers and
books, and Knopf's folders of memoranda to and from his staff from 1956 to 1977.
While most of these files are labeled clearly, a few ambiguous labels do not show
that they relate solely to the firm. The folder titled "Awards & Fellowships"
contains flyers for literary contests Knopf ran in the early 1940s to attract
authors. |
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Another topic found frequently in this subseries relates to the publishing world and
books in general. There are files on other publishing companies, and others devoted
to issues and trends in the industry over a period of fifty years. A series of
folders also devoted to typography reflects the interest of a publisher known for
his fine book design. |
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The large number of files containing reports, correspondence, and minutes from the
publishing groups, charitable boards, committees, and social clubs to which Knopf
belonged attests to his reputation in the literary, business, and philanthropic
worlds. While his membership in such literary organizations as the American Book
Publishers Council, the Book Table, and the International Publishers Association is
not surprising, Knopf's range of interests outside publishing is remarkable. This
subseries includes files from social clubs (Cosmos and Harmonie Clubs), historical
associations (Institute of Early American History and Culture, the Massachusetts
Historical Society), charitable groups (Arthritis Foundation, Arthur Farmer Memorial
Fund), and fine wine and food societies (Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs,
Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin). |
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Knopf's most consuming outside interest, and one that takes up nearly one quarter
of
this subseries, was the natural environment. Most of the files on this subject are
arranged under the titles "Conservation" and "National Park Service," but they are
also scattered elsewhere throughout the subseries. These files contain
correspondence, clippings, news releases, bulletins, reports of nature societies,
legislative materials, and board meeting minutes and reports (from organizations
such as the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, on whose Board of
Trustees Knopf served for many years). Further, Knopf's close association with the
United States National Park Service is well documented. Over five document boxes of
reports, minutes, and correspondence show his involvement with the organization, as
a member of the advisory board and later chairman. A highlight from these files is
Knopf's participation in the campaign to save the Dinosaur National Monument from
1950-57. |
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A small number of files in this subseries relate to Alfred A. Knopf personally. More
travel files, covering daily activities, meetings, and impressions, can be found,
including a report describing his first trip to Brazil (a country he would later
visit regularly) in 1962. One folder of photographs contains early family portraits,
and the papers relating to a few of Knopf's honorary doctorates can be found here.
There are also files of papers he collected simply because the topic interested him,
such as his files on censorship, civil rights, humor, and music. |
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These files are complemented by the Alphabetical Files (sub-subseries 4 of the
Purchase Files subseries), which cover many of the same subjects for a later period,
and that he kept at his home in Purchase to use in writing his memoir. However, it
is very likely that Knopf also referred to these Office/Subject Files while he was
writing his memoir. |
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Subseries C. Purchase Files, 1876-1985 (boxes
595-673) |
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These files were maintained at Knopf's home in Purchase, N.Y. As he grew older he
retired to the country more often, and turned from running the company he founded
to
writing his memoir. The subseries is divided into five sub-subseries: 1. Memoir, 2.
Diaries, 3. Interviews, 4. Alphabetical Files, and 5. Clippings and Reports. While
the first two sub-subseries relate directly to his memoir, the other three served
as
reference sources for Knopf. |
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Sub-subseries 1. Memoirs, 1876-1985 (boxes 595-620) |
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- a. Chronological Files, 1910-1983 (boxes 595-609)
- b. Memoir Drafts, 1892-1982 (boxes 610-618)
- c. Willa Cather, 1946-1985 (box 618)
- d. H. L. Mencken, 1876-1981 (boxes 618-620)
The first sub-subseries of the Purchase Files pertains directly to the
writing of Knopf's unpublished memoir. Fourteen boxes of Chronological Files contain
correspondence, clippings, menus, programs, and other materials that Knopf gathered
together and referred to as he was writing the narrative drafts. These files offer
the most comprehensive survey of Knopf's life, especially his early years as a
publisher. They consist of documents that date from the period about which he was
writing and are augmented by contemporary lists, correspondence, and memoranda
confirming dates, giving lists of books published, and offering reminders to Knopf
of those years. A strength of these chronological files is the early letters he
pulled from other sources, including files that were subsequently destroyed, or
photocopied to keep in these files. The first file is labeled "1918 and Earlier" and
each following year is represented by at least one folder, with the exception of
1968, for which no materials were found. Many of the later years he chronicled
comprise more than one folder, and include correspondence that is duplicated in
Knopf's personal correspondence files, a fact perhaps explainable by the fact that
he was writing the memoir at the same time he was corresponding. By 1978 the amount
of materials he saved dwindles considerably and consists only of files devoted to
theater and music programs and to obituaries of his contemporaries. While not strong
on personal materials, these later files do offer a comprehensive overview of the
events Knopf considered important in his life. |
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The next group in the Memoirs sub-subseries contains Knopf's multiple memoir drafts,
which testify to the amount of work and revision he did. There are numerous drafts,
the majority of which are incomplete. For ease of access, one complete draft can be
found at the beginning of the subseries, from box 610.1 to 614.6, and the following
incomplete drafts have been arranged numerically, with Knopf's general notes and
handwritten drafts placed at the very end. In a very few cases, the drafts
themselves contain correspondence, programs, or clippings to which he referred in
the text. |
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Besides drafting his memoir, Knopf wrote about the memorable friendships he made as
a
publisher. Two such accounts are found in the Memoirs sub-subseries. One folder,
618.5, contains manuscript drafts recounting his relationship with Willa Cather,
bolstered by copies of their correspondence and associated clippings. An additional
twenty folders chronicle Knopf's close friendship and professional association with
H. L. Mencken. The Mencken files can be broken down into two parts -- manuscript
drafts and reference material. Seven files of drafts, interspersed with copied
letters, reveal his relationship with Mencken in narrative form. The other files
include correspondence with Mencken and other Mencken scholars (such as Betty Adler
of the Enoch Pratt Free Library), as well as personal notes, clippings, and
photographs. Of particular interest is the file labeled "Bawdy Humor/Anti-Semitism"
where Knopf, himself Jewish, refutes charges of Mencken's anti-Semitism. For further
information on Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. and Mencken's American
Mercury magazine, see series IX. |
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Sub-subseries 2. Diaries, 1919-1984 (boxes 621-647) |
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A large collection (23 document boxes) of Knopf's diaries and appointment books makes
up the second sub-subseries in the Knopf Personal series. Arranged chronologically
and dating from 1919 to the year of his death, the diaries detail Knopf's day-to-day
activities. The earliest diaries are sporadic, and lack the years 1920-1922,
1926-1929, and 1933. They tend to be filled with narrative descriptions of his
activities and observations. Only in a few cases do the diaries contain his frank
opinions and personal feelings. A typical extract reads as follows: |
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"November 28, 1923: Stopped at Willa Cather's today for
a little to see the portrait Bakst just painted of her for the Omaha Public
Library. It was pretty bad -- not a likeness -- & makes her look very
melancholy, wch I've never yet seen her. She was charming & delightful
& quite at home again. She said she really thought the reason why she
couldn't work at Villa d'Orsay was that the people around weren't themselves
working but rather waiting to see her work. She has nothing ready or in
process but is just ready to start a book & when it will be finished she
hasn't an idea" (see file 621.2).
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By 1940, however, Knopf began keeping two appointment calendars and a pocket calendar
-- these were less personal, with an emphasis on his meeting schedules and daily
observations of the weather. The pocket calendars are filed separately from the
other diaries and appointment books, due to special housing needs. As in other
series, his travel diaries, covering his visits to Brazil, Europe, and the American
West, offer useful insights into his literary contacts and friendships. |
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Sub-subseries 3. Interviews, 1964-1978 (box 643) |
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Knopf maintained only one file of transcripts from interviews he granted in the later
years of his life. Other publicity can be found throughout this series. |
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Sub-subseries 4. Alphabetical Files, 1897-1984 (boxes 648-669) |
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These Alphabetical Files complement the Office/Subject Files in subseries B. Although
their date range is broader and runs slightly later, they are arranged
alphabetically by subject, and generally contain the same types of materials. There
is a great deal of overlap between these files and the Office Files, e.g., both
include files on the environment, typography, food and wine, and politics. In
addition, however, the Alphabetical Files contain a number of folders pulled from
the firm. Of particular interest are the author files that Knopf saved to use for
his memoir. Early editorial correspondence with writers such as Conrad Aiken, Thomas
Beer, W. H. Hudson, and Ernest Newman is in this subseries. Also of interest is the
file titled "Editorial Mistakes" (see file 656.6), which consists of the firm's
documention and reader's reports on important books rejected by Knopf, including
William Golding's Lord of the Flies, John Knowles'
A Separate Peace, Nabokov's Lolita, and manuscripts by Mary Renault. This
sub-subseries is also particularly strong in personal files, offering account books
and records relating to dogs and cemetery plots. Also, a large file of family
material, gathered by a biographer of Knopf, reveals information about his
background. Finally, later files contain only clippings, illustrating Knopf's
gradual withdrawal from activity as he aged. |
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Sub-subseries 5. Clippings and Reports, 1931-1984 (boxes 669-673) |
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The last sub-subseries consists of almost four boxes of printed materials saved by
Knopf. The sub-subseries is organized by letters of the alphabet, so a large range
of subjects is covered in each file. They offer little insight into Knopf's life but
further reflect his general interests in Latin America, conservation, politics,
music, and universities. Although dominated by newspaper and magazine clippings,
there are also reprints, programs, invitations, newsletters, and other printed items
present. |
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Subseries D. Other Subjects and Interests, 1874-1985, boxes
673-685 |
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Within this subseries are files and other loose materials that Knopf saved and
donated to the Ransom Center but that were not a part of any existing file system.
