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This collection relating to the literary career of African author Amos Tutuola (1920-1997)
was compiled by Bernth Lindfors, Professor Emeritus of English at the University of
Texas at
Austin. A longtime friend and advocate, Lindfors engaged in extensive correspondence
on
behalf of Tutuola's literary interests. In addition, he was instrumental in raising
awareness of Tutuola's importance as a leading African writer, which led to the purchase
of
Tutuola's manuscripts for the Ransom Center collections in 1988. |
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The Lindfors Collection of Amos Tutuola contains a few tearsheets and photocopies
of
Tutuola's published works, analogous works, articles by Lindfors and others, book
reviews,
criticism, memorials, summaries and tributes, correspondence, certificates and awards,
interviews, and photographs. The materials are arranged in three series: I. Works
By and
About Tutuola, 1947-1999, undated; II. Correspondence, 1951-2000; and III. Career-Related
Material, 1958-1981, undated. |
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Tutuola's works in Series I. include a typescript of The Palm-Wine Drinkard; photocopies of pages from a published
edition of The Palm-Wine Drinkard; an Italian translation of a
chapter from The Witch Herbalist; published short stories "Adisa and Ade," "Don't Pay Bad for Bad,"
"The Elephant Woman"; and excerpts from the short story "The Land Which Has the Eyes." Works about Tutuola comprise the
remainder of the series and include articles by Lindfors and others, book reviews,
literary
criticism, and posthumous memorials and tributes. Included are typescript drafts of
Lindfors's introduction to The Wild Hunter in the Bush of the
Ghosts. |
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Series II. Correspondence contains Lindfors's letters to and from publishers
and colleagues, as well as a long run of Tutuola letters to Lindfors, 1968-1997. Publishers
files include Faber & Faber, Donald Herdeck (at Three Continents Press), Andor
Kraszna-Krausz (of Focal Press), Grove Press, and Lutterworth Press. Of note is a
file of
correspondence between Tutuola and Faber & Faber from 1951-1967. Lindfors was successful
in obtaining photocopies of this correspondence to document important transactions
in the
publishing of The Palm-Wine Drinkard and other titles. There is
considerable material regarding a 1978 article written by Yemi Ogunbiyi critical of
the
handling of Tutuola's works, as well as Lindfors's response. Posthumous correspondence
includes letters exchanged with Tutuola's son, Oluyinka Tutuola, regarding the estate,
and a
file regarding the plans for the 1999 Amos Tutuola Festival. Letters between Lindfors
and
African scholar Robert Wren are also present. |
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Series III. Career-Related Material includes photocopies of several of Tutuola's
certificates and awards, interviews with Tutuola, and informal snapshots of family
and
friends. Also present is a program for a performance at Indiana University of an opera
by
Kola Ogunmola based on The Palm-Wine Drinkard. |
