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University of Texas at Austin

Gordon J. Weel:

A Preliminary Inventory of His Collection of Isaac Bashevis Singer in the Manuscript Collection at the Harry Ransom Center

Creator: Weel, Gordon J.
Title: Gordon J. Weel Collection of Isaac Bashevis Singer
Dates: 1953-2004
Extent: 4 boxes, 3 serial boxes (2.5 linear feet)
Abstract: A collection of manuscripts, correspondence, and other materials relating to Isaac Bashevis Singer, collected by his friend Gordon Weel, former regional manager of Doubleday.
Call Number: Manuscript Collection MS-04967
Language: English
Access: Open for research


Administrative Information


Acquisition: Purchase, 2004 (Reg. 15292)
Processed by: Liz Murray, 2004
Repository:

Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin

Scope and Contents


This collection of Singer material was received at the Ransom Center, together with a large shipment of books, from Gordon Weel, former regional manager of Doubleday and friend of Isaac Bashevis Singer and his wife Alma. While serving as the I. B. Singer Coordinator at the Florida Atlantic University Libraries at Boca Raton, Weel worked on acquisition and bibliographic projects related to Singer. He corresponded with publishers, family members, and associates of Singer, and collected a wide array of books and materials related to Singer.
The papers are arranged in three Series: I. Singer Works; II. Correspondence, 1979-2004; and III. Singer-Related and Other Files.
The short works in Series I. include articles, essays, forewords, lectures, and short stories, such as galleys for "The Admirer," and typescripts for "Bathsheba: A Sacred Memory" and "Yiddish, the Language of Exile." Published works in various publications, 1953-2003, are also present, including Du, Encounter, The New Yorker, Nimrod, The Pakn Treger, The Paris Review, Partisan Review, and The Tel Aviv Review.
The correspondence in Series II, arranged chronologically (1979-2004) and by subject, primarily reflects Weel's acquisition and bibliographic activities, especially in the 1990s, not only for I. B. Singer but also for Singer's brother and sister, Israel Joshua Singer and Esther Singer Kreitman (also known as Ester Kreytman). Additional family correspondence exists for Alma Singer, Israel Zamir, and Joe Singer.
Series III, Singer-Related and Other Files, provides numerous articles about Singer as well as a wide range of bibliographic information. Also present are several Singer book contracts and dust jackets for books by and about Singer, items related to his Nobel Prize and Singer-related events, and photographs. Weel's lengthy checklist of Singer editions and other writings on Singer conclude this series.

Related Material


In addition to the manuscript material, the Ransom Center received numerous volumes on Singer from Weel's book collection.

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