The range of materials found is very broad and although some of the materials are
ephemeral in nature, such as a large collection of clippings about people and
publishing, many of the files contain books and papers that reflect the interests
in
Knopf's daily life. Arranged alphabetically by subject or type of material, this
subseries is the only one to contain a large number of non-textual materials. In
addition to artwork, photographs, and portraits, a small collection of films
(including "A Publisher is Known by the Company He
Keeps"), dictaphone recordings, and phonograph records are present. |
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Many files relate directly to Knopf's home at Purchase and reflect his interest in
fine dining. For example, within a large collection of wine and food related
material, one finds Alfred Knopf's cellar books, which list in detail the wines kept
and drunk at his home, and a notebook describing the meals at his house from
1940-51. An additional four folders of wine labels, most with dates and annotations
on the back, confirm his passion for good wine. Other materials relating to his home
in Purchase include guest books, gardening books, and an inventory of his
library. |
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This subseries also features financial and personal documentation, such as account
books, covering such expenses as home costs, investments, daily expenditures, club
dues, and taxes, over a 40-year period. A file of personal documentation contains
his draft records, ration cards, and driver's license. There is material relating
to
family members Samuel, Blanche, and Helen Knopf, as well as a folder of early
internal documents from the firm. This subseries also contains the many awards and
honors given to Knopf over his lifetime. |
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Finally, a number of folders contain writings by Knopf, dating from 1914 to 1984.
While mainly consisting of articles, there are also personal tributes, a run of the
Borzoi Quarterly, and a poem written for Blanche
Knopf while they were courting. Additionally, a folder of material written by others
and given to Knopf includes manuscripts by John Galsworthy, William Humphrey,
Haldane Macfall, Thomas Mann, Rudolf Sauter, and H. M. Tomlinson. |
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Pieces of art, slides, personal effects, and printed ephemera that belonged to Alfred
Knopf are held separately from the archive and can be accessed respectively in the
Ransom Center's Art Collection, Photography Collection, Personal Effects Collection,
and Vertical File Collection. |
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Series III. Blanche W. Knopf, 1918-1966, bulk 1940-1966 (boxes
685-697) |
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This series consists of 12 boxes of Blanche W. Knopf's correspondence files. It is
arranged alphabetically by correspondent, and chronologically within each file, with
the most recent dates at the front. The files arrived roughly in alphabetical order,
and a file folder list created by Knopf secretary Eleanor French confirmed this
order. Mrs. Knopf's files arrived at the Ransom Center in March, 1969, and were
restricted until 1980, when Alfred Knopf authorized full access to them. In addition
to correspondence, the files contain telegrams, photographs, prints, programs, and
clippings. This series illuminates the unique perspective of not only a founding
member and key administrator of the Knopf firm, but that of the first important
American woman in publishing. While it is a relatively small series, it highlights
the most important authors of this collection, and also covers routine publishing
business such as copyediting, payment of royalties and advances, syndication and
reprint rights, production costs, and sales figures. |
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Handwritten and typed letters between Alfred and Blanche Knopf that reveal their
working relationship can be found throughout the series, and especially in the file
named "BWK" (see file 686.8). The Knopfs wrote many letters to each other when one
or the other was traveling. In this correspondence, they convey their opinions of
various manuscripts, make plans for future business travel, and divide the
responsibility of contacting authors to solicit their work. There are occasional
personal remarks, such as Blanche Knopf's 1962 letters suggesting that she did not
feel "whole," and feared she would not live much longer. Additionally,
correspondence regarding important events such as the Knopfs' fiftieth wedding
anniversary celebration (see file 690.4), Mrs. Knopf's induction into the French
Legion of Honor (see file 690.7), and the honorary Doctorate of Letters she received
from Franklin and Marshall College (see file 690.8) is located in this series. |
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Although Mrs. Knopf read and selected from manuscripts from many sources, one of her
most passionate interests lay in French literature. She brought Albert Camus, Andre
Gide, Jules Romains, and Jean-Paul Sartre to the firm. Her correspondence with Camus
is especially rich, beginning when French literary agent Jenny Bradley recommended
The Stranger to Blanche in 1945 and ending with
letters written shortly before his death in 1960, discussing his work on Le Premier Homme. Correspondence with Camus translators
Justin O'Brien and Anthony Bower also reveal the care Mrs. Knopf and the firm took
in publishing high quality English versions of foreign texts. |
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Other correspondents in this series represent a rich and varied group of writers,
many of whom were also Mrs. Knopf's friends. They include Elizabeth Bowen, Willa
Cather, Raymond Chandler, Miguel Covarrubias, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Kahlil Gibran,
Langston Hughes, Thomas Mann, and Angela Thirkell, among others. Business issues
such as production schedules are frequently mixed in with invitations to dinners,
illustrating how the Knopfs' business and personal lives were often intertwined. The
letters also demonstrate important authors' feelings about the firm. In a 1923
letter, Willa Cather describes how she likes the Knopfs' style, and that she thinks
they would work well together (see file 689.2). Raymond Chandler writes in 1942 that
he can't understand the vigorous support his The High
Window is receiving from the firm, in light of its poor sales (see file
689.5). |
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Mrs. Knopf's correspondence with an individual writer discussed not only his or her
own work, but that of other writers, as well. Carl Van Vechten, a close friend of
the Knopfs, wrote to Blanche about the need for writing and publishing "on the Negro
question." He suggested Langston Hughes, Walter White, and Richard Wright, among
others, for this much needed project (see file 697.1). Correspondence with Raymond
Postgate is especially valuable for its detailed descriptions of publishing in the
context of World War II Europe. Mrs. Knopf also encouraged experts in their fields
to write specific books and helped authors choose appropriate book titles. |
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Documentation of some of Blanche's European and South American trips is located in
files named "Trips" (see files 696.7-12), which are broken down by destination. The
files include lists of people Mrs. Knopf visited or intended to visit,
correspondence about the writers, and occasional personal reflections on the trip.
Also, an unpublished article written by Mrs. Knopf on book publishing in Europe and
South America provides insight into her publishing philosophy (see file 695.4). In
it, she describes how the paper shortages and censorship of World War II created a
hunger for exchange of ideas through publication that Americans probably could not
understand. In the same file, there is 1945-1946 correspondence regarding Mrs.
Knopf's trip to occupied Germany in search of authors. Her travels on behalf of the
firm not only brought in a rich variety of writers, but often cemented personal
relationships with authors, literary agents, artists, ambassadors, and other
influential people. |
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Series IV. Author and Book Designer Files, 1911-1979, bulk
1920-1960 (boxes 698-734) |
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This series is one of the highlights of the Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. archive and one
of
the few that documents the early history of the firm. Consisting of 37 document
boxes, the series contains correspondence, manuscripts, and artwork. It is divided
into two subseries: A) Author Files and B) Book Designer Files. Although it is
unclear why the files in this series were brought together, it is likely that Alfred
A. Knopf pulled them from various sources and examined them, perhaps with his memoir
in mind, before sending them to The University of Texas. Evidence of this derives
from his handwritten annotations on the folders of some of these files. These
annotations are useful because Knopf wrote about his professional associations and
personal contacts with the author. |
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Subseries A. Author Files, 1911-1979, bulk 1921-1956 (boxes
698-731) |
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The Author Files, which make up the bulk of this series (33 boxes), contain a broad
assortment of files relating to authors, most of whom were published by Knopf.
Arranged alphabetically by author, the subseries contains early editorial
correspondence, manuscripts, and artwork pertaining generally to firm business.
While the files typically contain correspondence with Alfred A. Knopf, other
employees whose letters are present in this subseries are Blanche Knopf, William A.
Koshland, Raymond Preston, and Harold Strauss. |
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The majority of this subseries consists of early editorial correspondence. While most
of the firm's earliest files were weeded in the mid-1940s, some were saved because
of their apparent historic value. A 1974 memorandum from Lilyan Brown to Joseph
Lesser documents the destruction. She wrote, |
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I arrived at AAK, Inc. in 1943. A few years later I was told Florence Rubin ...
was having old cartons of correspondence sent from KMV [a storage facility] to
her home and was destroying all correspondence which she thought was unnecessary
and then returned the cartons to KMV. I was also told that Pat Knopf went down
to KMV and was going through cartons of old correspondence and destroying what
he thought was useless (see file 540.3).
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It is likely that the early correspondence files found in this subseries were the
ones saved by Alfred A. Knopf, Jr. Additionally, folders removed from the General
Correspondence files, probably for Alfred Knopf's perusal, were added to these early
files. |
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The Author Files are most complete for the 1920s and 1930s. Most files contain
correspondence with an author pertaining to a book published by the firm. Covering
Knopf's "golden age" of publishing, authors of note include W. J. Cash, A. E.
Coppard, Warwick Deeping, Havelock Ellis, Erna Fergusson, Emma Goldman, Dashiell
Hammett, William Alexander Percy, and Angela Thirkell. Besides fiction, the
subseries documents Knopf's commitment to publishing historical, medical, and
sociological texts. While most correspondents are represented by a single file, some
long-term Knopf authors, such as James M. Cain, Joseph Hergesheimer, John Hersey,
and Carl Van Vechten, have two or more. These multiple files reveal the personal
relationship that often developed between an editor and author. |
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Other correspondents of note in this subseries are not authors but scouts and agents
who helped the firm locate new talent in England and Europe. Of particular interest
are the files of the William Aspenwall Bradley Agency and the Raymond Postgate
correspondence. William and Jenny Bradley introduced some of the finest French
writers, including Albert Camus and Andre Gide, to the Knopfs. Jenny Bradley's
correspondence with Blanche Knopf reveals interesting information about the French
literary scene as well as personal information. Raymond Postgate, a long-term scout
in England, kept abreast of English and European writers and sent long and detailed
letters to Alfred Knopf dating from the 1930s through the 1960s. He described new
books being published in England, often adding his frank observations of leading
publishers, agents, and writers. Postgate's descriptions of World War II are
especially interesting, as he updated Knopf with the latest information on how the
war was changing the literary landscape. For example, in a letter of June 20, 1940,
Postgate wrote, |
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Another piece of information. Sigrid Undset escaped from Norway safely. I
understand she went from Lillehammer to Elverum and thence to Stockholm. I found
by enquiries at the Ministry of Information that a proposal was being made to
her to write a short book about the invasion of Norway (see file 724.11).
