Peter Matthiessen: A Preliminary Inventory of His Papers at the Harry Ransom Center Descriptive Summary Creator: Matthiessen, Peter1927-2014 Title: Peter Matthiessen Papers 1958-1995 Dates: 1958-1995 Extent: 58 boxes, 5 oversize boxes, 2 oversize folders, 15 galley folders (32.58 Linear Feet) Abstract: The collection covers Matthiessen's career as novelist, naturalist, explorer, nature writer, and environmentalist. The materials include typescript drafts, galleys, page proofs, holograph notebooks, scrapbooks, correspondence, articles, reviews, slides, and photographs. Access: Open for research Administrative Information Acquisition: Purchase, 1995 (R13525) Processed by: Liz Murray, 1996 Repository: Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin Matthiessen, Peter 1927-2014 Scope and Contents This collection of works by Peter Matthiessen is the first accession of his writings acquired by the Ransom Center. The material described here reflects Matthiessen's forty-year career as novelist, naturalist, explorer, nature writer, and environmentalist. Many of his works are represented, ranging from fiction and non-fiction to magazine articles, and contributions to the works of others. The collection provides numerous typescript drafts, galleys, page proofs, holograph notebooks, scrapbooks, correspondence, articles, reviews, slides, and photographs. Thematically, Matthiessen describes native peoples and their causes, vanishing cultures and habitats, and the influence of Zen Buddhism in his life and writings. The collection is organized into three series: Works, Personal, and Writings of Others. Matthiessen's fiction and nonfiction manuscripts are arranged by title under Subseries A of the first series, Works. Correspondence, research material, and reviews are present for many titles, in addition to material spanning the writing process from holograph notebooks to galleys. Subseries B comprises articles, essays, and other writings. Included are articles written for The New Yorker, Audubon, and New York Times Magazine, as well as Matthiessen's introduction to George Catlin's North American Indians. Matthiessen's interest in family history is found in his contribution to Evelyn D. Ward's Children of Bladensfield and his essay "Homegoing," tracing his lineage to the island of Föhr. Travel slides for various trips are found at the end of the collection, along with slides of selected dust jackets, magazine covers, and title pages of shorter works. The second series, Personal, includes autobiographical and bibliographical sketches, biographical newspaper articles and interviews, awards, honors, and miscellaneous material. Two works of other individuals are present in the third series: Larry Gross's screenplay of "Killing Mister Watson" and a humorous article by George Plimpton, Matthiessen's friend and Paris Review colleague. With the exception of some deteriorating tape and glue, minor water and mold damage, aging newspaper clippings, and what appears to be bullet penetration in one manuscript, the collection is in good condition. Much of the original organization, imposed by the dealer, has been retained, along with the item descriptions which correspond to the dealer's collection list. Some of the larger holdings of draft typescripts such as those for Killing Mister Watson, while kept in the order as received, remain in rough order. Separated Material Numerous magazine issues containing articles written by and about Matthiessen were 2 Matthiessen, Peter 1927-2014 Numerous magazine issues containing articles written by and about Matthiessen were received with this collection, along with the book ¡Baja! for which Matthiessen wrote the introduction. His many articles appear over a thirty year period in an eclectic array of titles from Sports Illustrated and Architectural Digest to Audubon and National Geographic. These materials have been transferred to the Ransom Center's book collection. A small jigsaw puzzle made from a photograph of the author walking in a Buddhist cemetery has been transferred to the Center's personal effects collection. 