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Scope and Contents |
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The records of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1873-1995 (bulk 1945-1980), document the daily
activities of an established and prestigious publishing firm. Beyond recording the
history of the firm, its founders, editors, and other staff, the collection serves
to articulate the publishing process (especially in terms of editorial and
promotional practices at Knopf), to offer detailed information on the numerous
prominent authors and books published by the firm, and to illuminate the
interactions between publishers, authors, editors, literary agents, manuscript
readers, translators, and book designers, all engaged in the endeavor to produce
quality books. The pervasive influence and hallmarks of the firm's founders Alfred
A. and Blanche Wolf Knopf are evident throughout the archive: unwavering commitment
to worthy books; introduction of international writers to the American public;
insistence on quality book design and manufacture; and the pursuit of books on
topics of personal interest to the Knopfs and their editors. The collection also
provides a glimpse of the personal lives of the Knopfs, which were closely
intertwined with their business concerns. |
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The collection's date span is strongest for the post-World War II period to the
1970s, due to an office move in 1945 that precipitated the destruction of many of
the firm's older files. However, some of the more important author files from
Knopf's "golden age" of publishing in the 1920s and 1930s were saved for their
literary significance. Other early records document promotional activities, and a
number of Alfred Knopf's personal files contain earlier date ranges. Only a very few
items, generally consisting of individual family documents and single pieces of
correspondence, date from prior to the founding of the firm in 1915. |
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The collection is arranged in nine series: I. General Correspondence, 1922-1971 (500
boxes); II. Alfred A. Knopf Personal, 1874-1984 (184 boxes); III. Blanche W. Knopf,
1918-1968 (12 boxes); IV. Author and Book Designer Files, 1911-1979 (36 boxes); V.
Editors' Files, 1873-1984 (197 boxes); VI. Editorial Department Files, 1930-1984 (239
boxes); VII. Other Department Files, 1916-1995 (341 boxes); VIII. London Office
Files, 1910-1957 (4 boxes); IX. American Mercury,
1923-1960 (1 box). The original order has been maintained in as many cases as
possible, generally following the standard firm practice of grouping files by year
and alphabetizing within each year. Occasionally subseries have been alphabetized
for ease of use. In a very few instances subseries have had order imposed upon them
by the archivist. An extensive name index, listing more than 52,000 correspondents
across the nine series, has been compiled by the catalogers and can be found at the
end of this finding aid. |
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While containing chiefly correspondence, the collection also includes account books,
address books, appointment books, autobiographies, awards, balance sheets, book
reviews, business records, certificates, Christmas cards, contact sheets, contracts,
copyright certificates, diaries, drafts, editorials, ephemera, exhibition catalogs,
financial records, galley proofs, guest registers, house organs, internal forms,
interviews, invitations, invoices, itineraries, journals, legal documents, mailing
lists, membership lists, menus, a motion picture, negatives, personal effects,
photographs, press releases, profit and loss statements, promotional materials,
publishers' catalogs, reminiscences, schedules, slides, and tear sheets. Authors'
manuscripts were generally not kept by the company; however, a selected number were
retained. These include writings by Alfred A. and Blanche Knopf, as well as by
authors such as Elizabeth Bowen, Albert Camus, Gilberto Freyre, John Galsworthy,
Knut Hamsun, Langston Hughes, William Humphrey, Thomas Mann, Yukio Mishima, and Carl
Van Vechten, among others. Since the firm is still in existence, important vital
documents and financial records are not present in this collection, with the
exception of two defunct enterprises. Materials relating to personnel, sales, book
productions, and other publishing areas (such as Vintage paperbacks, periodicals,
children's books, and college texts) are incidental to the collection and are
present in very small numbers. |
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The primary focus of the collection is on the editorial and promotional side of the
publishing business, particularly emphasizing Knopf trade books. By using the firm's
central editorial correspondence files (Series I, General Correspondence) in
combination with the working files of seventeen Knopf editors (Series V, Editors'
Files), the internal forms and documentation contained in the Editorial Department
Files (Series VI), and the abundant publicity and promotional materials (Series VII,
Other Department Files), researchers can follow the publishing process from initial
submission, through rejection or acceptance, editing, publication, promotion, and
public response, generally in the form of correspondence. While many files consist
of single exchanges with the firm, the more significant correspondence files
document the close and complex relationship that developed between an editor and
author, also revealing the respect and loyalty the firm fostered. The presence of
internal paperwork further illuminates the publishing process, offering frank
opinions and information for the firm's private use only. Other files demonstrate
that relationships with quality literary agents, excellent translators, qualified
manuscript readers, trusted foreign publishers, and talented book designers all
contributed to the success of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. |
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From its beginnings as a publisher of Russian literature, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
quickly established a reputation for promoting quality writers from all over the
world, and numerous literary figures are well represented in the collection. The
following genres and writers confirm the breadth of the firm's list, and are usually
represented in multiple files across the nine series: |
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- African-American literature: James Baldwin, Chester Himes, Langston
Hughes;
- American literature: Frederick Buechner, Witter Bynner, W. R. Burnett, George
Harmon Coxe, Clarence Day, Bergen Evans, Mark Harris, Sterling Hayden, Joseph
Hergesheimer, John Hersey, Gilbert Highet, Randall Jarrell, Oscar Lewis, H. L.
Mencken, George Jean Nathan, Robert Nathan, Jack O'Connor, Sylvia Plath, Chaim
Raphael, Conrad Richter, Maurice Samuel, Robert Shaplen, William Shirer, Wallace
Stegner, Wallace Stevens, John Updike, Carl Van Vechten;
- British literature: Eric Ambler, Brendan Behan, Roald Dahl, John Galsworthy,
Macdonald Hastings, W. H. Hudson, Hammond Innes, Nicholas Monsarrat, Alan
Sillitoe;
- European literature: Pio Baroja, Simone de Beauvoir, Albert Camus, Pierre
Daninos, Friedrich Durrenmatt, Ilya Ehrenburg, Kahlil Gibran, Andre Gide, Jean
Giono, Jose Maria Gironella, Knut Hamsun, Joseph Kessel, Thomas Mann, Henri de
Montherlant, Elsa Morante, Jules Romains, Jean-Paul Sartre, Mikhail Sholokhov,
Isaac Bashevis Singer, Germaine Tillion;
- "Hard-boiled" detective fiction: James M. Cain, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell
Hammett, Ross Macdonald
- Japanese literature: Kobo Abe, Yasunari Kawabata, Yukio Mishima, Jiro Osaragi,
Junichiro Tanizaki;
- Latin American literature: Jorge Amado, German Arciniegas, José Donoso,
Gilberto Freyre, Joao Guimaraes Rosa, Clarice Lispector, Eduardo Mallea;
- Texas literature: Robert Flynn, William Goetzmann, John Graves; Ben K. Green,
A. C. Greene, Shelby Hearon, William Humphrey;
- Women writers: Elizabeth Bowen, Kay Boyle, Willa Cather, Mildred Cram, Nan
Fairbrother, Erna Fergusson, Jon Godden, Rumer Godden, Shirley Ann Grau, Shirley
Hazzard, Rodello Hunter, Storm Jameson, Pamela Hansford Johnson, Margaret Lane,
Margaret Laurence, Anne S. Mehdevi, Muriel Spark, Elizabeth Taylor, Angela
Thirkell, Anne Goodwin Winslow, Elinor Wylie.
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Apart from literary texts published, the collection also documents the firm's
interest in the areas of history, the environment, science, law, politics, music,
and cookbooks, following the careers of writers such as Paul M. Angle, James Beard,
Simone Beck, Samuel Flagg Bemis, Eric Bentley, Pierre Berton, Geoffrey Bibby, June
Bingham, Morris Bishop, Hal Borland, Francois Bourliere, Julian P. Boyd, Fawn
Brodie, Sally Carraghar, C. W. Ceram, Julia Child, Robert G. Cleland, Alistair
Cooke, Carleton S. Coon, Virginius Dabney, Clifton Fadiman, Frank Freidel, Donald
Gallup, Arnold Gingrich, Lawrence H. Gipson, Eric F. Goldman, Albert J. Guerard,
Louis M. Hacker, Learned Hand, Melville J. Herskovits, Alger Hiss, Richard
Hofstadter, Alvin M. Josephy, V. O. Key, Mildred Knopf, Irving Kolodin, Alexis
Lichine, Richard G. Lillard, Samuel Eliot Morison, Allan Nevins, Ernest Newman,
Sigurd F. Olson, Arthur Rubinstein, Abram L. Sachar, Eric Sevareid, Arthur M.
Schlesinger, Joseph Szigeti, Benjamin Platt Thomas, Freeman Tilden, Philip M.
Wagner, and T. Harry Williams. |
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Among the many others who did not publish for the firm, but are nevertheless well
represented in the collection, are literary agents Franziska Becker, Lurton
Blassingame, and Jenny Bradley; book designers Warren Chappell and W. A. Dwiggins;
scouts Grace Dadd, Harriet de Onis, Anthony Gishford, and Raymond Postgate;
translators Robert Pick and Barbara Shelby; law firms Stern & Reubens and Weil,
Gotschal & Manges; as well as general correspondents Lester Cappon, Bennett
Cerf, Clifford Crist, Bernard DeVoto, Irving Dilliard, J. Manuel Espinosa, W. H.
"Ping" Ferry, Joseph Henry Jackson, Elizabeth Janeway, Jacob K. Javits, Edith Lewis,
Alfredo Machado, Katia Mann, Mauricio Nabuco, National Park Service, Wallace Pratt,
James Reston, Holly Stevens, Aaron Sussman, Jose Vieitas, Edward Weeks, and Walter
Muir Whitehill. Additionally, virtually every important domestic and foreign
publisher, literary agency, and periodical published in the twentieth century has
some correspondence in the collection. |
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Although the correspondence of Alfred A. and Blanche Knopf is concentrated in the
series bearing their names, their letters are also scattered through the rest of the
collection. Additionally, editors, salesmen, promoters, and other Knopf employees
initiated correspondence. Names which recur throughout the collection as
correspondents for the firm are Leon S. Anderson, Robert P. Armstrong, Gretchen
Bloch, Angus Cameron, Henry C. Carlisle, Eleanor Carlucci, Clifford Crist, Charles
Elliott, Eleanor French, Jane Becker Friedman, Thomas Gervasi, Lee Goerner, Robert
Gottlieb, Ashbel Green, Patrick Gregory, Sidney Jacobs, Carol Janeway, Judith B.
Jones, Alfred (Pat) Knopf, Jr., William A. Koshland, Seymour Lawrence, Harding
(Pete) Lemay, Joseph C. Lesser, William T. Loverd, Thomas Lowry, Anne McCormick,
Ellen McNeilly, Michael Magzis, Nancy Nicholas, Dan Okrent, Robert Pick, Stewart
Richardson, Henry Robbins, Regina Ryan, Anthony M. Schulte, David I. Segal, Bernard
W. Shir-cliff, John J. Simon, Bernard Smith, Harold Strauss, Philip Vaudrin, Sally
Waitkins, Herbert Weinstock, and Sophie Wilkins. |
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The collection also registers the impact of Alfred and Blanche Knopf on the firm.
Records about the founding of the firm and its early successes are best documented
in the two series bearing their names, particularly in Alfred Knopf's files, because
many early records were saved as research material for his unpublished memoir. The
Knopfs' presence is felt throughout the collection; they corresponded with authors,
monitored the publishing process, and often developed close personal relationships
with their literary contacts. Alfred Knopf's outside interests in conservation,
wine, Latin America, history, and music are well documented in his personal series;
an examination of the firm's list, known for its quality books on those same
subjects, reveals how closely the interests of the firm and the man were
intertwined. Similarly, Blanche Knopf's love of France brought a number of important
French writers to the firm, and her control of the European side of operations, up
to her death in 1966, is revealed in numerous series. Very little personal
information on the couple is present in the collection, however. Only a small cache
of letters from their courtship and early marriage survives, and they are more
revealing about the early days of the firm than the relationship between the two.
Additionally, while Alfred Knopf's personal papers contain diaries, family papers,
guest books, memoir drafts, personal correspondence and photographs, they focus more
on his day-to-day activities rather than his private life and thoughts. |
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The collection also offers a history of the firm and twentieth century publishing
in
general, focusing especially on the post World War II period. While few records are
present that document staff changes explicitly, information can be gleaned by a
close examination of folders dating from the years of internal change. For example,
the sale of the company to Random House in 1960 is documented in only two folders
maintained in Alfred Knopf's personal files, but the firm sent out letters to most
of their long-term contacts describing the sale, which are scattered elsewhere.
Additionally, the travel folders found in most series, filled with itineraries,
correspondence, and narrative reports, offer a time frame for new literary
discoveries, including regions, writers, and contacts. The collection follows the
rise (and sometimes fall) of authors published by the firm, as well as changing
relationships with scouts, translators, readers, new talent, literary agencies, and
other publishing houses. |
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Series Descriptions |
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Series I. General Correspondence, 1922-1971, bulk 1946-1966 (boxes 1-500) |
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This series consists of the central editorial files of the Alfred A. Knopf,
Inc. company, dating primarily from 1946 to 1971. These files contain the
correspondence for the day-to-day operations of the firm, including letters
from foreign publishers seeking publication and translation rights, contacts
with young writers, inquiries from aspiring authors, correspondence on legal
matters such as copyright, letters from literary agents, and requests for
information about writers. The General Correspondence series also contains
correspondence between editors and Knopf authors, many files of which follow
the creation of a book from the original idea, by either the author or
editor, to its final publication. Taken as a whole, this series offers a
comprehensive overview of the activities of the editorial offices. |
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The series is organized chronologically, and within each year alphabetically.