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Other files do not necessarily contain correspondence with an author. For example,
neither the multiple files of Willa Cather, Andre Gide, or Kahlil Gibran offer much
correspondence with the author; their files mostly concern later editions of their
work and translations. |
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While a few files have only small bits of manuscript materials (usually comprising
a
few pages of heavily edited typescript), others offer more complete works. Authors
with significant manuscript holdings in this subseries are Robert G. Athearn, Max
Beerbohm, Robert Bowen, Albert Camus, Henry Steele Commager, Joseph Conrad, Walter
De la Mare, Gilberto Freyre, John Galsworthy, Knut Hamsun, Llewellyn Jones, D. H.
Lawrence, Yukio Mishima, Mauricio Nabuco, and Carl Van Vechten. |
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A few files contain illustrative materials. Robert Boyer's files contain photographic
materials for his biography of John Brown. Both Elizabeth Langasser and William Pene
Dubois' files contain artwork. Additionally, Langasser's file includes a small
amount of correspondence with the book designer George Salter. |
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Subseries B. Book Designer Files, 1927-1954 (boxes
731-734) |
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A second subseries (four document boxes) contains a collection of correspondence with
four renowned book designers. The files of Elmer Adler, Claude Bragdon, and Bruce
Rogers contain routine correspondence, generally about books they designed for
Knopf. However, the bulk of the subseries consists of William A. Dwiggins'
correspondence and book designs. Eleven folders of correspondence cover the years
1927-1954, and include Dwiggins' correspondence with Alfred Knopf and Sidney Jacobs.
Another eleven folders of artwork contain notes, sample designs, binding samples,
and mock-ups and sketches for books and dust jackets that Dwiggins designed for the
firm. |
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Series V. Editors' Files, 1873-1984, bulk 1960-1980 (boxes
735-932) |
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This series contains the working files of seventeen Knopf editors. It is organized
by
editor into the following subseries: A--Angus Cameron, 1873-1984, bulk 1960-1978;
B--Charles Elliott, 1908-1984, bulk 1971-1982; C--Lee Goerner, 1968-1980; D--Robert
Gottlieb, 1949-1984; E--Ashbel Green, 1957-1984; F--Carol Brown Janeway, 1970-1983;
G--Judith Jones, 1926-1980, bulk 1958-1977; H--William A. Koshland, 1935-1982, bulk
1967-1976; I--Michael Magzis, 1967-1976; J--Anne McCormick, 1966-1982; K--Nancy
Nicholas, 1948-1984, bulk 1970-1980; L--Dan Okrent, 1949-1974, bulk 1967-1974;
M--Regina Ryan, 1919-1976, bulk 1967-1974; N--Harold Strauss, 1950-1981, bulk
1966-1974; O--Herbert Weinstock, 1950-1971, bulk 1967-1971; P--Sophie Wilkins,
1927-1972, bulk 1969-1972; and Q--Vicky Wilson, 1967-1983. Although many of these
subseries are incomplete, they document the range of books edited by these
people. |
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The editorial files consist largely of correspondence, with both an incoming letter
and carbon copy response from the editor, but they also contain internal forms and
memoranda that follow both the internal and external processes of book publication
(hereafter refered to as "internal documentation"). The presence of this internal
paperwork distinguishes this series from the General Correspondence files. The
editors' files contain the following: copyright documentation; correspondence from
authors, agents, and foreign publishers; dust jackets; fan mail; galleys; internal
notes and memoranda; jacket and flap copy drafts; manufacturing schedules and
estimates; manuscript materials (mostly photocopied with some handwritten changes);
negatives; newspaper clippings; photographs; profit statements; proof sheets;
reader's reports; schedules; slides; transparencies; and internal forms such as
author questionnaires, book club date forms, contract data sheets, contract
proposals, contract Summaries, editorial Fact Sheets, manuscript records, manuscript
transmittal data sheets, planning cards (for production, sales, and advertising),
production & sales planning cards, publishing proposals, and publishing summary
forms. |
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Each subseries contains alphabetically arranged files for the authors with whom the
editors worked. Some editors maintained miscellaneous letter files consisting of
correspondence with writers, fans, and aspiring authors. The different filing
systems used by each editor reveals their interests and their position at the firm.
For example, the files of William A. Koshland, which differ markedly from the rest
of the editors' files, reflect his position as administrator rather than hands-on
editor. Some editors are also better represented than others; while Angus Cameron's
files are almost complete, those of Michael Magzis and Anne McCormick contain only
a
few selected folders. |
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Although the total date range of the series is very broad, the preponderance of files
spans the late 1960s through the early 1980s. Files with date spans prior to 1957
generally contain old contracts or correspondence that have been added for reference
purposes. Subseries for editors Angus Cameron, Charles Elliott, Robert Gottlieb,
Ashbel Green, and William Koshland have more than one alphabetical sequence,
reflecting the way they retired their inactive files. |
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A long-term strength of the Knopf firm has been the expertise and interests of its
editors. This publishing advantage is clearly revealed in this series, which covers
books on hunting, nature and the environment, sailing, cooking, Japanese literature,
music, European and American literature, photography, and many other subjects.
Further, newer editors took over the files of retiring employees, thus directing
established Knopf authors in new ways. |
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This series lacks some of the files of the current Knopf authors. Since some of these
writers continue to be published by the firm, their files are still in use in New
York. For example, although Anne Rice's Interview with the
Vampire was edited by Vicky Wilson, her file is not present. |
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Subseries A. Angus Cameron, 1873-1984, bulk 1960-1978 (boxes
735-787) |
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The Angus Cameron subseries comprises three alphabetical groupings, divided by year
into 1960-1970, 1972-1977, and 1976-1982; the 53 document boxes span Cameron's years
at the firm. Books present in this subseries cover the subjects of nature, hunting,
politics, Western history, and the American experience. |
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While the first alphabetical group contains only named author files, the second and
third also contain miscellaneous letter files. The named author files contain both
correspondence and internal documentation. Of particular interest in these files are
the notes Cameron made to himself on index cards as he was working with authors.
Cameron's long-term associations with people in the literary world also stand out.
Correspondents of note include Hal Borland, C. Gregory Crampton, Arnold Gingrich,
William Goetzmann, Ben K. Green, Sterling Hayden, Rodello Hunter, Sigurd Olsen,
Rachel Peden, and Andy Russell. The miscellaneous files contain routine
correspondence with aspiring authors and prospective employees, usually rejected by
Cameron. While most incoming letters have a carbon copy response from Cameron with
them, in some cases it is necessary to check the back of the actual letter for his
response. |
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The last alphabetical group contains fewer new authors, focusing on projects that
began before 1976 and continued through the early 1980s. These files document
Cameron's continuing role as editorial consultant after his retirement from the
firm. |
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Subseries B. Charles Elliott, 1908-1984, bulk 1971-1982
(boxes 788-811) |
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Charles Elliott joined Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. as senior editor in 1973. His files,
comprising 23 document boxes, consist of two sub-subseries, the first dating
1971-1978, and the second 1978-1984. |
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The first sub-subseries consists largely of correspondence with authors or their
agents or foreign publishers. Topics include Asian literature, photography, botany,
animals, health, and twentieth-century American history. Some of Elliott's files
originally belonged to other editors; for example, he took responsibility for Asian
books after Harold Strauss' retirement in 1974. As a result the files of Kobo Abe
and Yukio Mishima can be found here. Elliott also edited Alistair Cooke. |
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Elliott's second sub-subseries of files contains less correspondence and consists
largely of internal documentation. A few files contain only clippings. Additionally,
some files are divided into two folders, the first labeled "Production" (internal
paperwork and some correspondence) and the second titled "Publicity" (clippings and
comments on the book). Elliott's work with other publishers is well documented here;
for example, he edited a series of nature books with Chanticleer Press and a series
of photography handbooks with Dorling Kindersley. |
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Subseries C. Lee Goerner, 1968-1980 (boxes
812-813) |
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Lee Goerner joined the firm in 1973 as the assistant to editor-in-chief Robert
Gottlieb. Two document boxes of files document this relationship as well as
Goerner's contacts with Angus Cameron. While not consisting of titles that Goerner
himself edited, the files were maintained by him. Topics covered in these files
include contemporary fiction, nature writing, and outdoor sports. A strength of this
subseries is the presence of some author manuscripts, like those of David Rabe and
Tim Mason Smith. |
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Subseries D. Robert Gottlieb, 1949-1984 (boxes
814-827) |
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Robert Gottlieb joined the firm in 1968 as editor-in-chief and vice-president, and
was president of the firm from 1973-1987. These 14 document boxes reflect his work
as an editor. They are divided into two alphabetical groups, the first dating
1968-1975 and the second 1976-1984. |
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Both sets of files contain internal documentation and correspondence with foreign
publishers, with little, if any, actual correspondence with the author named on the
folder. Gottlieb edited a number of important fiction writers such as Melvyn Bragg,
Evan S. Connell, Diane Johnson, and Chaim Potok, and he also worked on biographies
and books on dance. At least one file, that of Robert Nicolson, originally belonged
to Blanche Knopf. |
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Subseries E. Ashbel Green, 1957-1984 (boxes
827-839) |
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Ashbel Green joined the firm in 1964 as managing editor and has served as
vice-president and senior editor since 1973. His files are divided into two groups,
reflecting his different job titles. |
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Approximately three document boxes comprise the first group of files in this
subseries. Labeled "General Author Folders" and spanning the years 1965-1970, they
primarily contain internal documentation relating to the publication of a book, with
little, if any, correspondence. Subjects covered in these files include suspense
fiction, Russian literature and history, and early American history. Since many of
these files relate to long-term Knopf authors (e.g., James M. Cain, George Harmon
Coxe, Laurence Gipson, and Richard Hofstadter) and new editions of older books,
correspondence from Alfred A. Knopf is also present in some of these files. |
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The second group of files in this subseries, consisting of approximately ten document
boxes, contains named author files with correspondence and internal documentation.
