MenuInventory of the Anne Tyler Papers, 1958-2010
Abstract
Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Accidental Tourist, Breathing Lessons, Celestial Navigation, Ladder of Years, and other popular novels.
Collection includes manuscript drafts, printed material, holograph manuscripts and typescripts of Tyler's novels and short stories, including Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant; clippings of articles about Tyler and her writings; serials containing articles by or about Tyler and her work; correspondence between Tyler and her publishers; and materials regarding adaptations of her novels, including the movie The Accidental Tourist. Later additions include holograph manuscripts of A Patchwork Planet and Noah's Compass; an advance uncorrected proof of Back When We Were Grownups (2001); drafts for Digging to America, The Amateur Marriage, and Back When We Were Grownups; correspondence between Tyler and her editors and agents; publicity materials; some Tyler family correspondence; book reviews; and book covers.
Descriptive Summary
- Repository
- David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University
- Creator
- Tyler, Anne.
- Title
- Anne Tyler Papers, 1958-2010
- Language of Material
- English
- Extent
- 12 Linear Feet, 8000 Items
- Location
- For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Collection Overview
The collection includes manuscript drafts, printed material, holograph manuscripts and typescripts of Tyler's novels and short stories; clippings of articles about Tyler and her writings; serials containing articles by or about Tyler and her work; Tyler's work-related and personal correspondence; and clipping and other materials regarding adaptations of her works, including the movie The Accidental Tourist. Later additions include holograph manuscripts of A Patchwork Planet and Noah's Compass; an advance uncorrected proof of Back When We Were Grownups (2001); drafts for Digging to America, The Amateur Marriage, and Back When We Were Grownups; correspondence between Tyler and her editors and agents; publicity materials; some Tyler family correspondence; book reviews; and book covers.
The Writings series contains novels, short stories, essays, and book reviews written by Tyler. The novels are all in draft form, with the exception of one advance uncorrected proof. Arranged in folders by date of publication, the Novels subseries includes drafts of all novels Tyler wrote between 1961 and 2010. Most of Tyler's initial drafts are handwritten, as are all of the editing marks. She also made notes for herself regarding the characters and locations in her novels. Her notes include character details and hand-drawn house floorplans. This subseries gives insight into Tyler's writing and editing process. The Short Stories & Other Writings subseries includes published and unpublished short stories, clippings, and a booklet of student essays from Tyler's time at Duke University. Oversize writings can be found in the Miscellaneous & Oversize Materials series.
The Correspondenceseries contains letters received or written by Anne Tyler, though the majority of the correspondence was written to Tyler. She received mail from a wide range of people, including reporters, fans, friends, publishers, editors, and event coordinators. The majority of series is arranged chronologically and provides insight into the relationships that Tyler built due to her writing, and the friendships forged through continued correspondence. One folder in this series is restricted.
The Printed Materials series contains a wide variety of materials related to Tyler and her writings. A substantial portion of this series is comprised of clippings from newspapers and magazines. Either Tyler herself or a friend or colleague subscribed to a clipping service; many book review and publicity clippings were clipped by Durrant's, an international clipping service. This series also contains materials from Eudora Welty and Tyler's speaking engagement at Duke University in 1982. This was one of the few public appearances that Tyler has made. She does not generally give interviews or go on book tours. Oversize jacket art and publicity materials can be found in the Miscellaneous & Oversize Materials series.
This collection is processed and has some restrictions. Please contact Research Services prior to coming to Special Collections to use this material.
Administrative Information
Collections are on the move for the renovation of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Contact Rubenstein Library staff before visiting. Read More »
Access Restrictions
A portion of the collection is restricted.
In addition, patrons must sign the Acknowledgment of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights 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
Browse List of Series
Collapse All
Expand AllWritings, 1958-2010
This series contains drafts of published and unpublished novels, short stories, and other writings.