While some correspondents have their own files, most are contained within
files labelled by letter. In a few instances, correspondence from previous
years has been brought forward by the firm for background information or to
continue important dialogues (see the container list for datespans). Because
of this arrangement, correspondence with the same person or organization
will be scattered throughout the series. All of the correspondents in this
series, which totals almost 35,000 names, can be found in the name index of
this finding aid. |
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Correspondence within a folder has generally been filed in reverse
chronological order. Materials not in this order were stapled or clipped
together by the company and are now held together with paper sleeves. The
series generally contains the original correspondent's letter and the carbon
copy of the response by the Knopf Company. The firm encouraged a
standardized letter form, so much of the correspondence follows a similar
pattern. Although the files have been refoldered for preservation purposes,
the original title of the folder has been transcribed as the last entry on
the new folder -- for example, on a label reading 56.4 Knopf-Gen.
Corr.-1947-Gaa-Gat, the original folder was labelled Gaa-Gat. |
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Knopf employees contributing to this series include both Alfred A. and
Blanche Knopf as well as other editors and regular staff. Documents from the
late 1940s are generally marked with letter stamps such as "A" for Alfred or
"B" for Blanche which designate the correspondent's primary contact with the
firm. The color of carbon copies can reveal the creator of the letter --
Alfred A. Knopf's were blue, Blanche Knopf's yellow, Alfred "Pat" Knopf,
Jr.'s pink, and green for Vintage editor Thomas Lowry. Other editors used
white carbons, but can be identified by initials in the lower left hand
corner of the page. |
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Although Alfred Knopf founded the firm in 1915, several moves by the company,
coupled with a need to clear out older files, led to the destruction of the
older general correspondence in 1945. (Some of the early files were saved
and renamed Author Files, found in series IV.) As a result, the General
Correspondence series begins in 1946. While folder 1.1 consists of some
early editorial correspondence that was received by the Ransom Center over a
period of time, the bulk of the collection starts with file 1.2. The files
from 1946 to 1966 are nearly complete; each year consists of between 10 and
35 document boxes, with an average of 22 boxes. The files from 1967 to 1971
are less complete, perhaps reflecting the firm's increasing reliance on the
Editors' Files (series V). Further, the following parts of the series are
lost: 1946, A-Cq, Pm-Sz; 1947, Coj-Hoq, Mu-Sj; 1948, A-C (except Paul Bragg
and Jimmy Cannon); 1949, Gor-Hal; 1951, Cl-Gn; 1954, P-Ster; 1955, Mi-Schl;
1963, A-Bh (except Horace Albright); and 1966, Scq-Sd. |
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Much of the collection consists of single exchanges with persons or
organizations, such as requests for foreign publication rights, fan mail,
and letters from aspiring authors. However, the main strength of the series
derives from the individual files devoted to writers published by Knopf.
These files typically reveal the writer's first connection with the company,
which might have occurred when the firm contacted the writer expressing
their interest in her or his work, or when the author submitted a
manuscript. Some of the files contain correspondence with the literary agent
or scout who first made contact with the writer. Files follow the
correspondence between the editor and writer, revealing the relationship
between the two as the manuscript progressed, continued once the book was
published, and showed how the book was received and how well it sold.
Especially interesting is the way the files reveal how an editor would guide
the creative process, as she or he suggested changes, additions, or
deletions. For example, in James Baldwin's Go Tell it
on the Mountain (1953), editor Philip Vaudrin proposed important
changes in the text because of fears that the book would be censored (see
file 121.3). Many of these files also contain internal notes written by
company employees, updating information and giving editors' personal
opinions, and may be marked "form sent" or "yes" to show how the company
responded to a particular request. Because the Knopf firm fostered a sense
of closeness and loyalty with writers, authors like John Hersey, John
Updike, and Robert Nathan chose to publish exclusively with the company, and
developed friendships with their editors and sometimes Alfred and Blanche
Knopf themselves. |
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The Knopfs' contact with writers is only one facet of their many close
relationships with other significant persons in the literary world. The
company had ties to the European, Asian, and Latin American literary
communities, and correspondence with agents and foreign publishers reveals
information both about the firm and its writers. Researchers interested in a
particular writer should also examine the folders of the writer's agent and
foreign publishers for insight into works in progress and information about
her or his personal life and activities; the files often contain frank
appraisals of the writer and their work. Although the correspondence with
agents and foreign publishers is largely business related, some significant
friendships developed over time. For example, Blanche Knopf became very
close to Jenny Bradley, head of the William Aspenwall Bradley literary
agency. As a result, their correspondence contains information about
business as well as personal information about the two women. |
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Other long term contacts offering valuable information for researchers
include extensive correspondence with company printers (Kingsport Press),
lawyers (Stern and Reubens, Weil Gotschal and Manges), and advertisers
(Sussman and Sugar). Further, correspondence with scouts such as Clifford
Crist, Anthony Gishford, and Ben Ray Redman reveals the network of contacts
used by companies like Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. to find new writers. |
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Just as the firm maintained long term contacts with agencies outside Alfred
A. Knopf, Inc., it also fostered loyalty within the ranks. In particular,
the editorial department was marked by a spirit of independence and
initiative, allowing each editor to follow her or his own interests and with
great freedom to explore (a practice which continues to this day). The
correspondence within this series reflects the wide range of interests of
Knopf editors. The firm's pioneering interest in Asian literature, which led
to the first American publication of Japanese writers such as Yukio Mishima,
largely derived from the interest of editor-in-chief Harold Strauss. In most
cases, therefore, his signature can be found on most correspondence with
Japanese writers, agents and publishers. Other editors covered other topics
-- for example, Angus Cameron helped publish a number of leading works on
environmental issues in the 1960s, Herbert Weinstock contributed to the
publication of books on music, and Judith Jones edited a number of
well-received cookbooks. While Alfred and Blanche Knopf supported this
editorial freedom, they brought their own interests to the imprint as well.
For example, Alfred Knopf's interest in natural history and Latin America
expanded the firm's list. Further, his close relationship with the American
academic community led to the firm's excellent reputation as a publisher of
history. These scholars were called upon regularly to offer criticism of new
books or writers and to make suggestions for new topics. |
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While the vast majority of the files contain correspondence only, some files
relate to the inner workings of the firm. These are labelled by department
or, more often, by employee name; the most significant are for Blanche and
Alfred Knopf, and can be found in most years. The files rely on the heavy
use of documentation in the form of internal memorandums that were sent from
editors and employees of other departments to update the Knopfs on current
activities. Folders titled with the name of a trip taken by Alfred or
Blanche Knopf in a specific year often include narrative descriptions of the
visit, including detailed lists of publishers, scouts, literary agents, and
writers with whom they met. Further, information about writers is also
available in these folders. For example, internal memos about the rejection
of John Knowles' A Separate Peace are in one
of Blanche Knopf's European trip folders (see file 261.1). Other employee
named files, like those of Secretary and later President William A.
Koshland, give an overview of the firm's administrative history. |
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Series II. Alfred A. Knopf Personal, 1874-1984, bulk
1953-1984 (boxes 501-685) |
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This series consists of Alfred A. Knopf's personal files and papers, which
were maintained at his office in New York City and at his home at Purchase,
New York. It is made up of four subseries: A. Personal Correspondence, B.
Office/Subject Files, C. Purchase Files, and D. Other Subjects and
Interests. Sent to the Ransom Center over a period of years, the arrangement
has been recreated from Knopf's personal file system, documented in folder
653.13, labeled "Files." Generally, the first two subseries consist of
correspondence and subject files from Knopf's office, while the Purchase
files were kept at his home and used for his memoirs. The last subseries
consists of materials sent to the Ransom Center that were not originally
present in either his office or home file systems. |
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These subseries must be used together to give the researcher an overall
perspective of Knopf's life and achievements, since his personal and
professional lives were tied so closely together. Further, because the files
were created at different times and in different places, some overlap
exists. For example, researchers interested in Knopf's relationship with the
National Park Service will find files about conservation in all four
subseries. Other subjects so scattered include travel, his publishing
interests, author correspondence, and wine and food materials. |
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Consisting largely of correspondence, generally an original letter with a
blue carbon of Knopf's response, the series also includes manuscript drafts,
clippings, photographs, minutes, memoranda, diaries, programs, artwork,
menus, awards, account books, slides, and other printed materials. While the
date range of this series is very broad, the bulk of the files range from
the 1950s to the 1980s. Only a very small number of items date from the
nineteenth century, and they generally refer to Knopf family history. |
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All of these files were reviewed by Knopf before they were sent to The
University of Texas. In some cases this is quite helpful, because Knopf made
notes on the folder or added extra papers. For example, in Knopf's Office
Files, on a folder titled "Americas Foundation Citation" (which gave Knopf
an award in 1967), he wrote in part, "Sat on dais on Nixon's [whom Knopf
detested] right. After shaking hands we did not exchange a word." However,
it is also likely that he purged some materials at this time. Knopf was
intensely private about his personal life, and did not save letters from his
family and friends dealing with awkward issues. When his son Pat Knopf left
the firm in 1959 to form Athenaeum, Knopf wrote his correspondents that he
would give them the details in private, when they next met. |
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Scholars interested in Alfred Knopf's life should also examine the Ransom
Center's Vertical Files, which include ephemeral printed materials collected
by Knopf. |
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Subseries A. Personal Correspondence, 1895-1984, bulk 1950-1980 (boxes 501-562) |
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This subseries contains Alfred A. Knopf's personal correspondence.
Although often created at his office, the bulk of this correspondence
pertains to his personal interests, not matters of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
It has been divided into three sub-subseries: 1. Chronological Files, 2.
Blanche Wolf Knopf correspondence, and 3. Manuscripts Removed from
Books. |
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Sub-subseries 1. Chronological Files, 1911-1984, bulk 1958-1984 (boxes 501-560) |
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Although the chronological files, the largest sub-subseries, span the
years 1911 to 1984, the bulk date from 1958 to 1984. Following
Alfred Knopf's own arrangement, correspondence is filed by year and
then alphabetized within each year. While a small number of
correspondents have their own files, most are contained within files
grouped by letter. A few files labeled by subject, generally
referring to specific events, can also be found. Occasionally a
large amount of correspondence with an individual was pulled
together by earlier Ransom Center catalogers; this arrangement has
been maintained to make the correspondence easier for the researcher
to read in its entirety, and is filed under the latest year of the
correspondence. |
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The personal correspondence dating from 1911-1957 came to the Ransom
Center at different times, and has been arranged chronologically.
This early correspondence contains some of Knopf's earliest literary
contacts, such as letters with Kay Boyle, Joseph Conrad, Clarence
Day, Theodore Dreiser, W. A. Dwiggins, Joseph Hergesheimer, Vachel
Lindsay, and others. Also present are the beginnings of what would
become life-long literary friendships with such notables as Warren
Chappell, Felix Frankfurter, and Carl Van Vechten. In addition,
these early folders contain fragments of Knopf's editorial
correspondence from the late 1910s and the 1920s. Since this
correspondence is incomplete (consisting of only slightly more than
two document boxes), most folders in these boxes contain multiple
years (e.g., box 502.4 contains the years 1941-1945). In these
cases, all the correspondence in that folder has been alphabetized
for ease of use. |
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A 26-year span of these files, dating from 1958 to 1984, was donated
as a group. Within the rest of the chronological files is the bulk
of Alfred A. Knopf's personal correspondence from 1958 to his death.
His interest in such subjects as conservation, politics, Latin
America, the American West, and fine wine is well documented. He was
a voluminous letter writer, who sought out advice from noteworthy
people and never hesitated to venture his own opinions on the topic
at hand. |
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A strength of this sub-subseries lies in its correspondence with
authors. Since Knopf's life was so interconnected with the firm he
founded, many of his authors became friends as well. For example,
Knopf's personal interest in the fields of history, sociology, and
science led to close friendships in the academic community with such
noted historians as Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., and Samuel Eliot
Morison. Further, authors like Jorge Amado and John Hersey, whose
correspondence is scattered throughout this sub-subseries,
corresponded with Knopf on both a personal and professional basis.
Although much of this correspondence is routine, it nonetheless
reveals the respect with which Knopf treated his authors and their
strong loyalty to him. A good example of the way business and
friendship overlapped for Knopf can be taken from the publication of
John Hersey's White Lotus in 1965.