Subjects covered include Russian history, American history, and suspense, with a
small amount of nature writing and books on sailing. In addition, Green oversaw the
publication of Latino literature and other ethnic studies in the late 1970s. Authors
of note in this subseries are Fawn Brodie, John Graves, Roy Medvedev, Abram L.
Sachar, and Thomas Sanchez. |
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Subseries F. Carol Brown Janeway, 1970-1983 (boxes
839-847) |
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Carol Brown Janeway joined the firm as editor and British rights manager in 1970.
Robert Gottlieb referred to her as "our English editor." Approximately nine document
boxes of named author files document her close ties to the British literary
community as well her work as an editor of English and European writers. |
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These files contain mostly correspondence with a small amount of internal
documentation. The largest amount of correspondence in these files is not with
authors, but with European publishers. Subjects covered include English and European
history, literature, and social history, opera, photography, and biographies. |
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Subseries G. Judith Jones, 1926-1980, bulk 1958-1977 (boxes
847-859) |
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Judith Jones joined the firm in 1957 as an editor, and was senior editor and
Vice-President as of 1996. She is well-known for the works of fiction and the
cookbooks she has edited. |
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The subseries comprises two types of files, arranged in one alphabetical sequence,
one of which contains mainly internal documentation with little correspondence.
These "general author files" date from the 1960s. Some of these files came from
Blanche Knopf's office originally, as Jones worked closely with Mrs. Knopf. Of
special interest in these files is the presence of some manuscript material; for
example, the Elizabeth Bowen file contains a number of draft changes on her novel
Eva Trout. |
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The other folders in this subseries span later dates, mostly the 1970s. They consist
largely of correspondence with authors, foreign publishers, and agents. Very little
internal documentation is available in these files. Authors of importance in this
subseries include Elizabeth Bowen, M. F. K. Fisher, Shirley Ann Grau, Shelby Hearon,
Margaret Laurence, Anne Tyler, and John Updike. Two document cases of files for John
Updike follow his career in the late 1960s. Since some of this Updike correspondence
came directly from the General Correspondence files, letters from Alfred and Blanche
Knopf and William A. Koshland document Updike's close relationship with the firm.
Other subjects covered by Jones besides fiction and cookbooks include poetry,
European travel, and feminism. |
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Among the folders in this subseries not related to a specific author is a file titled
Manuscript Rejections (which is filled with correspondence from aspiring authors)
and a file for Ed Victor, a former Knopf editor (containing correspondence from
publishers and agents). The last file in this subseries contains misfiled
correspondence removed from Jones' files during processing. These have been included
in the correspondents index. |
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Subseries H. William A. Koshland, 1935-1982, bulk 1967-1976
(boxes 859-898) |
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William A. Koshland has been with Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. since 1934. He succeeded
Blanche Knopf as President of the firm in 1966 and later became Chairman of the
Board. As of 1996, he was Chairman Emeritus. |
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The subseries has been separated into ten alphabetical sequences, grouped by year,
covering the years 1967-1980. The files are divided into miscellaneous letter files,
and the years 1967-1977 have named files as well. Letters A-M in the 1973-1974 group
are not present. After 1977 the amount of correspondence in the files shrinks
considerably. For example, the 1967 sequence consists of approximately seven
document boxes while the 1980 sequence comprises only three folders. |
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Koshland's files are atypical from the other editorial files in this series. They
resemble the General Correspondence files, and should be thought of as an extension
of that series. His files focus on everyday activities at the firm and reflect his
administrative position rather than actual editing responsibilities. |
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|
The miscellaneous letter folders document Koshland's day-to-day activities. Types
of
correspondence generally found in this subseries are requests from foreign
publishers for Knopf book rights, initial contacts with authors, internal memos, and
day-to-day correspondence with the public. Correspondence in many of these files
documents that literary agents, scouts, and publishers sent manuscripts or proofs
of
books directly to Koshland, who assigned them to readers. If accepted, the books
were placed with an editor; if not, Koshland sent a rejection letter found in this
subseries. Unlike the rest of this series, William Koshland's files contain very
little internal documentation. |
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The named files in this subseries do not consist solely of author names. In many
cases the files consist of correspondence with foreign publishers or literary
agents, e.g., Jenny Bradley, Eyre & Spottiswoode, and Grace Dadd. Generally
these files contain information about foreign editions of Knopf titles, or express
the firm's interest in new English and European writers. |
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|
Koshland's files containing correspondence with authors tend not to relate directly
to the publication of a title, but to reflect more general administrative matters.
For example, the firm's problems with the author Peter Gay are chronicled in this
subseries. Also, the authors listed in this subseries, such as Elizabeth Bowen, John
Hersey, Robert Nathan, and John Updike, generally have long-term contacts with the
firm. Since some of these files originated in the General Correspondence series,
correspondence with Alfred and Blanche Knopf is present in some of these files. |
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|
Many folders labeled with an author's name contain little if any actual
correspondence with that author. Instead, they are likely to contain correspondence
with other publishers interested in new editions, fan mail, or internal memoranda
"for the record." Yet, these files sometimes contain extremely important material,
such as reader's reports and sales information. For that reason, subject files in
this subseries have been added to the correspondents index. |
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Subseries I. Michael Magzis, 1967-1976 (boxes
899-900) |
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|
The fact that Michael Magzis' files were scattered in other editors' files was
brought to the attention of the cataloging staff by editor Ashbel Green. The Magzis
files were pulled from other editors' files, resulting in a very small collection
of
eight folders. These files contain both correspondence and internal documentation,
and cover the following subjects: psychology, mystery novels, biography, short
fiction, and biology. |
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Subseries J. Anne McCormick, 1966-1982 (box 900) |
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|
This tiny subseries, containing only three folders, reflects a small part of the
firm's contact with Brazilian authors. It consists of both correspondence and
internal documentation for Jorge Amado, Moacir Lopes, and Pedro Nova. All three
files document conflicts between Alfred A. Knopf and Robert Gottlieb over whether
the writers' work should be published. |
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|
Subseries K. Nancy Nicholas, 1948-1984, bulk 1970-1980
(boxes 900-906) |
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|
Nancy Nicholas served as an editor at Knopf from 1967-1985, and these six document
boxes of named author files focus on her achievements in the 1970s and early 1980s.
|
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This subseries is particularly strong in the field of literature, as Nicholas edited
important European and American writers such as Ray Bradbury, Margaret Drabble,
Milan Kundera, and Marge Piercy, among others. Nicholas' correspondence with
Kundera, dating from the period when his works were still being smuggled out of
Czechoslovakia, is particularly revealing, since the two developed a close
relationship through the mail. Also of note is a 1948 reader's report for Ray
Bradbury, rejecting a collection of short stories (see file 900.9). Some of
Nicholas' files originated in the offices of noted fiction editors Harold Strauss
and Robert Gottlieb. Other topics of interest in Nicholas' files include art,
linguistics and language studies, and French history. Nicholas also had close
contacts with the French publishing world, and edited both fiction and non-fiction
books originally published in France. |
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Subseries L. Dan Okrent, 1949-1974, bulk 1967-1974 (boxes
906-907) |
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|
Dan Okrent was an editor at Knopf from 1969-1973. The subseries contains only seven
folders, all of which had a note from Okrent to Knopf employee Sally Waitkins
stapled to the front asking her to handle them (these notes are now on top of each
file). Okrent's area of expertise was non-fiction, and most of these folders contain
materials on books chronicling the 1960s, from the sexual revolution to hippies to
Vietnam. |
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Subseries M. Regina Ryan, 1919-1976, bulk 1967-1974 (boxes
907-914) |
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|
Over seven document boxes of files contain named and miscellaneous letter files
maintained by editor Regina Ryan, who joined the firm as Herbert Weinstock's
assistant in 1964 and served as editor from 1967-1975. |
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|
Most of the files in this subseries are labeled by author, and they contain
correspondence as well as a small amount of internal documentation. Some have been
subdivided into separate files denoted "correspondence," "editorial," "publicity,"
and other distinguishing titles. Of particular interest are Ryan's notes to herself
about plot and character development. Some of the earlier files originated in Sidney
Jacob's office. |
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|
This subseries is dominated by the many books Ryan edited on sailing and feminism.
Other topics represented are American fiction, politics, architecture, crafts,
environmental issues, and wine and cooking. In addition, Ryan served as long-term
Knopf author Robert Nathan's editor in the early 1970s. |
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|
Other named files in this subseries derive from Ryan's travels around the country
and
detail the contacts she made there. Examples of these are files labeled California,
Appalachia, Washington, D.C., and California. |
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|
A collection of miscellaneous letter files completes Ryan's files. These consist
largely of rejection letters, written directly to either an aspiring author or
agent. A negative reader's report may also be included. While the material in these
files is generally routine, correspondence with noted author Rita Mae Brown, who
despairs of finding a publisher for her lesbian novel, Rubyfruit Jungle (see file 907.7), is of particular interest. |
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Subseries N. Harold Strauss, 1950-1981, bulk 1966-1974
(boxes 914-917) |
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|
Harold Strauss joined Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. in 1939 as an associate editor. From
1942-1966 he was editor-in-chief, and acted as consulting editor from 1966-1974.
