Laura Adams Dunham, a retired minister, was an early Mailer scholar. Among her published works on Mailer are
Dunham's collection of Mailer materials dates from 1966 to 2007 and includes Mailer interview and lecture tapes and typescripts, correspondence from Mailer to Dunham. Also present is correspondence between Dunham and other Mailer scholars, friends, and family. In addition, the collection holds numerous English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Portuguese language newspaper and magazine articles about Mailer and reviews of his works, as well as several magazines containing articles written by Mailer. The collection is organized in four series: I. Interviews and Lectures, 1972-1974; II. Correspondence, 1972-2007; III. Memorabilia, 1973-2003; and IV. Articles and Reviews, 1967-2007.
Of note are materials related to several Mailer lectures and interviews dating from the early 1970s. These include audio tape recordings of an October 27, 1972 lecture at Ohio State University and an October 29, 1973 lecture and interview at Wright State University. Also present is an audio tape recording of Dunham's May 6, 1974 interview of Mailer at the Algonquin Hotel in New York published as
Dunham's collection also includes 62 books by Mailer, many of them signed or first editions. These books were transferred to the Ransom Center's Book Collection and are cataloged separately. In addition, two commercial sound recordings by Mailer and seven audio tapes of Mailer interviews and talks were transferred to the Ransom Center's Sound Recordings Collection.
Some materials in the collection have been treated for mold contamination. Researchers who are sensitive to mold may consider using gloves or other protective measures while handling the materials.
Related collections at the Ransom Center include the Norman Mailer Papers and collections of Mailer materials from Tomas Fiske, Michael Lennon Hillary Mills Loomis, Adeline Lubell-Naiman, and Playboy Enterprises.
Gift and purchase, 2008 (08-03-010-P (G12569, R16567))
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Laura G. Adams Dunham Collection of Norman Mailer (Manuscript Collection MS-05086). Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin.
Katy Hill, Stephen Mielke, 2008