After a particularly savage review by Time, Knopf wrote Hersey a consoling letter,
emphasizing that neither Hersey's literary reputation nor his sales
would be hurt by the review (see file 517.4). |
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In addition, Knopf enjoyed corresponding with political figures,
never hesitating to offer his suggestions or to critique his
correspondent's recent performances, as letters to Senators Jacob
Javits, Irving Ives, and many others attest. A prominent Republican
until Watergate, Knopf refused to accept form responses from the
legislators he knew, and often drew them into lengthy discourses by
mail. |
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Other files of interest in this subseries are Knopf's extensive
travel files, which contain correspondence, schedules, and often
narrative accounts written by Knopf detailing his visit. In addition
there are 25 folders of condolence letters, written in 1966 on the
occasion of Blanche Knopf's death. Knopf used extracts of some of
these letters when he dedicated a Borzoi
Quarterly to his late wife. Other correspondence
chronicles Knopf's interest in Latin America, attested to not only
by his exchanges with great writers, translators, and publishers,
but also by his many contacts within the diplomatic community,
especially in Brazil. His contacts with other connoisseurs of fine
food and wine, and his letters to the pioneers of the environmental
movement are also represented. |
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Finally, there are many letters of complaint to hotels, restaurants,
and stores that failed to meet Alfred Knopf's high standards. Most
of the letters complain of inferior service that Knopf believed he
received. These letters grew increasingly frequent and more severe
as he aged. A particularly extensive file covers a six year long
conflict with the Eastman Kodak Company over a roll of lost film
(see file 503.13). |
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Sub-subseries 2. Blanche Wolf Knopf, 1912-1923 (box 561) |
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A smaller group of files (5 folders) contains letters from Knopf's
fiancée and wife, Blanche Wolf Knopf. Arrangement is chronological,
with one file of undated letters. Dating from the earliest years of
their relationship, the letters begin with short, slightly formal
notes of thanks or replies to date requests and become increasingly
warm and loving as time progresses. Blanche eventually begins to use
nicknames in the letters, referring to Alfred as "Reuben" or
"Monkey" and signing herself as "VV." |
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By the late 1910s and early 1920s, most of the letters were sent to
Knopf while he traveled on business, and in many of them Blanche
mentions the daily business of the new firm. This correspondence
reveals how closely the two worked together in the early years of
the firm. |
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Sub-subseries 3. Manuscripts Removed from
Books, 1895-1983, bulk 1950-1980 (boxes 561-562) |
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The last sub-subseries consists of manuscripts removed from books in
Alfred A. Knopf's personal library. They are arranged by the call
number of the book from which the letter was removed. Although the
sub-subseries has a broad date range, most of the letters date from
the 1950s to 1970s. The vast majority of this correspondence arrived
with the book, originating from its author or publisher. The letters
are generally very short, recommending the book to Knopf. Some of
these letters are paired with Knopf's reply on his signature blue
carbon paper. Some books that were published by Knopf contain
internal memoranda referring in some way to the publication of that
book. In a few cases, the correspondence is quite revealing. For
example, Philip Unwin's book The Publishing
Unwins (call number CS 439 U55 1972) arrived with a
letter from Unwin detailing the events in his life since the
publication of his book. In another book, Francis Parkman by Mason Wade (call number E 175.5
P28), a letter from Bernard DeVoto describes how Knopf can find much
more information about western routes than are offered in the book.
Name access is provided in the index of correspondents. |
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Subseries B. Office/Subject Files, 1894-1979, bulk
1940-1965 (boxes 563-595) |
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These files, arranged alphabetically by subject, were originally
maintained in Alfred Knopf's office. The range of subjects covered is
extremely broad, representing Knopf's work in the publishing industry as
well as his personal interests. Although the files span over 80 years,
the bulk of the files date from the 1940s through the early 1960s. All
files under the letter "D" were not found. In many cases a carbon copy
of Knopf's correspondence was filed both chronologically in his
correspondence files and also by subject. |
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The contents of these files vary enormously. While a very few contain
only clippings, most have a wide range of materials, including
correspondence, reports, flyers, and clippings. For example, a file
labeled "Advertising" (see file 563.2) includes letters of complaint
from Knopf to the New York Times
regarding their advertising policies, general clippings about
advertising, clippings of Knopf advertisements, and a chapbook detailing
the history of advertising in the Knopf firm. |
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A strength of this subseries derives from the files related to the
functioning of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. With correspondence, memoranda,
internal reports, and staff records, these files offer a view of the
inner workings of the company and Knopf's management style. Since the
Ransom Center's holdings of General Correspondence files begins in 1946,
the collection as a whole is augmented by the files in this subseries
dating from the 1920s through the early 1940s. For example,
correspondence and paperwork related to the purchase of the William Penn
backlist in 1943 is located here. Other company related folders of
significance include a file of correspondence with editor Angus Cameron,
offering candid appraisals of writers and books, and Knopf's folders of
memoranda to and from his staff from 1956 to 1977. While most of these
files are labeled clearly, a few ambiguous labels do not show that they
relate solely to the firm. The folder titled "Awards & Fellowships"
contains flyers for literary contests Knopf ran in the early 1940s to
attract authors. |
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Another topic found frequently in this subseries relates to the
publishing world and books in general. There are files on other
publishing companies, and others devoted to issues and trends in the
industry over a period of fifty years. A series of folders also devoted
to typography reflects the interest of a publisher known for his fine
book design. |
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The large number of files containing reports, correspondence, and minutes
from the publishing groups, charitable boards, committees, and social
clubs to which Knopf belonged attests to his reputation in the literary,
business, and philanthropic worlds. While his membership in such
literary organizations as the American Book Publishers Council, the Book
Table, and the International Publishers Association is not surprising,
Knopf's range of interests outside publishing is remarkable. This
subseries includes files from social clubs (Cosmos and Harmonie Clubs),
historical associations (Institute of Early American History and
Culture, the Massachusetts Historical Society), charitable groups
(Arthritis Foundation, Arthur Farmer Memorial Fund), and fine wine and
food societies (Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs, Confrerie des
Chevaliers du Tastevin). |
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Knopf's most consuming outside interest, and one that takes up nearly one
quarter of this subseries, was the natural environment. Most of the
files on this subject are arranged under the titles "Conservation" and
"National Park Service," but they are also scattered elsewhere
throughout the subseries. These files contain correspondence, clippings,
news releases, bulletins, reports of nature societies, legislative
materials, and board meeting minutes and reports (from organizations
such as the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, on whose
Board of Trustees Knopf served for many years). Further, Knopf's close
association with the United States National Park Service is well
documented. Over five document boxes of reports, minutes, and
correspondence show his involvement with the organization, as a member
of the advisory board and later chairman. A highlight from these files
is Knopf's participation in the campaign to save the Dinosaur National
Monument from 1950-57. |
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A small number of files in this subseries relate to Alfred A. Knopf
personally. More travel files, covering daily activities, meetings, and
impressions, can be found, including a report describing his first trip
to Brazil (a country he would later visit regularly) in 1962. One folder
of photographs contains early family portraits, and the papers relating
to a few of Knopf's honorary doctorates can be found here. There are
also files of papers he collected simply because the topic interested
him, such as his files on censorship, civil rights, humor, and
music. |
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These files are complemented by the Alphabetical Files (sub-subseries 4
of the Purchase Files subseries), which cover many of the same subjects
for a later period, and that he kept at his home in Purchase to use in
writing his memoir. However, it is very likely that Knopf also referred
to these Office/Subject Files while he was writing his memoir. |
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Subseries C. Purchase Files, 1876-1985 (boxes 595-673) |
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These files were maintained at Knopf's home in Purchase, N.Y. As he grew
older he retired to the country more often, and turned from running the
company he founded to writing his memoir. The subseries is divided into
five sub-subseries: 1. Memoir, 2. Diaries, 3. Interviews, 4.
Alphabetical Files, and 5. Clippings and Reports. While the first two
sub-subseries relate directly to his memoir, the other three served as
reference sources for Knopf. |
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Sub-subseries 1. Memoirs, 1876-1985 (boxes 595-620) |
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-
a. Chronological Files, 1910-1983 (boxes
595-609)
-
b. Memoir Drafts, 1892-1982 (boxes
610-618)
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c. Willa Cather, 1946-1985 (box 618)
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d. H. L. Mencken, 1876-1981 (boxes
618-620)
The first sub-subseries of the Purchase Files pertains
directly to the writing of Knopf's unpublished memoir. Fourteen
boxes of Chronological Files contain correspondence, clippings,
menus, programs, and other materials that Knopf gathered together
and referred to as he was writing the narrative drafts. These files
offer the most comprehensive survey of Knopf's life, especially his
early years as a publisher. They consist of documents that date from
the period about which he was writing and are augmented by
contemporary lists, correspondence, and memoranda confirming dates,
giving lists of books published, and offering reminders to Knopf of
those years. A strength of these chronological files is the early
letters he pulled from other sources, including files that were
subsequently destroyed, or photocopied to keep in these files. The
first file is labeled "1918 and Earlier" and each following year is
represented by at least one folder, with the exception of 1968, for
which no materials were found. Many of the later years he chronicled
comprise more than one folder, and include correspondence that is
duplicated in Knopf's personal correspondence files, a fact perhaps
explainable by the fact that he was writing the memoir at the same
time he was corresponding. By 1978 the amount of materials he saved
dwindles considerably and consists only of files devoted to theater
and music programs and to obituaries of his contemporaries. While
not strong on personal materials, these later files do offer a
comprehensive overview of the events Knopf considered important in
his life. |
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The next group in the Memoirs sub-subseries contains Knopf's multiple
memoir drafts, which testify to the amount of work and revision he
did. There are numerous drafts, the majority of which are
incomplete. For ease of access, one complete draft can be found at
the beginning of the subseries, from box 610.1 to 614.6, and the
following incomplete drafts have been arranged numerically, with
Knopf's general notes and handwritten drafts placed at the very end.
In a very few cases, the drafts themselves contain correspondence,
programs, or clippings to which he referred in the text. |
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Besides drafting his memoir, Knopf wrote about the memorable
friendships he made as a publisher. Two such accounts are found in
the Memoirs sub-subseries. One folder, 618.5, contains manuscript
drafts recounting his relationship with Willa Cather, bolstered by
copies of their correspondence and associated clippings. An
additional twenty folders chronicle Knopf's close friendship and
professional association with H. L. Mencken. The Mencken files can
be broken down into two parts -- manuscript drafts and reference
material. Seven files of drafts, interspersed with copied letters,
reveal his relationship with Mencken in narrative form. The other
files include correspondence with Mencken and other Mencken scholars
(such as Betty Adler of the Enoch Pratt Free Library), as well as
personal notes, clippings, and photographs. Of particular interest
is the file labeled "Bawdy Humor/Anti-Semitism" where Knopf, himself
Jewish, refutes charges of Mencken's anti-Semitism. For further
information on Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. and Mencken's American Mercury magazine, see series
IX. |
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Sub-subseries 2. Diaries, 1919-1984 (boxes
621-647) |
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A large collection (23 document boxes) of Knopf's diaries and
appointment books makes up the second sub-subseries in the Knopf
Personal series. Arranged chronologically and dating from 1919 to
the year of his death, the diaries detail Knopf's day-to-day
activities. The earliest diaries are sporadic, and lack the years
1920-1922, 1926-1929, and 1933. They tend to be filled with narrative
descriptions of his activities and observations. Only in a few cases
do the diaries contain his frank opinions and personal feelings. A
typical extract reads as follows: |
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"November 28, 1923: Stopped at Willa
Cather's today for a little to see the portrait Bakst just
painted of her for the Omaha Public Library. It was pretty
bad -- not a likeness -- & makes her look very
melancholy, wch I've never yet seen her. She was charming
& delightful & quite at home again. She said she
really thought the reason why she couldn't work at Villa
d'Orsay was that the people around weren't themselves
working but rather waiting to see her work. She has nothing
ready or in process but is just ready to start a book &
when it will be finished she hasn't an idea" (see file
621.2).
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By 1940, however, Knopf began keeping two appointment calendars and a
pocket calendar -- these were less personal, with an emphasis on his
meeting schedules and daily observations of the weather. The pocket
calendars are filed separately from the other diaries and
appointment books, due to special housing needs. As in other series,
his travel diaries, covering his visits to Brazil, Europe, and the
American West, offer useful insights into his literary contacts and
friendships. |
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Sub-subseries 3. Interviews, 1964-1978 (box 643) |
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Knopf maintained only one file of transcripts from interviews he
granted in the later years of his life. Other publicity can be found
throughout this series. |
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Sub-subseries 4. Alphabetical Files, 1897-1984 (boxes 648-669) |
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These Alphabetical Files complement the Office/Subject Files in
subseries B. Although their date range is broader and runs slightly
later, they are arranged alphabetically by subject, and generally
contain the same types of materials. There is a great deal of
overlap between these files and the Office Files, e.g., both include
files on the environment, typography, food and wine, and politics.
In addition, however, the Alphabetical Files contain a number of
folders pulled from the firm. Of particular interest are the author
files that Knopf saved to use for his memoir. Early editorial
correspondence with writers such as Conrad Aiken, Thomas Beer, W. H.
Hudson, and Ernest Newman is in this subseries. Also of interest is
the file titled "Editorial Mistakes" (see file 656.6), which
consists of the firm's documention and reader's reports on important
books rejected by Knopf, including William Golding's Lord of the Flies, John Knowles' A Separate Peace, Nabokov's Lolita, and manuscripts by Mary Renault.
