Noted Author William Styron Dies at 81

The Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library at Duke University holds thousands of pages of manuscripts, letters, and other materials related to the life and work of William Styron.  Duke’s collection of Styron’s papers was begun in 1968 when William C. Styron, Sr. donated to the Duke University Library three scrapbooks which he had compiled about his son’s life and career.  The following year Mr. Styron gave to Duke more than 130 letters he had received from his son between 1943 and 1968.  A few years later, William Styron, who until that point had placed his literary manuscripts in the Library of Congress, began adding to the collection, a practice he continued to the end of his life.

Reflections written by William Styron to Elizabeth Locke at the Duke University Office of Publications

 William Styron with Professor William Blackburn

William Styron’s notes for his novel Sophie’s Choice

• Ilene Nelson
• ilene.nelson@duke.edu