This small collection of files (four document boxes) reflects Strauss' work in the
late 1960s and early 1970s, leading up to his retirement in 1974. |
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|
The miscellaneous letter files make up the largest part of this subseries, consisting
of correspondence with authors and literary agents, highlighted by internal
memoranda. A small group of named files contains correspondence with authors and
translators, as well as internal documentation relating to their books. |
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|
Both sets of files reflect Strauss' long-term interest in Japan and the Far East.
A
letter in this subseries from Strauss to Frederick Warburg relates how he became
interested in Japanese literature (see file 916.4). Contacts with translators and
Japanese publishers are found throughout this subseries. Of particular importance
are the multiple folders for Yasunari Kawabata and Yukio Mishima. The Kawabata files
contain paperwork relating to his novels Beauty and
Sadness, The Master of Go, and The Sound of the Mountain. A file of correspondence with
Kawabata and his translator, Edward Seidensticker, covers the period up to and
beyond the author's suicide. The Mishima files also contain correspondence with the
author and translator covering Mishima's death. An important letter from Strauss to
Frederick Warburg (see file 916.3) reveals Strauss' memories of Mishima and his
opinions on the author's suicide. |
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|
Subjects covered in addition to Japanese literature and society are United States
history, government, and literature, as well as biology and anthropology. Other
named files not related to specific authors include a file on Japan with lists of
people and books of interest to Strauss. A folder titled Pink Cards contains trade
publication proposal forms with additional paperwork for many of the books Strauss
edited. |
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|
Subseries O. Herbert Weinstock, 1950-1971, bulk 1967-1971
(boxes 918-921) |
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|
Herbert Weinstock was executive editor at Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. from 1943-59 and a
consulting editor from 1963-1971. His work for the firm from the late 1960s until
his sudden death in 1971 is reflected in this subseries of four document boxes. |
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|
The subseries consists mainly of named folders with a smaller run of miscellaneous
alphabetical files. Folders for the letter "D" are not present. The miscellaneous
letter files contain correspondence with aspiring authors and agents, and internal
memos regarding rejected manuscripts or books in progress. Contents of the named
folders include correspondence and internal documentation. Some of these folders
were divided by Weinstock between "correspondence" and "working" files, separating
the letters from the internal paperwork. |
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|
As Weinstock himself was a highly regarded music writer, his list contains many
illustrious names, including academics and European writers such as German
Arciniegas, Pierre Boulez, Alejo Carpentier, Jacques Ellul, Irving Kolodin, and
François Nourissier. Some files were originally Blanche Knopf's, particularly those
of French writers, and passed to Weinstock after her death. Subjects covered include
music, belles lettres, the arts, and history. |
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|
Subseries P. Sophie Wilkins, 1927-1972, bulk 1969-1972,
(boxes 922-924) |
|
|
Three document boxes of named and miscellaneous letter files document Sophie Wilkins'
tenure at Knopf. About one-third of Wilkins' files are miscellaneous letter files,
but they are far from complete. Files for the letters H, I, J, L, M, and N are not
present. The miscellaneous letter files contain correspondence, mostly from aspiring
authors, literary agents, and other literary contacts. The named author files also
contain correspondence as well as internal paperwork and some manuscript material.
Very little author correspondence exists; instead, there is usually correspondence
with a book's translator and literary agent. |
|
|
Both types of files in this subseries are generally geared toward translations of
German authors. Topics covered include German fiction and non-fiction (especially
sociology), contemporary politics, biography, and theater. Of particular interest
are six Thomas Mann files, which cover the publication of Mann letters by Richard
and Clara Winston. There are photocopies and typed copies of Mann letters in these
files. |
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|
Wilkins also maintained contact with writers originally edited by Angus Cameron. |
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|
Subseries Q. Vicky Wilson, 1967-1983 (boxes
925-932) |
|
|
Eight document boxes of correspondence contain Vicky Wilson's author files. Most have
been divided by function into multiple files labeled Copy, Editorial, Legal,
Permissions, Publicity, Production, and Reviews. As a result, Wilson's files fully
document the production of a book. Of particular interest are her memoranda with
Robert Gottlieb chronicling the progress of a manuscript. Although spanning three
decades, the bulk of these files date from the mid-1970s. |
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|
Wilson edited books of American fiction, photography, film, folk arts and crafts,
and
art. The relationship she developed with some of her authors is well documented in
this subseries. For example, her working relationship with Alice Adams became a
close friendship in time. |
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|
Of particular interest in this subseries is a small Anne Rice file. It consists of
a
few items found misfiled in other authors' files that were brought together by the
cataloger. In this folder a letter from Rice describes her plot development for
Interview with the Vampire (1976) and includes a
response from Wilson (see file 932.14). |
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|
Series VI. Editorial Department Files, 1930-1984, bulk 1948-1978
(boxes 933-1172) |
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|
This series consists of selected files maintained by the editorial offices of Alfred
A. Knopf, Inc. It is made up of six subseries: A. Contract Data Sheets, B. Foreign
Rights, C. Manuscript Records, D. Reject Files, E. Rejection Sheets, and F.
[Translations]. Containing internal forms and correspondence, the series highlights
numerous aspects of the publishing process. Subseries D and E, which make up the
bulk of the series (195 of 240 document boxes), relate to the rejection of incoming
manuscripts. The other subseries are smaller and less complete, but they reveal
financial information (subseries A), the initial interest in manuscripts later
published by Knopf (subseries C), and the complicated process of translations and
foreign publication (subseries B & F). |
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|
A strength of this series derives from the way the subseries complement each other.
Both subseries C (Manuscript Records) and subseries E (Rejection Sheets) contain the
"white sheet" form used by the firm for each manuscript submission. The forms in
subseries C relate only to published manuscripts and subseries E is reserved for
those rejected by the firm. Similarly, subseries D (Reject Files) and subseries E
(Rejection Sheets) together offer two sides of the rejection process. The Reject
Files contain the correspondence with the aspiring author or agent and the Reject
Sheets reveal the firm's candid opinions of the quality of the manuscript. While
incomplete and somewhat scattered, the series contains important records of the
firm's treatment of new titles. If used in conjunction with other series, the entire
publishing process can be observed. |
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|
Subseries A. Contract Data Sheets, 1948-1984, bulk 1948-1970
(boxes 933-936) |
|
|
This subseries contains the internal forms, called contract data sheets, that
consolidated an author's contract and sales record, highlighting rights, contract
options, translations, and royalties. While these single sheets make up the bulk of
the subseries, occasionally other forms such as reprint contract sheets, contract
proposals, and internal memoranda have been attached for reference. Arranged
alphabetically by author in general letter folders, the subseries covers the years
1949-1971 and the letters M-Z. The letters A-L are not present. A final folder,
labelled "1984" (see file 936.3), contains forms from that year. |
|
|
An August 29, 1984 letter from Eleanor Carlucci to HRC director Decherd Turner
explains the importance of the contract data sheets to the firm: |
|
|
The contract data sheets are interesting for many reasons. A file going back many
years will show how advances, from paperback houses especially, soared
astronomically a few years ago and are now settling down, how many new book
clubs there are every year, what types of books are always of interest --
Hersey, Cain, Chandler, Undset -- and are constantly resold, either to the same
publisher or to another, and what kind of books, old and new, are of interest to
foreign publishers.
|
|
|
Subseries B. Foreign Rights, 1955-1983, bulk 1965-1976
(boxes 936-957) |
|
|
The Foreign Rights files contain correspondence and internal forms relating to the
publication of Knopf books in other countries. Arranged by year (1965-1973, 1974,
1975, 1976, and 1980-1981) and filed alphabetically by author, each file pertains
to
one author and one book. |
|
|
Most of these files consist of correspondence (incoming letter and outgoing carbon
copy) from foreign publishers asking Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., for the right to publish
a particular title in their country. These letters of inquiry come from England,
Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, and the number of correspondents
reveals the amount of international interest a title generated. While some folders
contain letters from many different publishers, others follow the lengthy
negotiation process for foreign rights between Knopf and a particular publisher.
Other files pertain to joint publishing ventures, most often with English
publishers. Also, a very few folders, such as those for Mrs. William A. Bradley (see
file 936.19) and Grace Dadd (see file 937.12), contain correspondence with trusted
literary agents who apprised the firm of new titles and writers from France and
England. |
|
|
Subseries C. Manuscript Records, 1930-1979, bulk 1941-1968
(boxes 957-963) |
|
|
This subseries is made up of the internal forms called "white sheets" by Alfred A.
Knopf, Inc. These manuscript record forms were attached to every incoming
manuscript, whether rejected or accepted, to document how the manuscript was
received by the firm. The subseries has been arranged alphabetically by author's
name, and pertains only to manuscripts accepted by the firm. The standard form
included such information as the author's name, manuscript title and form (whether
typescript, proofs, or sheets), original submission date, name of the person
submitting it, contract information, a list of the manuscript's readers, and a space
for remarks by those readers (often on the back of the form, although many have been
expanded to multiple page narratives). Manuscripts were generally read by editors
and professional readers, although academics were sometimes called in for
non-fiction. Alfred and Blanche Knopf also examined some submissions. In a few cases
the white sheets were attached to internal memoranda, correspondence, contract
proposals or publishing summaries. |
|
|
Although not extensive (slightly under 7 document boxes), the manuscript records
offer a revealing look into the process of book acceptance. As each reader read and
commented upon a manuscript, they wrote plot summaries, pointed out the strengths
and weaknesses of the work, offered advice on possible audiences, and commented on
their opinion of the author's talent. Because the manuscript records were entirely
internal forms, the readers were often quite blunt. Ross Macdonald's manuscript "The
Snatch" (published by Knopf as The Moving Target in
1949) elicited from reader E. Goodwin the following comment: |
|
|
I can't see much reason to go on publishing Millar [MacDonald was Kenneth
Millar's pseudonym]. His sales record - Blue City
4300, Three Roads 4200 - certainly is not
impressive and I don't think the present offering could even be expected to do
as well. It strikes me as being of a pot boiler level that only a writer with an
established following - such as G. H. Coxe - could turn out and expect to get
away with and Millar just isn't in that class...