This sub-subseries is also particularly strong in personal files,
offering account books and records relating to dogs and cemetery
plots. Also, a large file of family material, gathered by a
biographer of Knopf, reveals information about his background.
Finally, later files contain only clippings, illustrating Knopf's
gradual withdrawal from activity as he aged. |
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Sub-subseries 5. Clippings and Reports, 1931-1984 (boxes 669-673) |
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The last sub-subseries consists of almost four boxes of printed
materials saved by Knopf. The sub-subseries is organized by letters
of the alphabet, so a large range of subjects is covered in each
file. They offer little insight into Knopf's life but further
reflect his general interests in Latin America, conservation,
politics, music, and universities. Although dominated by newspaper
and magazine clippings, there are also reprints, programs,
invitations, newsletters, and other printed items present. |
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Subseries D. Other Subjects and Interests,
1874-1985, boxes 673-685 |
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Within this subseries are files and other loose materials that Knopf
saved and donated to the Ransom Center but that were not a part of any
existing file system. The range of materials found is very broad and
although some of the materials are ephemeral in nature, such as a large
collection of clippings about people and publishing, many of the files
contain books and papers that reflect the interests in Knopf's daily
life. Arranged alphabetically by subject or type of material, this
subseries is the only one to contain a large number of non-textual
materials. In addition to artwork, photographs, and portraits, a small
collection of films (including "A Publisher
is Known by the Company He Keeps"), dictaphone recordings,
and phonograph records are present. |
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Many files relate directly to Knopf's home at Purchase and reflect his
interest in fine dining. For example, within a large collection of wine
and food related material, one finds Alfred Knopf's cellar books, which
list in detail the wines kept and drunk at his home, and a notebook
describing the meals at his house from 1940-51. An additional four
folders of wine labels, most with dates and annotations on the back,
confirm his passion for good wine. Other materials relating to his home
in Purchase include guest books, gardening books, and an inventory of
his library. |
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This subseries also features financial and personal documentation, such
as account books, covering such expenses as home costs, investments,
daily expenditures, club dues, and taxes, over a 40-year period. A file
of personal documentation contains his draft records, ration cards, and
driver's license. There is material relating to family members Samuel,
Blanche, and Helen Knopf, as well as a folder of early internal
documents from the firm. This subseries also contains the many awards
and honors given to Knopf over his lifetime. |
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Finally, a number of folders contain writings by Knopf, dating from 1914
to 1984. While mainly consisting of articles, there are also personal
tributes, a run of the Borzoi Quarterly,
and a poem written for Blanche Knopf while they were courting.
Additionally, a folder of material written by others and given to Knopf
includes manuscripts by John Galsworthy, William Humphrey, Haldane
Macfall, Thomas Mann, Rudolf Sauter, and H. M. Tomlinson. |
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Pieces of art, slides, personal effects, and printed ephemera that
belonged to Alfred Knopf are held separately from the archive and can be
accessed respectively in the Ransom Center's Art Collection, Photography
Collection, Personal Effects Collection, and Vertical File
Collection. |
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Series III. Blanche W. Knopf, 1918-1966, bulk 1940-1966 (boxes 685-697) |
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This series consists of 12 boxes of Blanche W. Knopf's correspondence files.
It is arranged alphabetically by correspondent, and chronologically within
each file, with the most recent dates at the front. The files arrived
roughly in alphabetical order, and a file folder list created by Knopf
secretary Eleanor French confirmed this order. Mrs. Knopf's files arrived at
the Ransom Center in March, 1969, and were restricted until 1980, when
Alfred Knopf authorized full access to them. In addition to correspondence,
the files contain telegrams, photographs, prints, programs, and clippings.
This series illuminates the unique perspective of not only a founding member
and key administrator of the Knopf firm, but that of the first important
American woman in publishing. While it is a relatively small series, it
highlights the most important authors of this collection, and also covers
routine publishing business such as copyediting, payment of royalties and
advances, syndication and reprint rights, production costs, and sales
figures. |
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Handwritten and typed letters between Alfred and Blanche Knopf that reveal
their working relationship can be found throughout the series, and
especially in the file named "BWK" (see file 686.8). The Knopfs wrote many
letters to each other when one or the other was traveling. In this
correspondence, they convey their opinions of various manuscripts, make
plans for future business travel, and divide the responsibility of
contacting authors to solicit their work. There are occasional personal
remarks, such as Blanche Knopf's 1962 letters suggesting that she did not
feel "whole," and feared she would not live much longer. Additionally,
correspondence regarding important events such as the Knopfs' fiftieth
wedding anniversary celebration (see file 690.4), Mrs. Knopf's induction
into the French Legion of Honor (see file 690.7), and the honorary Doctorate
of Letters she received from Franklin and Marshall College (see file 690.8)
is located in this series. |
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Although Mrs. Knopf read and selected from manuscripts from many sources, one
of her most passionate interests lay in French literature. She brought
Albert Camus, Andre Gide, Jules Romains, and Jean-Paul Sartre to the firm.
Her correspondence with Camus is especially rich, beginning when French
literary agent Jenny Bradley recommended The
Stranger to Blanche in 1945 and ending with letters written
shortly before his death in 1960, discussing his work on Le Premier Homme. Correspondence with Camus
translators Justin O'Brien and Anthony Bower also reveal the care Mrs. Knopf
and the firm took in publishing high quality English versions of foreign
texts. |
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Other correspondents in this series represent a rich and varied group of
writers, many of whom were also Mrs. Knopf's friends. They include Elizabeth
Bowen, Willa Cather, Raymond Chandler, Miguel Covarrubias, F. Scott
Fitzgerald, Kahlil Gibran, Langston Hughes, Thomas Mann, and Angela
Thirkell, among others. Business issues such as production schedules are
frequently mixed in with invitations to dinners, illustrating how the
Knopfs' business and personal lives were often intertwined. The letters also
demonstrate important authors' feelings about the firm. In a 1923 letter,
Willa Cather describes how she likes the Knopfs' style, and that she thinks
they would work well together (see file 689.2). Raymond Chandler writes in
1942 that he can't understand the vigorous support his The High Window is receiving from the firm, in
light of its poor sales (see file 689.5). |
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Mrs. Knopf's correspondence with an individual writer discussed not only his
or her own work, but that of other writers, as well. Carl Van Vechten, a
close friend of the Knopfs, wrote to Blanche about the need for writing and
publishing "on the Negro question." He suggested Langston Hughes, Walter
White, and Richard Wright, among others, for this much needed project (see
file 697.1). Correspondence with Raymond Postgate is especially valuable for
its detailed descriptions of publishing in the context of World War II
Europe. Mrs. Knopf also encouraged experts in their fields to write specific
books and helped authors choose appropriate book titles. |
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Documentation of some of Blanche's European and South American trips is
located in files named "Trips" (see files 696.7-12), which are broken down
by destination. The files include lists of people Mrs. Knopf visited or
intended to visit, correspondence about the writers, and occasional personal
reflections on the trip. Also, an unpublished article written by Mrs. Knopf
on book publishing in Europe and South America provides insight into her
publishing philosophy (see file 695.4). In it, she describes how the paper
shortages and censorship of World War II created a hunger for exchange of
ideas through publication that Americans probably could not understand. In
the same file, there is 1945-1946 correspondence regarding Mrs. Knopf's trip
to occupied Germany in search of authors. Her travels on behalf of the firm
not only brought in a rich variety of writers, but often cemented personal
relationships with authors, literary agents, artists, ambassadors, and other
influential people. |
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Series IV. Author and Book Designer Files, 1911-1979, bulk
1920-1960 (boxes 698-734) |
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This series is one of the highlights of the Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. archive and
one of the few that documents the early history of the firm. Consisting of
37 document boxes, the series contains correspondence, manuscripts, and
artwork. It is divided into two subseries: A) Author Files and B) Book
Designer Files. Although it is unclear why the files in this series were
brought together, it is likely that Alfred A. Knopf pulled them from various
sources and examined them, perhaps with his memoir in mind, before sending
them to The University of Texas. Evidence of this derives from his
handwritten annotations on the folders of some of these files. These
annotations are useful because Knopf wrote about his professional
associations and personal contacts with the author. |
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Subseries A. Author Files, 1911-1979, bulk 1921-1956
(boxes 698-731) |
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The Author Files, which make up the bulk of this series (33 boxes),
contain a broad assortment of files relating to authors, most of whom
were published by Knopf. Arranged alphabetically by author, the
subseries contains early editorial correspondence, manuscripts, and
artwork pertaining generally to firm business. While the files typically
contain correspondence with Alfred A. Knopf, other employees whose
letters are present in this subseries are Blanche Knopf, William A.
Koshland, Raymond Preston, and Harold Strauss. |
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The majority of this subseries consists of early editorial
correspondence. While most of the firm's earliest files were weeded in
the mid-1940s, some were saved because of their apparent historic value.
A 1974 memorandum from Lilyan Brown to Joseph Lesser documents the
destruction. She wrote, |
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I arrived at AAK, Inc. in 1943. A few years later I was told Florence
Rubin ... was having old cartons of correspondence sent from KMV [a
storage facility] to her home and was destroying all correspondence
which she thought was unnecessary and then returned the cartons to
KMV. I was also told that Pat Knopf went down to KMV and was going
through cartons of old correspondence and destroying what he thought
was useless (see file 540.3).
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It is likely that the early correspondence files found in this subseries
were the ones saved by Alfred A. Knopf, Jr. Additionally, folders
removed from the General Correspondence files, probably for Alfred
Knopf's perusal, were added to these early files. |
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The Author Files are most complete for the 1920s and 1930s. Most files
contain correspondence with an author pertaining to a book published by
the firm. Covering Knopf's "golden age" of publishing, authors of note
include W. J. Cash, A. E. Coppard, Warwick Deeping, Havelock Ellis, Erna
Fergusson, Emma Goldman, Dashiell Hammett, William Alexander Percy, and
Angela Thirkell. Besides fiction, the subseries documents Knopf's
commitment to publishing historical, medical, and sociological texts.
While most correspondents are represented by a single file, some
long-term Knopf authors, such as James M. Cain, Joseph Hergesheimer,
John Hersey, and Carl Van Vechten, have two or more. These multiple
files reveal the personal relationship that often developed between an
editor and author. |
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Other correspondents of note in this subseries are not authors but scouts
and agents who helped the firm locate new talent in England and Europe.
Of particular interest are the files of the William Aspenwall Bradley
Agency and the Raymond Postgate correspondence. William and Jenny
Bradley introduced some of the finest French writers, including Albert
Camus and Andre Gide, to the Knopfs. Jenny Bradley's correspondence with
Blanche Knopf reveals interesting information about the French literary
scene as well as personal information. Raymond Postgate, a long-term
scout in England, kept abreast of English and European writers and sent
long and detailed letters to Alfred Knopf dating from the 1930s through
the 1960s. He described new books being published in England, often
adding his frank observations of leading publishers, agents, and
writers. Postgate's descriptions of World War II are especially
interesting, as he updated Knopf with the latest information on how the
war was changing the literary landscape. For example, in a letter of
June 20, 1940, Postgate wrote, |
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Another piece of information. Sigrid Undset escaped from Norway
safely. I understand she went from Lillehammer to Elverum and thence
to Stockholm. I found by enquiries at the Ministry of Information
that a proposal was being made to her to write a short book about
the invasion of Norway (see file 724.11).
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Other files do not necessarily contain correspondence with an author. For
example, neither the multiple files of Willa Cather, Andre Gide, or
Kahlil Gibran offer much correspondence with the author; their files
mostly concern later editions of their work and translations. |
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While a few files have only small bits of manuscript materials (usually
comprising a few pages of heavily edited typescript), others offer more
complete works. Authors with significant manuscript holdings in this
subseries are Robert G. Athearn, Max Beerbohm, Robert Bowen, Albert
Camus, Henry Steele Commager, Joseph Conrad, Walter De la Mare, Gilberto
Freyre, John Galsworthy, Knut Hamsun, Llewellyn Jones, D. H. Lawrence,
Yukio Mishima, Mauricio Nabuco, and Carl Van Vechten. |
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A few files contain illustrative materials. Robert Boyer's files contain
photographic materials for his biography of John Brown. Both Elizabeth
Langasser and William Pene Dubois' files contain artwork. Additionally,
Langasser's file includes a small amount of correspondence with the book
designer George Salter. |
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Subseries B. Book Designer Files, 1927-1954 (boxes
731-734) |
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A second subseries (four document boxes) contains a collection of
correspondence with four renowned book designers. The files of Elmer
Adler, Claude Bragdon, and Bruce Rogers contain routine correspondence,
generally about books they designed for Knopf. However, the bulk of the
subseries consists of William A. Dwiggins' correspondence and book
designs. Eleven folders of correspondence cover the years 1927-1954, and
include Dwiggins' correspondence with Alfred Knopf and Sidney Jacobs.