3 Matthiessen, Peter 1927-2014 I. Works A. Fiction and Non-fiction African Silences (1991), holograph notebooks Box African Silences, Dec. 31, 1985-Feb. 2, 1986, with correspondence 1 African Silences, Sand Rivers, Mbarangandu, Aug. 18-ca. Sept. 2 (no year given) Africa, March-April 1978: Senegal, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Zaire African Silences, manuscripts Corrected typescripts-- "In Western Africa,""Ivory Coast,""Senegal" Original typescript, heavily corrected, "Senegal, Gambia, Ivory Coast" section Original typescript, heavily corrected, "Zaire" section Box Corrected typescript, Congo Basin section, 2 copies, pp.107-145 2 Corrected typescript, Congo Basin section Original corrected typescript, 5/5/86 Photocopy of original typescript, 5/5/86 Photocopy of original typescript, 5/5/86, 2nd copy Final corrected typescript, setting copy Notes and correspondence Research materials, articles and wildlife publications, 1987-90 [Oversize newspaper Box articles removed to Box 63] 3 Reviews At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1965) Early draft, corrected typescript Carbon typescript Box 3-4 Photocopy of carbon typescript Box 4 4 Matthiessen, Peter 1927-2014 Setting copy Box 5 Advance proofs, uncorrected Film announcement, 1989, photocopy [oversize original from Variety, June 23, 1989, removed to Box 63] [Scrapbook of reviews removed to Box 59] [Author, copyeditor, and printer's galleys removed to Galley Files] Baikal: Sacred Sea of Siberia (1992) Reviews and excerpts Box 6 Blue Meridian (1971) Reviews [Paste-up sheets removed to Box 60 and author's galleys with editorial comments removed to Galley Files] Cloud Forest(1961), holograph notebooks First part of trip, Nov.-March Latter part of trip, April-May Undated notebook Photographs of ruins, South America, 1961 Far Tortuga(originally titled "Fool Day,) "(1975) Original draft, typescript Box 7 Corrected typescript, photocopy Carbon typescript [with bullet damage] Box 8 Tentative copy, 7/8/74 Setting copy Box 8-9 Box Paste-up sheets [paste-up sheets for production removed to Box 61] 9 Page proofs [Two master sets of galleys removed to Galley Files and oversize map removed to Flat File] 5 Matthiessen, Peter 1927-2014 Miscellaneous typescript pages Box 10 Scrapbook of reviews, letters, etc. In the Spirit of Crazy Horse (1983) Corrected typescripts, various drafts Box 11-13 Box Page proofs, Samizdat edition with author's holograph notes in appendix 13 Galleys Box 14 Box Materials regarding the Leonard Peltier case, articles, court documents, etc. 14-16 Interview with Agent D. Price Box 16 Circuit Court Judgment, Janklow vs. Viking Press, et. al., June 1984 Dershowitz review in the New York Times Book Review, March 6, 1983, and PM response Reviews [oversize newspaper reviews and articles on the film "Thunder Heart" removed to Box 63] Indian Country (1984) Photocopied holograph notebooks Box 17 Original and photocopy typescripts Corrected typescript Box 18 Setting copy Box 18-19 Author's galleys Box 19 Galleys with authorial and editorial corrections Reviews [oversize newspaper reviews removed to Box 63] Journey to the Edge of the World (originally titled "Lo and Behold"), work-in-progress Box Holograph notebook, "Mustang--Book I,"May 16-June 2 (no year given) 20 Early typescript draft 6 Matthiessen, Peter 1927-2014 Corrected typescripts, undated early draft Corrected typescript, 1/1/93, 2 copies Research material Killing Mister Watson (1990) Corrected typescripts, numerous drafts, for published work (Book I) and Box unpublished typescripts of Books II and III. 21-37 Men's Lives (1986) Bound, early uncorrected photocopy Box 38 Corrected typescript, photocopy Corrected typescript Box 39 Galley sheets, photocopy Reviews [oversize newspaper reviews removed to Box 63] Nine-Headed Dragon River (1986) Incomplete draft with author's corrections Box 40 Draft, 11/17/84 Draft, 11/17/84 and 1/17/85, incomplete draft Corrected incomplete draft, 4/25/85 Uncorrected draft, 5/27/85 Box 41 Uncorrected draft, 6/21/85 Box Various drafts including sections dated 8/25/85 and 9/1/85 41-42 Box Reviews [oversize newspaper reviews removed to Box 63] 42 On the River Styx (1988) "Remembering Lumumba" various versions "Lumumba Lives" corrected typescript and published version 7 Matthiessen, Peter 1927-2014 Photocopy typescript British galleys, with author's corrections Reviews [oversize newspaper reviews removed to Box 63] Oomingmak: The Expedition to the Musk Ox Island in the Bering Sea(1967), photographs Sal si Puedes (1970) Setting copy Box 43 [Galleys removed to Galley Files] Sand Rivers (1981) Holograph notebook First draft typescript Second draft typescript Box 44 Others' corrections and correspondence Reviews Shadows of Africa (originally "Bestiary"), (1992) Outline Miscellaneous original typescript with corrections, photocopied excerpts of published works Photocopied excerpts for "A Reporter at Large" and The Tree Where Man Was Born Preliminary manuscript, 12/5/89 Box Preliminary manuscripts, 1/13/90, 1/27/90, 3/1/90, 4/4/90, 7/12/90 45 Correspondence Box The Shorebirds of North America(1967) and The Wind Birds(1973) 46 Original corrected typescripts for both titles merged into one sequence with 8 Matthiessen, Peter 1927-2014 Original corrected typescripts for both titles merged into one sequence with mixed pagination, plus photocopies with annotations and changes by various authors including Ralph Palmer, one of the collaborators for Shorebirds The Snow Leopard (1978) Holograph