If Millar intends - and thinks he can - to write a serious story, why doesn't he
get to it? But if he insists on writing mystery stories, then he has got to come
down off his high horse and realize that second best effort, at least his, just isn't good enough. My impression is that
he thinks the mystery story really beneath him and that over-weening conceit and
pride keep him from realizing that even in this field a writer has got to work
hard to get anywhere... (see file 961.1).
|
|
|
Readers' opinions could also be quite positive, and even prescient. For example, the
form for John Updike's Rabbit, Run contains the
following quote from a long narrative report by editor and reader Angus Cameron in
1960: |
|
|
Pete Lemay has been urging me for some time to read the Updike novel..I can say
one thing: for me it is the best novel of this generation of American novelists
I have read...I think Harry Angstrom [the protagonist of Rabbit, Run] is destined to come into the language the way Babbitt
did, or more recently as Holden Caulfield did (see file 963.5).
|
|
|
For prolific authors like George Harmon Coxe and Conrad Richter, numerous forms
follow their literary careers over decades. |
|
|
Subseries D. Reject Files, 1933-1968, bulk 1952-1968, (boxes
964-1115) |
|
|
This largest subseries (151 document boxes) contains correspondence with rejected
authors and/or their agents. The series is organized chronologically, with each year
arranged alphabetically. In a few instances, correspondence from previous years has
been brought forward for background information on manuscripts submitted previously
(see the container list for datespans). A very few aspiring authors were assigned
their own files; most are contained within files labeled by letter. Because of this
arrangement, correspondence with the same person or agent is scattered throughout
the series. Only two files cover the years 1944-51, whereas the years 1952-1968 are
generally complete. These files are not present: 1953, A-K; 1966, Q-R, Tho-Y; and
1968, A-M. |
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The bulk of this subseries consists of single contacts with aspiring authors who were
never published. This correspondence generally contains an introductory letter from
the author (or sometimes an agent) describing her or his manuscript, with a carbon
negative reply from the firm. In a few cases, the correspondence is longer,
generally when the company expressed an early interest, but ultimately came to a
decision against the work. |
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While most of this correspondence is routine, the subseries' chief importance derives
from the known authors that Knopf rejected and the early appearance of authors who
would later go on to prominence. Of particular interest is the appearance in this
subseries of established Knopf authors such as Mildred Cram, Erna Fergusson, Yukio
Mishima, and Elizabeth Taylor, showing that Knopf was reluctant to publish inferior
works from even the best known of its list. Further, a heavy presence of European
and Asian writers is found in this subseries. Offered through agents, these writers
were known in their own countries but were not considered publishable in the United
States. While not listed in the correspondence index, a selected list of important
names from this subseries can be found in Appendix I. |
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Subseries E. Rejection Sheets, 1931-1983, bulk 1948-1974
(boxes 1116-1170) |
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This subseries consists of the manuscript "white sheet" forms for books rejected by
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. The files are grouped by date range (1948-1959, 1960-1964,
1965-1969, and 1970-1974) and arranged alphabetically by author's name within each
group. Like subseries C, the white rejection sheets are forms containing information
on 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. The letters C-H for 1970-1974 are not
present. |
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Although this subseries complements subseries D, and can be used in conjunction with
it, the rejection sheets only cover manuscripts that were actually submitted to the
firm, unlike the Reject Files, which include correspondence with people sending plot
synopses and proposing story ideas. |
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In a few cases, numerous submissions can be found under an author's name; this
occurred when an author submitted a number of works that were rejected; some
rejection sheets cover a long date span, as an aspiring author's manuscripts were
rejected year after year. Important submissions can be found in these groupings;
Walker Percy's heavily annotated white sheet for The
Moviegoer (which was published by Knopf) has been attached to a
rejection sheet for an unpublished manuscript titled Symbol and Existence: A Study
in Meaning (see file 1159.3). |
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The reject sheets are also particularly interesting because a substantial minority
of
submitted manuscripts that were rejected by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. went on to be
published elsewhere. A highlight of this subseries, as with the manuscript records,
derives from the frank narrative reports of these rejected works by the manuscript
readers and editors. Many forms have been highly annotated, particularly when a
manuscript sparked initial interest but was later rejected, such as The Diary of Anne Frank. Both established Knopf authors,
such as Jorge Amado, Kahlil Gibran, and Mikhail Sholokhov, as well as upcoming
writers, such as Alice Adams, Michael Ondaatje, and John Kennedy Toole, are present
in this subseries. A selected list of important author's names present in these
files can be found in Appendix I. |
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A further examination of this subseries reveals an interesting fact about the readers
of these submissions. While many readers were Knopf editors and longtime literary
contacts like Gerstle Mack, Lewis Hanke, and Wilson Follett, others came from the
Columbia University campus, again illustrating the close ties between Alfred A.
Knopf, Inc. and the academic community. By using established authorities in the
field as manuscript readers, the firm was assured of publishing only the best works
in history, sociology, biography, and science. |
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Another interesting aspect of these files, also duplicated in subseries D, concerns
the large representation of English, European, and Latin American writers. Knopf's
reputation as a publisher of foreign titles encouraged publishers throughout the
world to send books to the firm for possible American publication. With many
submissions, Knopf could afford to be very choosy. Accordingly, this subseries
includes rejections of established foreign authors. |
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Subseries F. [Translations], 1961-1978 (boxes
1171-1172) |
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This small subseries (two boxes only) contains a loose assortment of files pertaining
mainly to translations of Spanish and Portuguese writers. Originally titled "Spanish
Translations - Jane Garrett, ed." and in no particular order, the subseries was
renamed and arranged by the archivist alphabetically. Most of the files originated
in the office of foreign editor Jane Garrett; others were maintained by President
William A. Koshland. |
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The subseries documents the firm's growing interest in the publication of Latin
American writers in the 1960s. Most of the files contain correspondence or internal
documentation relating to writers and translators in whom the company was
interested. Correspondents include long-time literary contacts such as Charity Cole,
Karna S. Wilgus, and Harriet De Onis, as well as historians of the region, potential
translators, and authors. Of especial note are the internal records and notes that
reveal the firm's interest in particular writers. The subseries is strengthened by
a
number of annotated lists of current writers and translators working in the area,
offering an overview of the state of Latin American publishing in the 1960s. As the
firm's interest in the area was spearheaded by Alfred A. Knopf, the subseries is
replete with memoranda on his signature pink notepaper. For example, in an August
29, 1969 memo to Jane Garrett, he writes: "At the risk of repeating myself, our most
important and immediate piece of business is to find the right translator for Amado.
We cannot fool around with this or risk getting anything that is not the very best"
(see file 1171.4). |
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The subseries also contains a small number of files relating to translations of
languages other than Spanish and Portuguese. Consisting primarily of correspondence
with potential translators, the files reveal the editorial problems created by
translations, and the firm's commitment to the highest quality translated texts. |
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Series VII. Other Department Files, 1916-1996, bulk 1943-1968
(boxes 1173-1514) |
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This series contains selected files created outside of the Editorial Department,
which dominates the rest of the collection. It is comprised of three subseries: A.
Publicity Department, 1916-1995, bulk 1943-1968, B. Sales Department, 1939-1970,
bulk 1948-1959, and C. College Department, 1951-1990, bulk 1951-1959. The series
contains only two boxes of materials from the Sales and College Departments, with
the great majority of the files (339 boxes) originating from the Publicity
Department. |
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Subseries A. Publicity Department, 1916-1996, bulk 1943-1968
(boxes 1173-1513) |
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The Publicity Department subseries is made up of eight sub-subseries: 1. Publicity
Files, 1916-1967, bulk 1943-1958; 2. Permanent Title Folders, 1916-1983, bulk
1955-1968; 3. W. T. Loverd Title Folders, 1968-1970, bulk 1969; 4. Fall 1984 Title
Folders, 1983-1985; 5. Fall 1985 Title Folders, 1984-1986; 6. Jane Becker Friedman,
1966-1988, bulk 1975-1976 and 1983-1984; 7. Author Questionnaires Pre-1960,
1929-1965, bulk 1948-1955; and 8. General Promotional Materials, 1923-1995. |
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Publicity Files and Permanent Title Folders represent the vast majority of the
Publicity Department subseries and are differentiated only by bulk date ranges. The
Author Questionnaires and General Promotional Materials sub-subseries contain the
same types of items found in Publicity Files and Permanent Title Folders. It is
unknown why the Author Questionnaires were maintained seperately. The General
Promotional Materials subseries was established and arranged by the archivist from
items previously maintained in the Vertical Files and duplicates culled from the
Publicity Files and Permanent Title Folders. The remaining sub-subseries (W. T.