Another eleven folders of artwork contain notes, sample designs, binding
samples, and mock-ups and sketches for books and dust jackets that
Dwiggins designed for the firm. |
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Series V. Editors' Files, 1873-1984, bulk 1960-1980 (boxes
735-932) |
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This series contains the working files of seventeen Knopf editors. It is
organized by editor into the following subseries: A--Angus Cameron,
1873-1984, bulk 1960-1978; B--Charles Elliott, 1908-1984, bulk 1971-1982; C--Lee
Goerner, 1968-1980; D--Robert Gottlieb, 1949-1984; E--Ashbel Green, 1957-1984;
F--Carol Brown Janeway, 1970-1983; G--Judith Jones, 1926-1980, bulk 1958-1977;
H--William A. Koshland, 1935-1982, bulk 1967-1976; I--Michael Magzis, 1967-1976;
J--Anne McCormick, 1966-1982; K--Nancy Nicholas, 1948-1984, bulk 1970-1980; L--Dan
Okrent, 1949-1974, bulk 1967-1974; M--Regina Ryan, 1919-1976, bulk 1967-1974;
N--Harold Strauss, 1950-1981, bulk 1966-1974; O--Herbert Weinstock, 1950-1971,
bulk 1967-1971; P--Sophie Wilkins, 1927-1972, bulk 1969-1972; and Q--Vicky Wilson,
1967-1983. Although many of these subseries are incomplete, they document the
range of books edited by these people. |
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The editorial files consist largely of correspondence, with both an incoming
letter and carbon copy response from the editor, but they also contain
internal forms and memoranda that follow both the internal and external
processes of book publication (hereafter refered to as "internal
documentation"). The presence of this internal paperwork distinguishes this
series from the General Correspondence files. The editors' files contain the
following: copyright documentation; correspondence from authors, agents, and
foreign publishers; dust jackets; fan mail; galleys; internal notes and
memoranda; jacket and flap copy drafts; manufacturing schedules and
estimates; manuscript materials (mostly photocopied with some handwritten
changes); negatives; newspaper clippings; photographs; profit statements;
proof sheets; reader's reports; schedules; slides; transparencies; and
internal forms such as author questionnaires, book club date forms, contract
data sheets, contract proposals, contract Summaries, editorial Fact Sheets,
manuscript records, manuscript transmittal data sheets, planning cards (for
production, sales, and advertising), production & sales planning cards,
publishing proposals, and publishing summary forms. |
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Each subseries contains alphabetically arranged files for the authors with
whom the editors worked. Some editors maintained miscellaneous letter files
consisting of correspondence with writers, fans, and aspiring authors. The
different filing systems used by each editor reveals their interests and
their position at the firm. For example, the files of William A. Koshland,
which differ markedly from the rest of the editors' files, reflect his
position as administrator rather than hands-on editor. Some editors are also
better represented than others; while Angus Cameron's files are almost
complete, those of Michael Magzis and Anne McCormick contain only a few
selected folders. |
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Although the total date range of the series is very broad, the preponderance
of files spans the late 1960s through the early 1980s. Files with date spans
prior to 1957 generally contain old contracts or correspondence that have
been added for reference purposes. Subseries for editors Angus Cameron,
Charles Elliott, Robert Gottlieb, Ashbel Green, and William Koshland have
more than one alphabetical sequence, reflecting the way they retired their
inactive files. |
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A long-term strength of the Knopf firm has been the expertise and interests
of its editors. This publishing advantage is clearly revealed in this
series, which covers books on hunting, nature and the environment, sailing,
cooking, Japanese literature, music, European and American literature,
photography, and many other subjects. Further, newer editors took over the
files of retiring employees, thus directing established Knopf authors in new
ways. |
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This series lacks some of the files of the current Knopf authors. Since some
of these writers continue to be published by the firm, their files are still
in use in New York. For example, although Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire was edited by Vicky Wilson, her file
is not present. |
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Subseries A. Angus Cameron, 1873-1984, bulk 1960-1978
(boxes 735-787) |
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The Angus Cameron subseries comprises three alphabetical groupings,
divided by year into 1960-1970, 1972-1977, and 1976-1982; the 53 document
boxes span Cameron's years at the firm. Books present in this subseries
cover the subjects of nature, hunting, politics, Western history, and
the American experience. |
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While the first alphabetical group contains only named author files, the
second and third also contain miscellaneous letter files. The named
author files contain both correspondence and internal documentation. Of
particular interest in these files are the notes Cameron made to himself
on index cards as he was working with authors. Cameron's long-term
associations with people in the literary world also stand out.
Correspondents of note include Hal Borland, C. Gregory Crampton, Arnold
Gingrich, William Goetzmann, Ben K. Green, Sterling Hayden, Rodello
Hunter, Sigurd Olsen, Rachel Peden, and Andy Russell. The miscellaneous
files contain routine correspondence with aspiring authors and
prospective employees, usually rejected by Cameron. While most incoming
letters have a carbon copy response from Cameron with them, in some
cases it is necessary to check the back of the actual letter for his
response. |
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The last alphabetical group contains fewer new authors, focusing on
projects that began before 1976 and continued through the early 1980s.
These files document Cameron's continuing role as editorial consultant
after his retirement from the firm. |
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Subseries B. Charles Elliott, 1908-1984, bulk
1971-1982 (boxes 788-811) |
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Charles Elliott joined Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. as senior editor in 1973.
His files, comprising 23 document boxes, consist of two sub-subseries,
the first dating 1971-1978, and the second 1978-1984. |
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The first sub-subseries consists largely of correspondence with authors
or their agents or foreign publishers. Topics include Asian literature,
photography, botany, animals, health, and twentieth-century American
history. Some of Elliott's files originally belonged to other editors;
for example, he took responsibility for Asian books after Harold
Strauss' retirement in 1974. As a result the files of Kobo Abe and Yukio
Mishima can be found here. Elliott also edited Alistair Cooke. |
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Elliott's second sub-subseries of files contains less correspondence and
consists largely of internal documentation. A few files contain only
clippings. Additionally, some files are divided into two folders, the
first labeled "Production" (internal paperwork and some correspondence)
and the second titled "Publicity" (clippings and comments on the book).
Elliott's work with other publishers is well documented here; for
example, he edited a series of nature books with Chanticleer Press and a
series of photography handbooks with Dorling Kindersley. |
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Subseries C. Lee Goerner, 1968-1980 (boxes
812-813) |
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Lee Goerner joined the firm in 1973 as the assistant to editor-in-chief
Robert Gottlieb. Two document boxes of files document this relationship
as well as Goerner's contacts with Angus Cameron. While not consisting
of titles that Goerner himself edited, the files were maintained by him.
Topics covered in these files include contemporary fiction, nature
writing, and outdoor sports. A strength of this subseries is the
presence of some author manuscripts, like those of David Rabe and Tim
Mason Smith. |
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Subseries D. Robert Gottlieb, 1949-1984 (boxes
814-827) |
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Robert Gottlieb joined the firm in 1968 as editor-in-chief and
vice-president, and was president of the firm from 1973-1987. These 14
document boxes reflect his work as an editor. They are divided into two
alphabetical groups, the first dating 1968-1975 and the second
1976-1984. |
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Both sets of files contain internal documentation and correspondence with
foreign publishers, with little, if any, actual correspondence with the
author named on the folder. Gottlieb edited a number of important
fiction writers such as Melvyn Bragg, Evan S. Connell, Diane Johnson,
and Chaim Potok, and he also worked on biographies and books on dance.
At least one file, that of Robert Nicolson, originally belonged to
Blanche Knopf. |
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Subseries E. Ashbel Green, 1957-1984 (boxes
827-839) |
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Ashbel Green joined the firm in 1964 as managing editor and has served as
vice-president and senior editor since 1973. His files are divided into
two groups, reflecting his different job titles. |
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Approximately three document boxes comprise the first group of files in
this subseries. Labeled "General Author Folders" and spanning the years
1965-1970, they primarily contain internal documentation relating to the
publication of a book, with little, if any, correspondence. Subjects
covered in these files include suspense fiction, Russian literature and
history, and early American history. Since many of these files relate to
long-term Knopf authors (e.g., James M. Cain, George Harmon Coxe,
Laurence Gipson, and Richard Hofstadter) and new editions of older
books, correspondence from Alfred A. Knopf is also present in some of
these files. |
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The second group of files in this subseries, consisting of approximately
ten document boxes, contains named author files with correspondence and
internal documentation. Subjects covered include Russian history,
American history, and suspense, with a small amount of nature writing
and books on sailing. In addition, Green oversaw the publication of
Latino literature and other ethnic studies in the late 1970s. Authors of
note in this subseries are Fawn Brodie, John Graves, Roy Medvedev, Abram
L. Sachar, and Thomas Sanchez. |
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Subseries F. Carol Brown Janeway, 1970-1983 (boxes
839-847) |
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Carol Brown Janeway joined the firm as editor and British rights manager
in 1970. Robert Gottlieb referred to her as "our English editor."
Approximately nine document boxes of named author files document her
close ties to the British literary community as well her work as an
editor of English and European writers. |
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These files contain mostly correspondence with a small amount of internal
documentation. The largest amount of correspondence in these files is
not with authors, but with European publishers. Subjects covered include
English and European history, literature, and social history, opera,
photography, and biographies. |
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Subseries G. Judith Jones, 1926-1980, bulk 1958-1977 (boxes 847-859) |
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Judith Jones joined the firm in 1957 as an editor, and was senior editor
and Vice-President as of 1996. She is well-known for the works of
fiction and the cookbooks she has edited. |
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The subseries comprises two types of files, arranged in one alphabetical
sequence, one of which contains mainly internal documentation with
little correspondence. These "general author files" date from the 1960s.
Some of these files came from Blanche Knopf's office originally, as
Jones worked closely with Mrs. Knopf. Of special interest in these files
is the presence of some manuscript material; for example, the Elizabeth
Bowen file contains a number of draft changes on her novel Eva Trout. |
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The other folders in this subseries span later dates, mostly the 1970s.
They consist largely of correspondence with authors, foreign publishers,
and agents. Very little internal documentation is available in these
files. Authors of importance in this subseries include Elizabeth Bowen,
M. F. K. Fisher, Shirley Ann Grau, Shelby Hearon, Margaret Laurence,
Anne Tyler, and John Updike. Two document cases of files for John Updike
follow his career in the late 1960s. Since some of this Updike
correspondence came directly from the General Correspondence files,
letters from Alfred and Blanche Knopf and William A. Koshland document
Updike's close relationship with the firm. Other subjects covered by
Jones besides fiction and cookbooks include poetry, European travel, and
feminism. |
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Among the folders in this subseries not related to a specific author is a
file titled Manuscript Rejections (which is filled with correspondence
from aspiring authors) and a file for Ed Victor, a former Knopf editor
(containing correspondence from publishers and agents). The last file in
this subseries contains misfiled correspondence removed from Jones'
files during processing. These have been included in the correspondents
index. |
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Subseries H. William A. Koshland, 1935-1982, bulk
1967-1976 (boxes 859-898) |
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William A. Koshland has been with Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. since 1934. He
succeeded Blanche Knopf as President of the firm in 1966 and later
became Chairman of the Board. As of 1996, he was Chairman Emeritus. |
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The subseries has been separated into ten alphabetical sequences, grouped
by year, covering the years 1967-1980. The files are divided into
miscellaneous letter files, and the years 1967-1977 have named files as
well. Letters A-M in the 1973-1974 group are not present. After 1977 the
amount of correspondence in the files shrinks considerably. For example,
the 1967 sequence consists of approximately seven document boxes while
the 1980 sequence comprises only three folders. |
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Koshland's files are atypical from the other editorial files in this
series. They resemble the General Correspondence files, and should be
thought of as an extension of that series. His files focus on everyday
activities at the firm and reflect his administrative position rather
than actual editing responsibilities. |
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The miscellaneous letter folders document Koshland's day-to-day
activities. Types of correspondence generally found in this subseries
are requests from foreign publishers for Knopf book rights, initial
contacts with authors, internal memos, and day-to-day correspondence
with the public. Correspondence in many of these files documents that
literary agents, scouts, and publishers sent manuscripts or proofs of
books directly to Koshland, who assigned them to readers. If accepted,
the books were placed with an editor; if not, Koshland sent a rejection
letter found in this subseries. Unlike the rest of this series, William
Koshland's files contain very little internal documentation. |
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The named files in this subseries do not consist solely of author names.
In many cases the files consist of correspondence with foreign
publishers or literary agents, e.g., Jenny Bradley, Eyre &
Spottiswoode, and Grace Dadd. Generally these files contain information
about foreign editions of Knopf titles, or express the firm's interest
in new English and European writers. |
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Koshland's files containing correspondence with authors tend not to
relate directly to the publication of a title, but to reflect more
general administrative matters. For example, the firm's problems with
the author Peter Gay are chronicled in this subseries. Also, the authors
listed in this subseries, such as Elizabeth Bowen, John Hersey, Robert
Nathan, and John Updike, generally have long-term contacts with the
firm. Since some of these files originated in the General Correspondence
series, correspondence with Alfred and Blanche Knopf is present in some
of these files. |
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Many folders labeled with an author's name contain little if any actual
correspondence with that author. Instead, they are likely to contain
correspondence with other publishers interested in new editions, fan
mail, or internal memoranda "for the record." Yet, these files sometimes
contain extremely important material, such as reader's reports and sales
information. For that reason, subject files in this subseries have been
added to the correspondents index. |
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Subseries I. Michael Magzis, 1967-1976 (boxes
899-900) |
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The fact that Michael Magzis' files were scattered in other editors'
files was brought to the attention of the cataloging staff by editor
Ashbel Green. The Magzis files were pulled from other editors' files,
resulting in a very small collection of eight folders. These files
contain both correspondence and internal documentation, and cover the
following subjects: psychology, mystery novels, biography, short
fiction, and biology. |
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Subseries J. Anne McCormick, 1966-1982 (box 900) |
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This tiny subseries, containing only three folders, reflects a small part
of the firm's contact with Brazilian authors. It consists of both
correspondence and internal documentation for Jorge Amado, Moacir Lopes,
and Pedro Nova. All three files document conflicts between Alfred A.
