MenuInventory of the John Chamberlain Papers, 1954-1959
Abstract
Book reviewer, editor, and author of The Roots of Capitalism, published in 1959.
Collection contains Chamberlain's working draft for The Roots of Capitalism, with both handwritten and typescript pages. Also includes a notebook with his thoughts and notes on economic history, a letter of correspondence from a publisher about The Roots of Capitalism, and galley proofs from Citadel, Market, and Altar (1957) and MacArthur 1941-1951 (1954).
Descriptive Summary
- Repository
- David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University
- Creator
- Chamberlain, John, 1903-1995.
- Title
- John Chamberlain Papers, 1954-1959
- Language of Material
- English
- Extent
- 0.6 Linear Feet, 350 Items
- Location
- For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Collection Overview
The collection consists of working drafts and final drafts of Chamberlain's The Roots of Capitalism (1959), with both typescript and manuscript pages holding heavy corrections and additions. There are approximately 350 pages, some with yellowing, but generally the materials are in good condition.
Also included are a commonplace notebook with about 45 pages filled with notes on Ricardo, Mill, and Carl Menger, along with general economic history notes. Another component of the collection are the galley proofs for two of Chamberlain's other works: the first is Spencer Health's Citadel, Market, and Altar, published 1957, to which Chamberlain contributed the foreward; the second is MacArthur, 1941-1951, published 1954, which Chamberlain co-authored with Charles Andrew Willoughby.
Administrative Information
A majority of collections are stored off site and must be requested at least 24 business hours in advance for retrieval. Contact Rubenstein Library staff before visiting. Read More »
Access Restrictions
Collection is open for research.
However, collection may contain materials to which the Acknowledgment of Legal Responsibilities and Privacy Rights form applies. Patrons must sign this form before using this collection.
Also, all or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. Consequently, there may be a 24-hour delay in obtaining these materials.
Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.
Use Restrictions
The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
Contents of the Collection
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Expand AllHistorical Note
John Chamberlain (1903-1995) was a significant figure in the American intellectual conservative movement that flourished beginning in the early 1940s. Following graduation from Yale in 1925, he embarked on a distinguished career in journalism and wrote several books, of which The Roots of Capitalism is considered his most important. Two others for which he is remembered are Farewell to Reform (1932) and The Enterprising Americans: A Business History of the United States (1963). Chamberlain also wrote the foreward to the American edition of Hayek's Road to Serfdom (1944), and was a contributing editor for the National Review.
Chronology List
| Date | Event(s) |
|---|---|
| 1925 | Graduated from Yale University |
| 1926-1930s | Book reviewer and editor, New York Times |
| 1932 | Author, Farewell to Reform (republished 1958) |
| 1936-1941 | Editorial staff, Fortune |
| 1940 | Author, American Stakes |
| 1941-1950 | Editorial staff, Life |
| 1944 | Wrote the foreward for F.A. Hayek's The Road to Serfdom |
| 1950-1956 | Editor, The Freeman periodical |
| 1950-1960 | Editorial writer, The Wall Street Journal |
| 1955 | First wife, Margaret Sterling Chamberlain, died |
| 1956 | Married second wife, Ernestine Stodelle Chamberlain |
| 1959 | Author, The Roots of Capitalism |
| 1963 | Author, The Enterprising Americans: A Business History of the United States (republished 1991) |
| 1982 | Author of his autobiography, A Life With the Printed Word |
| 1995 April 9 | Died |
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], John Chamberlain Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University
Provenance
The John Chamberlain Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library as a purchase in 2010.
Processing Information
Processed by Meghan Lyon, February 2011
Encoded by Meghan Lyon, February 2011
Accession 2010-0206 is described in this finding aid.
Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory: DACS, EAD, NCEAD guidelines, and local Style Guide.
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.