Loverd, Fall 1984 and Fall 1985 Title Folders, and Jane Becker Friedman) originated
from the offices of publicity managers W. T. Loverd and Jane Becker Friedman. |
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Publicity Department files chronicle the activities and concerns of editors, authors,
administrators, and publicity department personnel in the struggle to market their
titles and bring authors and the company to international attention and acclaim. A
vast selection of materials, including artwork, biographical information, book
jackets, correspondence, clippings, memos, photographs, publication and planning
forms, and reviews combine to give the user a comprehensive view of the promotional
process. The materials allow a glimpse into the growth of the company as authors
were drawn into the fold, as editors and staff shouldered more responsibility, and
later, as authors began participating more consistently in the promotion of their
books. The Publicity Subseries contains selected materials from as early as 1916,
predating the file purge which eliminated most pre-1945 editorial files. |
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Sub-subseries 1. Publicity Files, 1916-1967, bulk 1943-1958 (boxes
1173-1289) |
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Sub-subseries 2. Permanent Title Folders, 1916-1983, bulk 1955-1968 (boxes
1290-1494) |
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Following the original filing and folder naming systems, these two sub-subseries are
arranged alphabetically by author and then by title. Each title has several types
of
"activity" files, usually broken down into three categories: |
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- 1. Bio. - primarily biographical information, author questionnaires,
photographs, and negatives;
- 2. Clippings - including newspaper and magazine reviews and articles,
service-provided review round-ups, radio scripts, and obituaries;
- 3. Perm. - rich in book jackets, production and planning forms, editorial fact
sheets, press releases, advance orders, and notes on special markets. Often, one
general Perm. folder is filed at the end of the author's folders, containing a
collection of materials from all titles.
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Occasionally authors have additional "activity" files labeled Advance or
Correspondence. Advance files contain advance copy lists, biographical information,
book jackets, editorial fact sheets, press releases, and reviews, while files
labeled Correspondence usually contain requests to other authors or field experts
for promotional blurbs, author responses, publication announcements, memos,
receipts, and orders for review copies. Another unusual category is the "subject
activity" file. For example, Albert Camus' folders include files labeled Nobel Prize
which contain clippings, a manuscript record, memos, and an acceptance speech
printed by Thistle Press in January, 1958 (see file 1316.5). |
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The integrity of all the "activity" file divisions was not consistently maintained
by
company employees. Materials were frequently moved from one folder to another, and
may have been used as information sources or prototypes for creating new promotional
items. Also, Permanent Title Folders (sub-subseries 2) often have all files
consolidated into one Bio., Clipping, or Perm. file. Users are encouraged to inspect
all files relating to an author to ensure that they view all materials on any given
title. Together, these two large sub-subseries provide a vivid portrait of the depth
of concern the firm held for the success of their authors and the often massive
promotional effort afforded their titles. |
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Both the Publicity Files and Permanent Title Folders sub-subseries are rich in
materials used in the promotion of Knopf authors, including advertisements and
brochures, artwork, biographical materials (often handwritten by the author), book
jackets and copy, blurbs from authors and bookseller comments, correspondence,
galleys, interviews, invitations, itineraries for public appearances, newsletters,
office memos, photographs and negatives, plate proofs, press releases, printing
contracts, radio scripts, reviews, and selective bibliographies. Also included are
an astonishing array of forms offering routine publication information for titles,
such as author questionnaires, cost and distribution sheets for announcements and
advertisements, editorial fact sheets, galley and manuscript reports, materials from
public relations companies, order and review lists, planning cards, publication
plans, readers' reports, and reprint orders. Some of these forms, such as galley and
manuscript reports, offer candid opinions on readability and sales potential by
sales persons, editors, and Alfred A. and Blanche Knopf. Author questionnaires are
also a valuable resource, providing autobiographical information often typed or
handwritten by the author. |
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The Alfred A. Knopf publishing company boasts a number of distinguished authors among
its lists and the Publicity Files/Permanent Title Folders sub-subseries document the
building and shaping of a number of author/firm relationships. For example, Langston
Hughes, an award-winning African-American author recommended to the Knopfs by Carl
Van Vechten, brought a measure of notoriety to the firm with his books, poetry,
lectures, and readings accompanied by notable jazz artists such as the Thelonius
Monk Trio. Materials chronicling his career with Knopf include review copy lists
representing a veritable who's who of prominent black writers, media figures,
publicists, historians, educators, entertainers, newspapers, and magazines (see file
1379.3). Heavily involved in the promotion of his own works, Hughes provided the
firm with advice on how to market the work of a black author. |
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Although the Publicity Department subseries boasts a fascinating array of diverse
materials, its real strength lies in the visually oriented nature of many of the
items. The Publicity Files and Permanent Title Folders sub-subseries are rich with
photographs (some with accompanying negatives), including portraits, publicity
stills and candid snapshots. Renowned photographers such as Henri Cartier Bresson,
E. O. Hoppe, Edward Steichen, and Carl Van Vechten contribute to the photo
documentation of the collection, capturing such Knopf dignitaries as Willa Cather,
John Hersey, Thomas Mann, H. L. Mencken, and many others. Additionally, these
sub-subseries hold thousands of snapshots and portraits of authors, colleagues, and
family members taken by Alfred A. Knopf, an avid amateur photographer. |
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All photographic materials in the Publicity File sub-subseries have been transferred to the Ransom Center Photography Department and are described in a separate finding aid for the Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Literary File Photography Collection. Transfer sheets are filed in the original folders from which materials were removed. Photographs removed from the Publicity Files include a large number of family portraits, formal portraits of authors and book designers, and snapshots of authors, publishers and business associates, business and pleasure trips, as well as the grounds of the Knopf's home in Purchase, N.Y. |
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The Permanent Title Folders sub-subseries has few snapshots and contains primarily
formal portraits and publicity photos of Knopf authors. These images remain housed
with the manuscript collection and are not cataloged at an item level; however the
extra effort required to search this resource may be richly rewarded. For example,
this sub-subseries offers a substantial folder containing photographs of journalist
H. L. Mencken dating from his childhood in 1888. Also included are images of Mencken
as a young journalist, a glimpse of Mencken's gardens in Baltimore, and images
documenting his portrait painted by Nicholas Schattensteen (see file 1415.7).
Acclaimed mystery writer Ross Macdonald (pseudonym for Kenneth Millar) is
represented in a fascinating series of photos, including a head x-ray and an
atmospheric image of Millar (shot from the back to keep the subject anonymous).
These photos were circulated prior to publication of The
Moving Target to stir curiosity and fire the public's imagination to
speculate on the author's identity (see file 1399.10). |
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In addition to photographic materials, the Publicity Department subseries offers a
vast array of book jackets, illustrations, pamphlets, posters, original art
(including caricatures by artist Miguel Covarrubius), advertising layouts, and
preliminary book jacket art. These items are excellent visual-interest exhibit or
illustration materials. |
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Correspondence throughout the Publicity and Permanent Title sub-subseries is often
routine, and materials such as mass mailings of introductions, booksellers'
comments, and requests for review copies from individuals, organizations,
newspapers, and journals are not indexed. However, some files offer exchanges
between authors, editors, and book designers, primarily concerning promotional
strategies, itineraries, and editing or revisions of manuscripts. For example,
Langston Hughes materials include correspondence with Blanche Knopf and editor Paul
Hoffman, discussing revisions of The Big Sea and
Seven Moments of Love, including an index and a
collection of twenty typed poems (see file 1380.6). Additionally, these
sub-subseries house interesting author responses for requests for blurbs, such as
Groucho Marx's quote for Alex Atkinson's humorous thriller Exit Charlie: "I will try to read it over the next few weeks, if I like
it I will probably give you a quote that will ruin the book's chances forever" (see
file 1175.14). |
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Although the materials in the Publicity Files/Permanent Title Folders sub-subseries
contain little manuscript material, there are scattered exceptions. Pio Baroja's
files offer a synopsis of The World's Way,
accompanied by a table of contents, prologue, and two chapters with corrections (see
file 1177.1). |
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Sub-subseries 3. W. T. Loverd Title Folders, 1968-1970, bulk 1969 (boxes
1495-1498) |
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These files consist of promotional materials originating from the office of publicity
manager William T. Loverd. Files are arranged chronologically, February through
October, 1969, and subsequently, alphabetically by author and title. Loverd's files
include: author questionnaires, biographical information, clippings, correspondence,
editorial fact sheets, interviews, jacket copy, newsletters, photographs, and review
lists. Although the materials are identical to those in other Publicity Department
files, the focus is on maintaining contact with book reviewers and supplying review
copies. |
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Sub-subseries 4. Fall 1984 Title Folders, 1983-1985 (boxes 1498-1502) |
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Sub-subseries 5. Fall 1985 Title Folders, 1984-1986 (boxes 1502-1505) |
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The Fall Title Folders sub-subseries 4 and 5 appear to have originated from the
offices of publicity manager Jane Becker Friedman and are arranged alphabetically
by
author, and then by title for each year represented. The materials are consistent
from one sub-subseries to the next and there is an overlap in date ranges. |
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Materials found in these sub-subseries include book orders, memos, clippings,
newsletters, book jackets, contract proposals, confirmation orders on accommodation
accounts, book club negotiations, and publication forms. Although materials are
similar to those found throughout the Publicity Department subseries, the general
date range is significantly later than in the bulk of the collection and internal
documentation has transmuted to include production schedules, Knopf book club
contract data, a more streamlined editor and biographical note form, and publication
summaries offering selected inventory and sales figures. |
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Sub-subseries 6. Jane Becker Friedman, 1966-1988, bulk 1975-1976 and 1983-1984 (boxes
1505-1509) |
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Jane Becker Friedman's files are comprised of two distinct groups separated in bulk
date ranges by nearly ten years and defined by the position Friedman held at the
firm during those years. The first group, two boxes of files labeled Pre-1977, dates
from 1966-1988 with bulk dates of 1975-1976, and offers a sample of Friedman's files
while serving as Publicity Director for the house. Arranged alphabetically by author
and title, the records include materials similar to those in W. T. Loverd's files,
such as memos, correspondence, clippings, invoices, itineraries, Knopf Book Club
Data sheets, photos, book jackets, typewritten blurbs, newsletters, and photocopied
book orders. These files are incomplete, covering a short time span and letters L-Z
only. |
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Following the Pre-1977 Files, the dates jump to 1983-1985. Files are arranged first
chronologically by year, and then grouped by event, beginning with the Fall Sales
Conference 1983 file. Materials from 1983 include more sales-oriented materials such
as lists of manuscript submissions, new publication billing summaries, memos
regarding sales representatives' kits and sales conferences, reprints rights sales
lists, and captions for sales conference slides. |
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By December, 1984, Friedman carried the title Vice President and Associate Publisher.