Knopf and Robert Gottlieb over whether the writers' work should be
published. |
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Subseries K. Nancy Nicholas, 1948-1984, bulk 1970-1980
(boxes 900-906) |
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Nancy Nicholas served as an editor at Knopf from 1967-1985, and these six
document boxes of named author files focus on her achievements in the
1970s and early 1980s. |
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This subseries is particularly strong in the field of literature, as
Nicholas edited important European and American writers such as Ray
Bradbury, Margaret Drabble, Milan Kundera, and Marge Piercy, among
others. Nicholas' correspondence with Kundera, dating from the period
when his works were still being smuggled out of Czechoslovakia, is
particularly revealing, since the two developed a close relationship
through the mail. Also of note is a 1948 reader's report for Ray
Bradbury, rejecting a collection of short stories (see file 900.9). Some
of Nicholas' files originated in the offices of noted fiction editors
Harold Strauss and Robert Gottlieb. Other topics of interest in
Nicholas' files include art, linguistics and language studies, and
French history. Nicholas also had close contacts with the French
publishing world, and edited both fiction and non-fiction books
originally published in France. |
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Subseries L. Dan Okrent, 1949-1974, bulk 1967-1974
(boxes 906-907) |
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Dan Okrent was an editor at Knopf from 1969-1973. The subseries contains
only seven folders, all of which had a note from Okrent to Knopf
employee Sally Waitkins stapled to the front asking her to handle them
(these notes are now on top of each file). Okrent's area of expertise
was non-fiction, and most of these folders contain materials on books
chronicling the 1960s, from the sexual revolution to hippies to
Vietnam. |
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Subseries M. Regina Ryan, 1919-1976, bulk 1967-1974
(boxes 907-914) |
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Over seven document boxes of files contain named and miscellaneous letter
files maintained by editor Regina Ryan, who joined the firm as Herbert
Weinstock's assistant in 1964 and served as editor from 1967-1975. |
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Most of the files in this subseries are labeled by author, and they
contain correspondence as well as a small amount of internal
documentation. Some have been subdivided into separate files denoted
"correspondence," "editorial," "publicity," and other distinguishing
titles. Of particular interest are Ryan's notes to herself about plot
and character development. Some of the earlier files originated in
Sidney Jacob's office. |
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This subseries is dominated by the many books Ryan edited on sailing and
feminism. Other topics represented are American fiction, politics,
architecture, crafts, environmental issues, and wine and cooking. In
addition, Ryan served as long-term Knopf author Robert Nathan's editor
in the early 1970s. |
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Other named files in this subseries derive from Ryan's travels around the
country and detail the contacts she made there. Examples of these are
files labeled California, Appalachia, Washington, D.C., and
California. |
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A collection of miscellaneous letter files completes Ryan's files. These
consist largely of rejection letters, written directly to either an
aspiring author or agent. A negative reader's report may also be
included. While the material in these files is generally routine,
correspondence with noted author Rita Mae Brown, who despairs of finding
a publisher for her lesbian novel, Rubyfruit
Jungle (see file 907.7), is of particular interest. |
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Subseries N. Harold Strauss, 1950-1981, bulk 1966-1974
(boxes 914-917) |
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Harold Strauss joined Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. in 1939 as an associate
editor. From 1942-1966 he was editor-in-chief, and acted as consulting
editor from 1966-1974. This small collection of files (four document
boxes) reflects Strauss' work in the late 1960s and early 1970s, leading
up to his retirement in 1974. |
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The miscellaneous letter files make up the largest part of this
subseries, consisting of correspondence with authors and literary
agents, highlighted by internal memoranda. A small group of named files
contains correspondence with authors and translators, as well as
internal documentation relating to their books. |
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Both sets of files reflect Strauss' long-term interest in Japan and the
Far East. A letter in this subseries from Strauss to Frederick Warburg
relates how he became interested in Japanese literature (see file
916.4). Contacts with translators and Japanese publishers are found
throughout this subseries. Of particular importance are the multiple
folders for Yasunari Kawabata and Yukio Mishima. The Kawabata files
contain paperwork relating to his novels Beauty
and Sadness, The Master of
Go, and The Sound of the
Mountain. A file of correspondence with Kawabata and his
translator, Edward Seidensticker, covers the period up to and beyond the
author's suicide. The Mishima files also contain correspondence with the
author and translator covering Mishima's death. An important letter from
Strauss to Frederick Warburg (see file 916.3) reveals Strauss' memories
of Mishima and his opinions on the author's suicide. |
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Subjects covered in addition to Japanese literature and society are
United States history, government, and literature, as well as biology
and anthropology. Other named files not related to specific authors
include a file on Japan with lists of people and books of interest to
Strauss. A folder titled Pink Cards contains trade publication proposal
forms with additional paperwork for many of the books Strauss
edited. |
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Subseries O. Herbert Weinstock, 1950-1971, bulk
1967-1971 (boxes 918-921) |
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Herbert Weinstock was executive editor at Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. from
1943-59 and a consulting editor from 1963-1971. His work for the firm from
the late 1960s until his sudden death in 1971 is reflected in this
subseries of four document boxes. |
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The subseries consists mainly of named folders with a smaller run of
miscellaneous alphabetical files. Folders for the letter "D" are not
present. The miscellaneous letter files contain correspondence with
aspiring authors and agents, and internal memos regarding rejected
manuscripts or books in progress. Contents of the named folders include
correspondence and internal documentation. Some of these folders were
divided by Weinstock between "correspondence" and "working" files,
separating the letters from the internal paperwork. |
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As Weinstock himself was a highly regarded music writer, his list
contains many illustrious names, including academics and European
writers such as German Arciniegas, Pierre Boulez, Alejo Carpentier,
Jacques Ellul, Irving Kolodin, and François Nourissier. Some files were
originally Blanche Knopf's, particularly those of French writers, and
passed to Weinstock after her death. Subjects covered include music,
belles lettres, the arts, and history. |
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Subseries P. Sophie Wilkins, 1927-1972, bulk 1969-1972,
(boxes 922-924) |
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|
Three document boxes of named and miscellaneous letter files document
Sophie Wilkins' tenure at Knopf. About one-third of Wilkins' files are
miscellaneous letter files, but they are far from complete. Files for
the letters H, I, J, L, M, and N are not present. The miscellaneous
letter files contain correspondence, mostly from aspiring authors,
literary agents, and other literary contacts. The named author files
also contain correspondence as well as internal paperwork and some
manuscript material. Very little author correspondence exists; instead,
there is usually correspondence with a book's translator and literary
agent. |
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|
Both types of files in this subseries are generally geared toward
translations of German authors. Topics covered include German fiction
and non-fiction (especially sociology), contemporary politics,
biography, and theater. Of particular interest are six Thomas Mann
files, which cover the publication of Mann letters by Richard and Clara
Winston. There are photocopies and typed copies of Mann letters in these
files. |
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|
Wilkins also maintained contact with writers originally edited by Angus
Cameron. |
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|
Subseries Q. Vicky Wilson, 1967-1983 (boxes
925-932) |
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|
Eight document boxes of correspondence contain Vicky Wilson's author
files. Most have been divided by function into multiple files labeled
Copy, Editorial, Legal, Permissions, Publicity, Production, and Reviews.
As a result, Wilson's files fully document the production of a book. Of
particular interest are her memoranda with Robert Gottlieb chronicling
the progress of a manuscript. Although spanning three decades, the bulk
of these files date from the mid-1970s. |
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|
Wilson edited books of American fiction, photography, film, folk arts and
crafts, and art. The relationship she developed with some of her authors
is well documented in this subseries. For example, her working
relationship with Alice Adams became a close friendship in time. |
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|
Of particular interest in this subseries is a small Anne Rice file. It
consists of a few items found misfiled in other authors' files that were
brought together by the cataloger. In this folder a letter from Rice
describes her plot development for Interview with
the Vampire (1976) and includes a response from Wilson (see
file 932.14). |
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|
Series VI. Editorial Department Files, 1930-1984, bulk
1948-1978 (boxes 933-1172) |
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This series consists of selected files maintained by the editorial offices of
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. It is made up of six subseries: A. Contract Data
Sheets, B. Foreign Rights, C. Manuscript Records, D. Reject Files, E.
Rejection Sheets, and F. [Translations]. Containing internal forms and
correspondence, the series highlights numerous aspects of the publishing
process. Subseries D and E, which make up the bulk of the series (195 of 240
document boxes), relate to the rejection of incoming manuscripts. The other
subseries are smaller and less complete, but they reveal financial
information (subseries A), the initial interest in manuscripts later
published by Knopf (subseries C), and the complicated process of
translations and foreign publication (subseries B & F). |
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|
A strength of this series derives from the way the subseries complement each
other. Both subseries C (Manuscript Records) and subseries E (Rejection
Sheets) contain the "white sheet" form used by the firm for each manuscript
submission. The forms in subseries C relate only to published manuscripts
and subseries E is reserved for those rejected by the firm. Similarly,
subseries D (Reject Files) and subseries E (Rejection Sheets) together offer
two sides of the rejection process. The Reject Files contain the
correspondence with the aspiring author or agent and the Reject Sheets
reveal the firm's candid opinions of the quality of the manuscript. While
incomplete and somewhat scattered, the series contains important records of
the firm's treatment of new titles. If used in conjunction with other
series, the entire publishing process can be observed. |
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|
Subseries A. Contract Data Sheets, 1948-1984, bulk
1948-1970 (boxes 933-936) |
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|
This subseries contains the internal forms, called contract data sheets,
that consolidated an author's contract and sales record, highlighting
rights, contract options, translations, and royalties. While these
single sheets make up the bulk of the subseries, occasionally other
forms such as reprint contract sheets, contract proposals, and internal
memoranda have been attached for reference. Arranged alphabetically by
author in general letter folders, the subseries covers the years 1949-1971
and the letters M-Z. The letters A-L are not present. A final folder,
labelled "1984" (see file 936.3), contains forms from that year. |
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|
An August 29, 1984 letter from Eleanor Carlucci to HRC director Decherd
Turner explains the importance of the contract data sheets to the
firm: |
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|
The contract data sheets are interesting for many reasons. A file
going back many years will show how advances, from paperback houses
especially, soared astronomically a few years ago and are now
settling down, how many new book clubs there are every year, what
types of books are always of interest -- Hersey, Cain, Chandler,
Undset -- and are constantly resold, either to the same publisher or
to another, and what kind of books, old and new, are of interest to
foreign publishers.
|
|
|
Subseries B. Foreign Rights, 1955-1983, bulk 1965-1976
(boxes 936-957) |
|
|
The Foreign Rights files contain correspondence and internal forms
relating to the publication of Knopf books in other countries. Arranged
by year (1965-1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, and 1980-1981) and filed
alphabetically by author, each file pertains to one author and one
book. |
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|
Most of these files consist of correspondence (incoming letter and
outgoing carbon copy) from foreign publishers asking Alfred A. Knopf,
Inc., for the right to publish a particular title in their country.
These letters of inquiry come from England, Europe, Asia, Latin America,
and the Middle East, and the number of correspondents reveals the amount
of international interest a title generated. While some folders contain
letters from many different publishers, others follow the lengthy
negotiation process for foreign rights between Knopf and a particular
publisher. Other files pertain to joint publishing ventures, most often
with English publishers. Also, a very few folders, such as those for
Mrs. William A. Bradley (see file 936.19) and Grace Dadd (see file
937.12), contain correspondence with trusted literary agents who
apprised the firm of new titles and writers from France and England. |
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|
Subseries C. Manuscript Records, 1930-1979, bulk
1941-1968 (boxes 957-963) |
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|
This subseries is made up of the internal forms called "white sheets" by
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. These manuscript record forms were attached to
every incoming manuscript, whether rejected or accepted, to document how
the manuscript was received by the firm. The subseries has been arranged
alphabetically by author's name, and pertains only to manuscripts
accepted by the firm. The standard form included such information as the
author's name, manuscript title and form (whether typescript, proofs, or
sheets), original submission date, name of the person submitting it,
contract information, a list of the manuscript's readers, and a space
for remarks by those readers (often on the back of the form, although
many have been expanded to multiple page narratives). Manuscripts were
generally read by editors and professional readers, although academics
were sometimes called in for non-fiction. Alfred and Blanche Knopf also
examined some submissions. In a few cases the white sheets were attached
to internal memoranda, correspondence, contract proposals or publishing
summaries. |
|
|
Although not extensive (slightly under 7 document boxes), the manuscript
records offer a revealing look into the process of book acceptance. As
each reader read and commented upon a manuscript, they wrote plot
summaries, pointed out the strengths and weaknesses of the work, offered
advice on possible audiences, and commented on their opinion of the
author's talent. Because the manuscript records were entirely internal
forms, the readers were often quite blunt. Ross Macdonald's manuscript
"The Snatch" (published by Knopf as The Moving
Target in 1949) elicited from reader E. Goodwin the
following comment: |
|
|
I can't see much reason to go on publishing Millar [MacDonald was
Kenneth Millar's pseudonym]. His sales record - Blue City 4300, Three Roads 4200 - certainly is not impressive and I
don't think the present offering could even be expected to do as
well. It strikes me as being of a pot boiler level that only a
writer with an established following - such as G. H. Coxe - could
turn out and expect to get away with and Millar just isn't in that
class...