This subseries contains drafts of Tyler's published and unpublished novels. Many drafts have numbered pages. Most drafts are handwritten, but some are typed. The majority of the holographs and typescripts were edited by hand, though some materials in this subseries show no editing marks. Many notes that Tyler made for herself are included. All of her notes, including maps and floorplans, are handwritten/hand-drawn unless otherwise noted. The materials are arranged chronologically by publication date. For the unpublished novels, estimated date of completion was used.
Notes about the materials:
A section of I Know You, Rider part II was typed on scrap paper.
Celestial Navigation notes include a drawing of a row house façade and the house floorplan, a chapter outline, a character list with descriptions, and a chronology and ages of characters.
Searching for Caleb notes include alternate titles for the book, chronology, a family tree, and a street layout.
Morgan's Passing notes include chronology and character dates as well as a house floorplan. The editing notes are photocopied slips of paper with typed questions regarding continuity of the novel, details, etc. Most notes are followed by the relevant typed page of the novel, with changes made to answer the question.
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant notes include a chronology of characters. An author's note on the cover page of the typescript indicates that it is the second rough typed manuscript. Years and minutes are recorded on the first page of most chapters. Times are recorded on the back of the last page of each chapter.
Saint Maybe notes include: 4 notecards of chronology, characters, and important dates; a photocopy of pages 344-345 of The Collected Stories of André Maurois; a page of handwritten questions from editor Judith Jones; a brief letter from Tyler to Jones; and typed pages of responses to Jones's questions.
Ladder of Years notes folder includes 14 sleeved notecards: chronology, grocery list, job ad clipping, birth chronology, Dr. Felson's house floorplan, weather notes, characters as of April 1992, lines of text, Miller house floorplan, street map, boarding house floorplan, Mapo Dofu recipe with a table seating chart on the reverse, possible chronology notes, and "OC-Balto" notes. The folder also includes: a street map with important locations marked; a printed map of Cambridge and Salisbury, MD and the surrounding area; and a photocopy of a page of American Album: Rare Photographs Collected by the Editors of American Heritage, showing pictures of C. R. Savage.
The Amateur Marriage notecards (5 total) include two road maps with locations, Michael's Apartment floorplan, House in Elmview Acres floorplan, and St. Cassian House floorplan.
This subseries contains published and unpublished short stories written by Tyler. The stories are arranged in alphabetical order according to title.
Also included are other writings by Tyler, such as essays on writing, clippings of book reviews she wrote, and an essay written during her Freshman English course at Duke University. An additional essay by Tyler can be found in the Miscellaneous & Oversize Materials series.
Use Restrictions: None of these stories are to be republished.
Correspondence, 1964-1999
This series contains mostly correspondence mailed to Anne Tyler by friends, publishers, fans, etc. Some frequent correspondents include: Judith Jones, Tyler's editor at Alfred A. Knopf publishing house; Timothy Seldes, Tyler's literary agent at Russell & Volkening, Inc.; and Stuart Wright, publisher. One folder in this series is restricted.
Processing note: undated items were foldered behind the previous dated item, as most correspondence materials were in rough chronological order when processed. Additionally, some correspondence was paper clipped together. In cases where the paper clipped materials were not of the same year, the bundles were usually moved to a specific folder named for the sender.
Access Restrictions: One folder of correspondence in Box 15 is closed to use.
Printed Materials, 1964-2005
This series contains a wide variety of materials related to Tyler and her writings. A substantial portion of this series is comprised of clippings from newspapers and magazines. Many of the clippings were clipped by Durrant's, an international clipping service. The Book Reviews, Excerpts, and Publicity materials are subdivided by book, and arranged in the order that the books were published.
Oversize jacket art and publicity materials can be found in the Miscellaneous & Oversize Materials series.
Notes about the materials:
The "About" folder includes clippings of articles about Anne Tyler herself rather than about and individual book. The "Adaptations - The Accidental Tourist" folders include the movie's shooting schedule, production information, and newspaper clippings. The "Mentions" folder includes clippings of articles, etc., which make reference to Anne Tyler, her works, adaptations, etc.
Additional book jackets/jacket art and publicity materials can be found in the Miscellaneous & Oversize Materials series.