Files from 1984, still arranged by event, contain files dedicated to author
appearances, cookbook catalogs, cookbook promotions, gourmet offers and mail order
advertising, and sales conferences. The 1984 General Materials Files hold clippings
and promos on cookbooks, lists of manuscripts in production, book orders,
correspondence pertaining to review copies, book club arrangements, an agreement for
Julia Child's cooking instruction videos, and mailing lists. |
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Sub-subseries 7. Author Questionnaires Pre-1960, 1929-1965, bulk 1948-1955 (boxes
1510-1511) |
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Although author questionnaires are found scattered throughout the Publicity Series,
these files contain an alphabetically arranged collection of the biographical forms
dating from 1929-1965, with bulk dates of 1948-1955. Valuable for the
autobiographical content of the materials, the questionnaires frequently also offer
descriptions of an author's work. While some forms give scant information, others
have been filled out in great detail, providing manuscript descriptions, author
ideas for publicity, target audiences, previous awards, honors and publications,
occupations, and family information. The forms changed over time, becoming less
complex, with blue copies generally indicating a date from the 1930s. American,
English, and a few German authors are represented in these files. |
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Sub-subseries 8. General Promotional Materials, 1923-1996 (boxes 1511-1513) |
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The General Promotional Materials files are arranged alphabetically by author into
folders marked by letter. Many of the items are duplicates culled from the larger
whole of the Publicity Department subseries and the Vertical Files. These folders
include printed promotional items such as newsletters, advance preview chapters or
selections of passages, postcard announcements, publicity releases, prospectuses,
posters, order cards, and recipes. Following the alphabetized author files,
materials are arranged alphabetically by format, offering awards and fellowships,
announcements, calendars, and catalogs. |
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Subseries B. Sales Department, 1939-1970, bulk 1948-1959
(boxes 1513-1514) |
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The first folders of the Sales Department subseries contain notes on an informal
sales conference held in 1946. The rest contains the files of senior salesman Leon
Anderson, focusing on his activities as a member of the Knopf sales department,
1946-1960. Included are files labeled Firm Correspondence and Memos, General
Correspondence, Other Sales Material, and Profit Sharing. Of particular interest is
the file labeled Firm Correspondence and Memos, as it is rich with encouragement,
sales strategy, and advice from Knopf administrators such as Treasurer Joseph
Lesser, Alfred and Blanche Knopf, and Sales Manager Alfred A. (Pat) Knopf, Jr. Also,
this file chronicles Pat Knopf's resignation from the firm, his replacement by
Augustus Thorndike, Jr., and Thorndike's rapid replacement by Ralph Woodward. Firm
Correspondence continues through Anderson's resignation in January of 1960, and
includes personal letters from Alfred as late as 1970. The General Correspondence
file focuses primarily on letters and orders from book shops and covers Ralph
Woodward's move from Doubleday in 1957. Correspondence in this series is incoming
only. The Other Sales Materials file contains itineraries, memos, discount
schedules, and receipts. The Profit Sharing file offers amendments to the company's
profit sharing trust, memos, and balance sheets. |
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Subseries C. College Department, 1951-1990, bulk 1951-1959
(box 1514) |
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The College Department subseries is arranged alphabetically by employee. These files
contain correspondence and memos primarily concerning employee qualifications,
expectations and duties, and suggestions for manuscripts. The file for the head of
the college department, John T. Hawes, includes ledger sheets containing comparisons
of expected and actual sales, new title lists, and sales projections. |
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While most of the College Department files focus on personnel, the file for salesman
and author contact John T. Schwartz gives an excellent view of pressures and
expectations in the Sales Department. This file includes memos and correspondence
concerning standard operating procedure, general sales policy, prime objectives of
the college salesmen, and includes a memorandum detailing problems within the
department and suggestions for solutions. |
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Series VIII. London Office Files, 1910-1957, bulk 1928-1940,
(boxes 1514-1518) |
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The London Office, also known as Alfred A. Knopf, Ltd., was the European sister
company to the larger New York City based Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. This series
documents the financial problems which plagued the company from its beginning in
1926, and forced its liquidation, which was begun in 1931 and finalized in 1950. The
files contain legal agreements, financial records, internal memos, and
correspondence. Topics include sales records, liquidation of the company,
disposition of shares of stock, descriptions of specific job duties, and the lease
of office space. Very little of the correspondence in this series deals directly
with individual authors handled by this office, except in terms of cursory sales
records, the sale of authors' contracts to other English publishers, and the
remaindering of inventory. |
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Additional information regarding the history of the London office can be found in
the
Alfred A. Knopf Personal Series (see file 656.7). |
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Series IX. American Mercury,
1923-1960, bulk 1933-1936 (box 1519) |
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This small series (only five folders) consists primarily of financial papers relating
to Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.'s stock holdings in the American
Mercury magazine. Although the series is sparse, it offers an overview
of the relationship between the firm and the magazine in its earliest years. The
first two folders originated in the office of Alfred A. Knopf. One contains American Mercury's tax returns from 1933 with a small
amount of related correspondence, and the second contains correspondence concerning
the sale of American Mercury's stocks in 1936 (when
the magazine was bought by Lawrence E. Spivak), correspondence regarding publishing
rights, and a few clippings covering the later history of the magazine. Of
particular note in this folder are the 1956 and 1959 memoranda from Joseph C. Lesser
recounting the financial history of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.'s interest in American Mercury. The last three folders in this series
contain bound financial reports on the American
Mercury accounts, dating from 1923 to 1934. |
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Scope and Contents -- William A. Koshland Files (Gift no. 10636, 1996; Gift no.
11186, 1998) |
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This additional material for the Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. archive contains files from
the office of William A. Koshland who joined the Knopf firm in 1934. He was
president of Knopf from 1966, chairman in 1973, and chairman emeritus until his
death in 1997. The files were received in two accretions, one from Koshland in 1996
(Gift No. 10636, 6 boxes); and a second, larger shipment from the firm in 1998,
after his death (Gift No. 11186, 32 boxes). The accretions are listed separately and
original order has been retained. Because Koshland did not maintain a traditional
filing system, preferring instead to have files at ready reach, some anomalies
exist. For example, date spans often overlap, especially in the general
correspondence where multiple alphabetical sequences exist for similar time
periods. |
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The material in the first sequence (Gift no. 10636, Boxes 1-6) comprises author files
for Raymond Chandler, Edward Craig, Langston Hughes, Helen Lowe-Porter, Thomas Mann,
H. L. Mencken, Wallace Stevens, and B. Traven. These files date as early as 1921 and
reflect the evolving relationship between the authors and the firm's members
including Alfred and Blanche Knopf, as well as editors such as Jill Cutler, Herbert
Weinstock, and others. |
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|
All the author files contain significant author correspondence with the exception
of
H. L. Mencken. The Mencken files are primarily concerned with his estate and
dealings with the Mercantile-Safe Deposit & Trust Company. |
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The Thomas Mann correspondence is particularly lengthy and includes letters to and
from Mann's wife Katia. There is a long run of letters between Mann and Alfred Knopf
from 1925-1955. One folder in particular " Mann
Special" contains a photocopy of Katia Mann's letter to Alfred Knopf
written shortly after Mann's death. Both Knopf and Koshland kept this letter in a
separate folder in their files. This folder also contains a photograph of Katia and
Thomas, taken the summer of 1955, the year Mann died. Additional Chandler, Mann, and
Mencken materials are found in the Gift No. 11186 accession. |
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The second sequence of files (Gift no. 11186, Boxes 7-38), gathered from Koshland's
office after his death, is arranged in three series: Series I. Correspondence,
1925-1996; Series II. Knopf Firm, 1932-1996; and Series III. Koshland Personal
Papers, 1942-1996. The correspondence series comprises Subseries A. Editorial Files
and Subseries B. General Correspondence. Authors represented in the editorial files
include Elizabeth Bowen, Wallace Brockway, Willa Cather, Julia Child, Alistair
Cooke, Miguel Covarrubias, Clarence Day, Kahlil Gibran, Learned Hand, John Hersey,
Margaret Lane, D. H. Lawrence, Robert Nathan, Otto Rank, Jean-Paul Sartre, and John
Updike. Correspondence to and from Alfred and Blanche Knopf is found throughout. As
with the previous accession, a substantial amount of Thomas Mann files are
present. |
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Subseries B. General Correspondence dates from 1960-1996 with four separate
alphabetical runs from 1978-1985, reflecting Koshland's arrangement of his files.
This literary correspondence typically includes letters to and from agents,
publishers, universities, libraries, literary journals, and individual writers. |
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Series II. contains office and business correspondence pertaining to the running of
the Knopf firm, including authors lists, Board of Directors minutes, contract data,
copyright and royalty information, catalogues, employee files, and salary reports,
as well as files on Alfred and Blanche Knopf. |
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Series III. Koshland Personal Papers includes files on his involvement with various
literary and cultural entities, addresses, correspondence, and details of trips
taken from 1961-1978. Of note is the exchange of correspondence between Koshland and
the Knopfs during the war years, 1942-1945 wherein news of the war and activities
at
the firm were exchanged. Several letters from Alice B. Toklas can be found in
Koshland's unsorted personal correspondence. |
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Dictabelts included with a folder "notes to self and Helen
Lawkins, 1964" were transferred to the Sound Recordings Collection. |
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Scope and Contents -- Addition to Editorial Files and Editorial Department(Gift
no. 10631, 1996) |
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|
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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