If Millar intends - and thinks he can - to write a serious story, why
doesn't he get to it? But if he insists on writing mystery stories,
then he has got to come down off his high horse and realize that
second best effort, at least his,
just isn't good enough. My impression is that he thinks the mystery
story really beneath him and that over-weening conceit and pride
keep him from realizing that even in this field a writer has got to
work hard to get anywhere... (see file 961.1).
|
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|
Readers' opinions could also be quite positive, and even prescient. For
example, the form for John Updike's Rabbit,
Run contains the following quote from a long narrative
report by editor and reader Angus Cameron in 1960: |
|
|
Pete Lemay has been urging me for some time to read the Updike
novel..I can say one thing: for me it is the best novel of this
generation of American novelists I have read...I think Harry
Angstrom [the protagonist of Rabbit,
Run] is destined to come into the language the way
Babbitt did, or more recently as Holden Caulfield did (see file
963.5).
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For prolific authors like George Harmon Coxe and Conrad Richter, numerous
forms follow their literary careers over decades. |
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Subseries D. Reject Files, 1933-1968, bulk 1952-1968,
(boxes 964-1115) |
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This largest subseries (151 document boxes) contains correspondence with
rejected authors and/or their agents. The series is organized
chronologically, with each year arranged alphabetically. In a few
instances, correspondence from previous years has been brought forward
for background information on manuscripts submitted previously (see the
container list for datespans). A very few aspiring authors were assigned
their own files; most are contained within files labeled by letter.
Because of this arrangement, correspondence with the same person or
agent is scattered throughout the series. Only two files cover the years
1944-51, whereas the years 1952-1968 are generally complete. These files
are not present: 1953, A-K; 1966, Q-R, Tho-Y; and 1968, A-M. |
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The bulk of this subseries consists of single contacts with aspiring
authors who were never published. This correspondence generally contains
an introductory letter from the author (or sometimes an agent)
describing her or his manuscript, with a carbon negative reply from the
firm. In a few cases, the correspondence is longer, generally when the
company expressed an early interest, but ultimately came to a decision
against the work. |
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While most of this correspondence is routine, the subseries' chief
importance derives from the known authors that Knopf rejected and the
early appearance of authors who would later go on to prominence. Of
particular interest is the appearance in this subseries of established
Knopf authors such as Mildred Cram, Erna Fergusson, Yukio Mishima, and
Elizabeth Taylor, showing that Knopf was reluctant to publish inferior
works from even the best known of its list. Further, a heavy presence of
European and Asian writers is found in this subseries. Offered through
agents, these writers were known in their own countries but were not
considered publishable in the United States. While not listed in the
correspondence index, a selected list of important names from this
subseries can be found in Appendix I. |
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Subseries E. Rejection Sheets, 1931-1983, bulk
1948-1974 (boxes 1116-1170) |
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This subseries consists of the manuscript "white sheet" forms for books
rejected by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. The files are grouped by date range
(1948-1959, 1960-1964, 1965-1969, and 1970-1974) and arranged alphabetically by
author's name within each group. Like subseries C, the white rejection
sheets are forms containing information on author's name, manuscript
title and form (whether typescript, proofs or sheets), name of the
person submitting it, a list of the manuscript's readers, and a space
for comments on the work. A few forms are accompanied by correspondence
(such as a letter of recommendation for the author), narrative
manuscript abstracts, internal notes, and blue manuscript reader's
forms. The letters C-H for 1970-1974 are not present. |
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Although this subseries complements subseries D, and can be used in
conjunction with it, the rejection sheets only cover manuscripts that
were actually submitted to the firm, unlike the Reject Files, which
include correspondence with people sending plot synopses and proposing
story ideas. |
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In a few cases, numerous submissions can be found under an author's name;
this occurred when an author submitted a number of works that were
rejected; some rejection sheets cover a long date span, as an aspiring
author's manuscripts were rejected year after year. Important
submissions can be found in these groupings; Walker Percy's heavily
annotated white sheet for The Moviegoer
(which was published by Knopf) has been attached to a rejection sheet
for an unpublished manuscript titled Symbol and Existence: A Study in
Meaning (see file 1159.3). |
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The reject sheets are also particularly interesting because a substantial
minority of submitted manuscripts that were rejected by Alfred A. Knopf,
Inc. went on to be published elsewhere. A highlight of this subseries,
as with the manuscript records, derives from the frank narrative reports
of these rejected works by the manuscript readers and editors. Many
forms have been highly annotated, particularly when a manuscript sparked
initial interest but was later rejected, such as The Diary of Anne Frank. Both established Knopf authors,
such as Jorge Amado, Kahlil Gibran, and Mikhail Sholokhov, as well as
upcoming writers, such as Alice Adams, Michael Ondaatje, and John
Kennedy Toole, are present in this subseries. A selected list of
important author's names present in these files can be found in Appendix
I. |
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A further examination of this subseries reveals an interesting fact about
the readers of these submissions. While many readers were Knopf editors
and longtime literary contacts like Gerstle Mack, Lewis Hanke, and
Wilson Follett, others came from the Columbia University campus, again
illustrating the close ties between Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. and the
academic community. By using established authorities in the field as
manuscript readers, the firm was assured of publishing only the best
works in history, sociology, biography, and science. |
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Another interesting aspect of these files, also duplicated in subseries
D, concerns the large representation of English, European, and Latin
American writers. Knopf's reputation as a publisher of foreign titles
encouraged publishers throughout the world to send books to the firm for
possible American publication. With many submissions, Knopf could afford
to be very choosy. Accordingly, this subseries includes rejections of
established foreign authors. |
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Subseries F. [Translations], 1961-1978 (boxes
1171-1172) |
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This small subseries (two boxes only) contains a loose assortment of
files pertaining mainly to translations of Spanish and Portuguese
writers. Originally titled "Spanish Translations - Jane Garrett, ed."
and in no particular order, the subseries was renamed and arranged by
the archivist alphabetically. Most of the files originated in the office
of foreign editor Jane Garrett; others were maintained by President
William A. Koshland. |
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The subseries documents the firm's growing interest in the publication of
Latin American writers in the 1960s. Most of the files contain
correspondence or internal documentation relating to writers and
translators in whom the company was interested. Correspondents include
long-time literary contacts such as Charity Cole, Karna S. Wilgus, and
Harriet De Onis, as well as historians of the region, potential
translators, and authors. Of especial note are the internal records and
notes that reveal the firm's interest in particular writers. The
subseries is strengthened by a number of annotated lists of current
writers and translators working in the area, offering an overview of the
state of Latin American publishing in the 1960s. As the firm's interest
in the area was spearheaded by Alfred A. Knopf, the subseries is replete
with memoranda on his signature pink notepaper. For example, in an
August 29, 1969 memo to Jane Garrett, he writes: "At the risk of
repeating myself, our most important and immediate piece of business is
to find the right translator for Amado. We cannot fool around with this
or risk getting anything that is not the very best" (see file
1171.4). |
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The subseries also contains a small number of files relating to
translations of languages other than Spanish and Portuguese. Consisting
primarily of correspondence with potential translators, the files reveal
the editorial problems created by translations, and the firm's
commitment to the highest quality translated texts. |
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Series VII. Other Department Files, 1916-1996, bulk
1943-1968 (boxes 1173-1514) |
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This series contains selected files created outside of the Editorial
Department, which dominates the rest of the collection. It is comprised of
three subseries: A. Publicity Department, 1916-1995, bulk 1943-1968, B. Sales
Department, 1939-1970, bulk 1948-1959, and C. College Department, 1951-1990, bulk
1951-1959. The series contains only two boxes of materials from the Sales and
College Departments, with the great majority of the files (339 boxes)
originating from the Publicity Department. |
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Subseries A. Publicity Department, 1916-1996, bulk
1943-1968 (boxes 1173-1513) |
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The Publicity Department subseries is made up of eight sub-subseries: 1.
Publicity Files, 1916-1967, bulk 1943-1958; 2. Permanent Title Folders,
1916-1983, bulk 1955-1968; 3. W. T. Loverd Title Folders, 1968-1970, bulk
1969; 4. Fall 1984 Title Folders, 1983-1985; 5. Fall 1985 Title Folders,
1984-1986; 6. Jane Becker Friedman, 1966-1988, bulk 1975-1976 and 1983-1984; 7.
Author Questionnaires Pre-1960, 1929-1965, bulk 1948-1955; and 8. General
Promotional Materials, 1923-1995. |
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Publicity Files and Permanent Title Folders represent the vast majority
of the Publicity Department subseries and are differentiated only by
bulk date ranges. The Author Questionnaires and General Promotional
Materials sub-subseries contain the same types of items found in
Publicity Files and Permanent Title Folders. It is unknown why the
Author Questionnaires were maintained seperately. The General
Promotional Materials subseries was established and arranged by the
archivist from items previously maintained in the Vertical Files and
duplicates culled from the Publicity Files and Permanent Title Folders.
The remaining sub-subseries (W. T. Loverd, Fall 1984 and Fall 1985 Title
Folders, and Jane Becker Friedman) originated from the offices of
publicity managers W. T. Loverd and Jane Becker Friedman. |
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Publicity Department files chronicle the activities and concerns of
editors, authors, administrators, and publicity department personnel in
the struggle to market their titles and bring authors and the company to
international attention and acclaim. A vast selection of materials,
including artwork, biographical information, book jackets,
correspondence, clippings, memos, photographs, publication and planning
forms, and reviews combine to give the user a comprehensive view of the
promotional process. The materials allow a glimpse into the growth of
the company as authors were drawn into the fold, as editors and staff
shouldered more responsibility, and later, as authors began
participating more consistently in the promotion of their books. The
Publicity Subseries contains selected materials from as early as 1916,
predating the file purge which eliminated most pre-1945 editorial
files. |
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Sub-subseries 1. Publicity Files, 1916-1967,
bulk 1943-1958 (boxes 1173-1289) |
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Sub-subseries 2. Permanent Title Folders,
1916-1983, bulk 1955-1968 (boxes 1290-1494) |
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Following the original filing and folder naming systems, these two
sub-subseries are arranged alphabetically by author and then by
title. Each title has several types of "activity" files, usually
broken down into three categories: |
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- 1. Bio. - primarily biographical information, author
questionnaires, photographs, and negatives;
- 2. Clippings - including newspaper and magazine reviews and
articles, service-provided review round-ups, radio scripts, and
obituaries;
- 3. Perm. - rich in book jackets, production and planning
forms, editorial fact sheets, press releases, advance orders,
and notes on special markets. Often, one general Perm. folder is
filed at the end of the author's folders, containing a
collection of materials from all titles.
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Occasionally authors have additional "activity" files labeled Advance
or Correspondence. Advance files contain advance copy lists,
biographical information, book jackets, editorial fact sheets, press
releases, and reviews, while files labeled Correspondence usually
contain requests to other authors or field experts for promotional
blurbs, author responses, publication announcements, memos,
receipts, and orders for review copies. Another unusual category is
the "subject activity" file. For example, Albert Camus' folders
include files labeled Nobel Prize which contain clippings, a
manuscript record, memos, and an acceptance speech printed by
Thistle Press in January, 1958 (see file 1316.5). |
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The integrity of all the "activity" file divisions was not
consistently maintained by company employees. Materials were
frequently moved from one folder to another, and may have been used
as information sources or prototypes for creating new promotional
items. Also, Permanent Title Folders (sub-subseries 2) often have
all files consolidated into one Bio., Clipping, or Perm. file. Users
are encouraged to inspect all files relating to an author to ensure
that they view all materials on any given title. Together, these two
large sub-subseries provide a vivid portrait of the depth of concern
the firm held for the success of their authors and the often massive
promotional effort afforded their titles. |
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Both the Publicity Files and Permanent Title Folders sub-subseries
are rich in materials used in the promotion of Knopf authors,
including advertisements and brochures, artwork, biographical
materials (often handwritten by the author), book jackets and copy,
blurbs from authors and bookseller comments, correspondence,
galleys, interviews, invitations, itineraries for public
appearances, newsletters, office memos, photographs and negatives,
plate proofs, press releases, printing contracts, radio scripts,
reviews, and selective bibliographies. Also included are an
astonishing array of forms offering routine publication information
for titles, such as author questionnaires, cost and distribution
sheets for announcements and advertisements, editorial fact sheets,
galley and manuscript reports, materials from public relations
companies, order and review lists, planning cards, publication
plans, readers' reports, and reprint orders. Some of these forms,
such as galley and manuscript reports, offer candid opinions on
readability and sales potential by sales persons, editors, and
Alfred A. and Blanche Knopf. Author questionnaires are also a
valuable resource, providing autobiographical information often
typed or handwritten by the author. |
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The Alfred A. Knopf publishing company boasts a number of
distinguished authors among its lists and the Publicity
Files/Permanent Title Folders sub-subseries document the building
and shaping of a number of author/firm relationships. For example,
Langston Hughes, an award-winning African-American author
recommended to the Knopfs by Carl Van Vechten, brought a measure of
notoriety to the firm with his books, poetry, lectures, and readings
accompanied by notable jazz artists such as the Thelonius Monk Trio.