Miscellaneous & Oversize Materials, 1963-2005
Miscellaneous items include mostly printed materials. Some are publicity items or clippings that related to multiple books, others refer to speakers or symposiums about Tyler's work. Also included is a handwritten writing assignment.
Oversize materials are housed in Oversize Box 25. These materials relate to the Writings and Printed Materials series.
Historical Note
Anne Tyler (b. 1941) is an award-winning author, born in Minneapolis, Minn. She spent her youth in and near Raleigh, N.C.. She graduated from Duke University and completed graduate work in Russian studies at Columbia University. In 1963, Tyler married Taghi Modarressi. In the following year, they moved to Montreal, Canada, where Tyler wrote and worked in the McGill University Law Library. The couple had two daughters. During this time, Tyler began working with editor Judith Jones of Alfred A. Knopf publishing house. In 1967, the family settled in Baltimore, and Tyler sets most of her novels there.
Tyler has published novels, short stories, and children's books. Her novels include If Morning Ever Comes, The Tin Can Tree, A Slipping-Down Life, Celestial Navigation, Searching for Caleb, Earthly Possessions, Morgan's Passing, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, The Accidental Tourist, Breathing Lessons, Saint Maybe, Ladder of Years, A Patchwork Planet, Back When We Were Grownups, The Amateur Marriage, Digging to America, and Noah's Compass. She has collaborated with her daughter Mitra, an illustrator, on two children's books: Tumble Tower and Timothy Tugbottom Says No!.
Tyler has received recognition for many of her literary works. Among her awards are the National Book Critics Circle Award, received in 1985 for The Accidental Tourist, and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, received in 1989 for Breathing Lessons.
Chronology List of Anne Tyler's Novels and Children's Books
| Date | Event(s) |
|---|---|
| 1961 | I Know You, Rider (unpublished) |
| 1964 | If Morning Ever Comes |
| 1965 | The Tin Can Tree |
| 1966 | Winter Birds, Winter Apples (unpublished) |
| 1970 | A Slipping-Down Life |
| 1972 | The Clock Winder |
| 1974 | Celestial Navigation |
| 1975 | Searching for Caleb |
| 1977 | Earthly Possessions |
| ~1978-1979 | Pantaleo (unpublished) |
| 1980 | Morgan's Passing |
| 1982 | Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant |
| 1985 | The Accidental Tourist |
| 1988 | Breathing Lessons |
| 1991 | Saint Maybe |
| 1995 | Ladder of Years |
| 1993 | Tumble Tower (children's book) |
| 1998 | A Patchwork Planet |
| 2001 | Back When We Were Grownups |
| 2004 | The Amateur Marriage |
| 2005 | Timothy Tugbottom Says No! (children's book) |
| 2006 | Digging to America |
| 2010 | Noah's Compass |
Sources:
Robert Wayne Croft, An Anne Tyler Companion (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 1998), 2-3.
R. Baird Shuman, Great American Writers: Twentieth Century (New York : Marshall Cavendish, 2002), 1543-5.
Subject Headings
- Tyler, Anne.
- Tyler, Anne--A patchwork planet.
- Tyler, Anne--Back when we were grownups.
- Tyler, Anne--Digging to America.
- Tyler, Anne--The amateur marriage.
- Tyler, Anne--The accidental tourist.
- Tyler, Anne--Noah's compass.
- Tyler, Anne--Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant.
- Women authors--20th century.
- Authors, American--20th century.
- American literature--Maryland.
- Books--United States--Reviews.
- Authors and publishers--Correspondence.
- Authors, American--20th century--Correspondence.
Related Material
The David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library has many books written or edited by Anne Tyler, including foreign language editions.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Anne Tyler Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
Provenance
The Anne Tyler Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library as a gift between 1989-2010.
Processing Information
Processed by Jane Metters, August 2011
Encoded by Jane Metters and Meghan Lyon, August 2011
Accessions described in this finding aid: 1989-0011, 1991-0062, 1993-0203, 1995-0102, 1998-0348, 2003-0048, 2007-0004, 2010-0013.
Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory: DACS, EAD, NCEAD guidelines, and local Style Guide.
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.