Materials chronicling his career with Knopf include review copy
lists representing a veritable who's who of prominent black writers,
media figures, publicists, historians, educators, entertainers,
newspapers, and magazines (see file 1379.3). Heavily involved in the
promotion of his own works, Hughes provided the firm with advice on
how to market the work of a black author. |
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Although the Publicity Department subseries boasts a fascinating
array of diverse materials, its real strength lies in the visually
oriented nature of many of the items. The Publicity Files and
Permanent Title Folders sub-subseries are rich with photographs
(some with accompanying negatives), including portraits, publicity
stills and candid snapshots. Renowned photographers such as Henri
Cartier Bresson, E. O. Hoppe, Edward Steichen, and Carl Van Vechten
contribute to the photo documentation of the collection, capturing
such Knopf dignitaries as Willa Cather, John Hersey, Thomas Mann, H.
L. Mencken, and many others. Additionally, these sub-subseries hold
thousands of snapshots and portraits of authors, colleagues, and
family members taken by Alfred A. Knopf, an avid amateur
photographer. |
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It should be noted that all photographic materials in the Publicity
File sub-subseries have been transferred to the Ransom Center
Photography Department (55 boxes including a photo album and other
matted or large format items housed in oversize boxes). Transfer
sheets are filed in the original folders from which materials were
removed. A FileMaker Pro database, available in the Photography
Department, is searchable by subject, photographer/studio, and date
for the more than 15,000 images. Photographs removed from the
Publicity Files include a large number of family portraits, formal
portraits of authors and book designers, and snapshots of authors,
publishers and business associates, business and pleasure trips, as
well as the grounds of the Knopf's home in Purchase, N.Y. |
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The Permanent Title Folders sub-subseries has few snapshots and
contains primarily formal portraits and publicity photos of Knopf
authors. These images remain housed with the manuscript collection
and are not cataloged at an item level; however the extra effort
required to search this resource may be richly rewarded. For
example, this sub-subseries offers a substantial folder containing
photographs of journalist H. L. Mencken dating from his childhood in
1888. Also included are images of Mencken as a young journalist, a
glimpse of Mencken's gardens in Baltimore, and images documenting
his portrait painted by Nicholas Schattensteen (see file 1415.7).
Acclaimed mystery writer Ross Macdonald (pseudonym for Kenneth
Millar) is represented in a fascinating series of photos, including
a head x-ray and an atmospheric image of Millar (shot from the back
to keep the subject anonymous). These photos were circulated prior
to publication of The Moving Target
to stir curiosity and fire the public's imagination to speculate on
the author's identity (see file 1399.10). |
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In addition to photographic materials, the Publicity Department
subseries offers a vast array of book jackets, illustrations,
pamphlets, posters, original art (including caricatures by artist
Miguel Covarrubius), advertising layouts, and preliminary book
jacket art. These items are excellent visual-interest exhibit or
illustration materials. |
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Correspondence throughout the Publicity and Permanent Title
sub-subseries is often routine, and materials such as mass mailings
of introductions, booksellers' comments, and requests for review
copies from individuals, organizations, newspapers, and journals are
not indexed. However, some files offer exchanges between authors,
editors, and book designers, primarily concerning promotional
strategies, itineraries, and editing or revisions of manuscripts.
For example, Langston Hughes materials include correspondence with
Blanche Knopf and editor Paul Hoffman, discussing revisions of
The Big Sea and Seven Moments of Love, including an
index and a collection of twenty typed poems (see file 1380.6).
Additionally, these sub-subseries house interesting author responses
for requests for blurbs, such as Groucho Marx's quote for Alex
Atkinson's humorous thriller Exit
Charlie: "I will try to read it over the next few weeks,
if I like it I will probably give you a quote that will ruin the
book's chances forever" (see file 1175.14). |
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Although the materials in the Publicity Files/Permanent Title Folders
sub-subseries contain little manuscript material, there are
scattered exceptions. Pio Baroja's files offer a synopsis of The World's Way, accompanied by a table
of contents, prologue, and two chapters with corrections (see file
1177.1). |
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Sub-subseries 3. W. T. Loverd Title
Folders, 1968-1970, bulk 1969 (boxes 1495-1498) |
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These files consist of promotional materials originating from the
office of publicity manager William T. Loverd. Files are arranged
chronologically, February through October, 1969, and subsequently,
alphabetically by author and title. Loverd's files include: author
questionnaires, biographical information, clippings, correspondence,
editorial fact sheets, interviews, jacket copy, newsletters,
photographs, and review lists. Although the materials are identical
to those in other Publicity Department files, the focus is on
maintaining contact with book reviewers and supplying review
copies. |
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Sub-subseries 4. Fall 1984 Title Folders,
1983-1985 (boxes 1498-1502) |
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Sub-subseries 5. Fall 1985 Title Folders,
1984-1986 (boxes 1502-1505) |
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The Fall Title Folders sub-subseries 4 and 5 appear to have
originated from the offices of publicity manager Jane Becker
Friedman and are arranged alphabetically by author, and then by
title for each year represented. The materials are consistent from
one sub-subseries to the next and there is an overlap in date
ranges. |
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Materials found in these sub-subseries include book orders, memos,
clippings, newsletters, book jackets, contract proposals,
confirmation orders on accommodation accounts, book club
negotiations, and publication forms. Although materials are similar
to those found throughout the Publicity Department subseries, the
general date range is significantly later than in the bulk of the
collection and internal documentation has transmuted to include
production schedules, Knopf book club contract data, a more
streamlined editor and biographical note form, and publication
summaries offering selected inventory and sales figures. |
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Sub-subseries 6. Jane Becker Friedman,
1966-1988, bulk 1975-1976 and 1983-1984 (boxes 1505-1509) |
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Jane Becker Friedman's files are comprised of two distinct groups
separated in bulk date ranges by nearly ten years and defined by the
position Friedman held at the firm during those years. The first
group, two boxes of files labeled Pre-1977, dates from 1966-1988 with
bulk dates of 1975-1976, and offers a sample of Friedman's files while
serving as Publicity Director for the house. Arranged alphabetically
by author and title, the records include materials similar to those
in W. T. Loverd's files, such as memos, correspondence, clippings,
invoices, itineraries, Knopf Book Club Data sheets, photos, book
jackets, typewritten blurbs, newsletters, and photocopied book
orders. These files are incomplete, covering a short time span and
letters L-Z only. |
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Following the Pre-1977 Files, the dates jump to 1983-1985. Files are
arranged first chronologically by year, and then grouped by event,
beginning with the Fall Sales Conference 1983 file. Materials from
1983 include more sales-oriented materials such as lists of
manuscript submissions, new publication billing summaries, memos
regarding sales representatives' kits and sales conferences,
reprints rights sales lists, and captions for sales conference
slides. |
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By December, 1984, Friedman carried the title Vice President and
Associate Publisher. Files from 1984, still arranged by event,
contain files dedicated to author appearances, cookbook catalogs,
cookbook promotions, gourmet offers and mail order advertising, and
sales conferences. The 1984 General Materials Files hold clippings
and promos on cookbooks, lists of manuscripts in production, book
orders, correspondence pertaining to review copies, book club
arrangements, an agreement for Julia Child's cooking instruction
videos, and mailing lists. |
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Sub-subseries 7. Author Questionnaires
Pre-1960, 1929-1965, bulk 1948-1955 (boxes 1510-1511) |
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Although author questionnaires are found scattered throughout the
Publicity Series, these files contain an alphabetically arranged
collection of the biographical forms dating from 1929-1965, with
bulk dates of 1948-1955. Valuable for the autobiographical content
of the materials, the questionnaires frequently also offer
descriptions of an author's work. While some forms give scant
information, others have been filled out in great detail, providing
manuscript descriptions, author ideas for publicity, target
audiences, previous awards, honors and publications, occupations,
and family information. The forms changed over time, becoming less
complex, with blue copies generally indicating a date from the
1930s. American, English, and a few German authors are represented
in these files. |
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Sub-subseries 8. General Promotional
Materials, 1923-1996 (boxes 1511-1513) |
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The General Promotional Materials files are arranged alphabetically
by author into folders marked by letter. Many of the items are
duplicates culled from the larger whole of the Publicity Department
subseries and the Vertical Files. These folders include printed
promotional items such as newsletters, advance preview chapters or
selections of passages, postcard announcements, publicity releases,
prospectuses, posters, order cards, and recipes. Following the
alphabetized author files, materials are arranged alphabetically by
format, offering awards and fellowships, announcements, calendars,
and catalogs. |
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Subseries B. Sales Department, 1939-1970, bulk
1948-1959 (boxes 1513-1514) |
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The first folders of the Sales Department subseries contain notes on an
informal sales conference held in 1946. The rest contains the files of
senior salesman Leon Anderson, focusing on his activities as a member of
the Knopf sales department, 1946-1960. Included are files labeled Firm
Correspondence and Memos, General Correspondence, Other Sales Material,
and Profit Sharing. Of particular interest is the file labeled Firm
Correspondence and Memos, as it is rich with encouragement, sales
strategy, and advice from Knopf administrators such as Treasurer Joseph
Lesser, Alfred and Blanche Knopf, and Sales Manager Alfred A. (Pat)
Knopf, Jr. Also, this file chronicles Pat Knopf's resignation from the
firm, his replacement by Augustus Thorndike, Jr., and Thorndike's rapid
replacement by Ralph Woodward. Firm Correspondence continues through
Anderson's resignation in January of 1960, and includes personal letters
from Alfred as late as 1970. The General Correspondence file focuses
primarily on letters and orders from book shops and covers Ralph
Woodward's move from Doubleday in 1957. Correspondence in this series is
incoming only. The Other Sales Materials file contains itineraries,
memos, discount schedules, and receipts. The Profit Sharing file offers
amendments to the company's profit sharing trust, memos, and balance
sheets. |
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Subseries C. College Department, 1951-1990, bulk
1951-1959 (box 1514) |
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The College Department subseries is arranged alphabetically by employee.
These files contain correspondence and memos primarily concerning
employee qualifications, expectations and duties, and suggestions for
manuscripts. The file for the head of the college department, John T.
Hawes, includes ledger sheets containing comparisons of expected and
actual sales, new title lists, and sales projections. |
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While most of the College Department files focus on personnel, the file
for salesman and author contact John T. Schwartz gives an excellent view
of pressures and expectations in the Sales Department. This file
includes memos and correspondence concerning standard operating
procedure, general sales policy, prime objectives of the college
salesmen, and includes a memorandum detailing problems within the
department and suggestions for solutions. |
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Series VIII. London Office Files, 1910-1957, bulk 1928-1940,
(boxes 1514-1518) |
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The London Office, also known as Alfred A. Knopf, Ltd., was the European
sister company to the larger New York City based Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. This
series documents the financial problems which plagued the company from its
beginning in 1926, and forced its liquidation, which was begun in 1931 and
finalized in 1950. The files contain legal agreements, financial records,
internal memos, and correspondence. Topics include sales records,
liquidation of the company, disposition of shares of stock, descriptions of
specific job duties, and the lease of office space. Very little of the
correspondence in this series deals directly with individual authors handled
by this office, except in terms of cursory sales records, the sale of
authors' contracts to other English publishers, and the remaindering of
inventory. |
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Additional information regarding the history of the London office can be
found in the Alfred A. Knopf Personal Series (see file 656.7). |
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Series IX. American Mercury, 1923-1960, bulk 1933-1936 (box 1519) |
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This small series (only five folders) consists primarily of financial papers
relating to Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.'s stock holdings in the American Mercury magazine. Although the series
is sparse, it offers an overview of the relationship between the firm and
the magazine in its earliest years. The first two folders originated in the
office of Alfred A. Knopf. One contains American
Mercury's tax returns from 1933 with a small amount of related
correspondence, and the second contains correspondence concerning the sale
of American Mercury's stocks in 1936 (when
the magazine was bought by Lawrence E. Spivak), correspondence regarding
publishing rights, and a few clippings covering the later history of the
magazine. Of particular note in this folder are the 1956 and 1959 memoranda
from Joseph C. Lesser recounting the financial history of Alfred A. Knopf,
Inc.'s interest in American Mercury. The last
three folders in this series contain bound financial reports on the American Mercury accounts, dating from 1923 to
1934. |
