Donald Barthelme Literary Papers Finding Aid
Photograph by Jerry Bauer
The finding aid for the Donald Barthelme Literary Papers is now available on the TARO website. Special Collections acquired the collection from Marion Barthelme in 2002.
Donald Barthelme grew up in Houston, Texas, and attended the University of Houston as an undergraduate. After moving to New York City in 1962 he began regularly contributing short stories to the New Yorker, becoming well-known for his use of untraditional structures and his sense of the absurd. Barthelme would go on to publish numerous collected works, four novels, and a book for children. In 1979 he joined the faculty of the UH Creative Writing Program in Houston, eventually becoming Director, a position he held until his death in 1989. Barthelme’s Sixty Stories is considered a classic of contemporary American literature.
The Barthelme Papers include typescript drafts, galley proofs, and page proofs of Donald Barthelme’s novels, collected works, short stories, and other writings, plus collages and collage stories created by Barthelme. The collection also includes letters and cards from Barthelme’s writing friends and colleagues, and about a dozen photographs of the author.
Cruiser Houston Finding Aid Online
A guide to the Cruiser Houston Collection, an archival collection of materials related to the USS Houston (CA-30) and her crew, is now available online at TARO. The heavy cruiser, first launched in 1929, was named for the city and port of Houston. On March 1, 1942, the Houston was sunk by the Japanese in Sunda Strait following a fierce battle, and her surviving crew members were made prisoners of war. Most of them worked as slave labor on the Burma-Thai Railway, immortalized in the film Bridge on the River Kwai. Following the war, the survivors formed the USS Houston Survivors Association, as well as a companion organization for younger family members called The Next Generation.
The Cruiser Houston Collection contains over seventy boxes of photographs, correspondence, diaries, copies of the ship’s newsletter the Blue Bonnet, POW records, memorabilia, and much more. Some recent donations are not yet lised in the finding aid, but are also available for use. For assistance with the collection, please contact curator Julie Grob by e-mail at jgrob@uh.edu, or by phone at 713-743-9744. For information about the USS Houston Survivors Assocation and the Next Generation, please contact the organization directly by e-mail at ca30ng@aol.com or by phone at 512-989-0000.
Tom Connally Letter, 1944
Another finding aid has gone up on TARO. The Tom Connally Letter, 1944 contains a letter Senator Tom Connally, then chair of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, sent to G.V. Brindley of Temple, Texas, regarding the case of a missing serviceman, Lieutenant Lloyd L. Withers. The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress has a brief biography, bibliography and details of research collections related to the senator.
The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
New finding aids for the week of 9/18/06: “Miss Moonlight”, Mexico Documents
Once again, the collections represented in this week’s crop of of new finding aids represent some far-reaching aspects of the history of Houston, Texas, and beyond.
Maxine Mesinger Papers, 1965-2001
Special Collections holds the papers of the late great Houston society columnist Maxine Mesinger. Mesinger, also known as "Miss Moonlight", wrote the "Big City Beat" column for the Houston Chronicle. At her memorial service, Liz Carpenter eulogized "She was the last of the dot dot dot girls". Our holdings include the entire run of the "Big City Beat" column, Mesinger’s personal photo collection and an audio tribute from Joan Rivers!
Mexico Documents Collection, 1570 – 1898
Moving right along, I’ve put up the finding aid for this collection, which is really just a broad assortment of historical materials from Mexico. Translations are available for many of the documents. If you are a UH Faculty member, student, or any other community member with an interest in historic documents from the US-Mexico border region, get in touch with me. We have an even larger collection of materials, and they’re very underresearched.
More items unearthed from our unprocessed Manuscripts:
Paul Alexander Bartlett Letter, 1933
A letter from writer and artist Paul Alexander Bartlett asking for educational support from philanthropist Anita McCormick Blane. The Benson holds a collection of Bartlett’s photos.
This document details a skilled worker’s entry to Cuba.
Letter from the modernist architect and designer Marcel Breuer, written from New York City to University of Houston Professor of Architecture Howard Barnstone. October 12, 1971. Regards letter from Barnstone asking for support in Hugo V. Neuhaus Jr.’s nomination to the AIA College of Fellows.
Photo: Maxine Mesinger with Judy Garland. Photo dated Dec. 15, 1965. Houston Chronicle File Photo
Literary, Women’s Archives Collections Finding Aids
New finding aids up on TARO this week:
John Lehmann : An Inventory of his Collection
Called "the greatest British literary editor of his time" by New York Times Book Review, UH holds a small collection of Lehmann’s papers, including three manuscripts, drafts of book reviews, and other writings. Princeton University’s Rare Books and Special Collections holds the Lehmann Family Papers.
Peggy Hall NOW Collection, 1970-1996
This Women’s Archives collection contains materials concerning the activities of the Houston chapter of National Organization for Women and other items of interest related to women’s issues and other chapters from the 1970s to 1990s.
In addition, these finding aids have been updated to reflect new additions to the collections:
Women in the Visual and Literary Arts (WIVLA) Records, 1994-2001
Women’s Fund for Health, Education and Research (HER) Records, 1979-2000
Cullinan, Whitmire, Heights Woman’s Club Finding Aids
Several new finding aids are up on TARO this week, each representing a unique part of Houston history:
Joseph Stephen Cullinan Collection
Back at UH after their long term loan to the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, the collection documents the life and work of Joseph Cullinan, founder of the Texas Company and one of Houston’s most influential citizens.
The papers of former Houston mayor Kathy Whitmire, the first woman elected to Houston City government, are now housed in the Women’s Archives.
Houston Heights Woman’s Club Records
Founded in 1906 by some of the founding women residents of the Houston Heights, the records of this organization document civic, cultural and literary activities.
New finding aids on TARO
Four new finding aids have been uploaded to TARO :
Warren Roberts Papers, 1959-1985
John Updike Writers in Society Lecture Collection
Donald Barthelme Forum Collection
The Donald Barthelme Forum Collection finding aid is now available online on TARO. The collection covers Barthelme’s tenure as editor of Forum, from 1956-1960. Forum featured articles on a wide range of topics including philosophy, literary criticism, economics, anthropology, psychology, biology, mathematics, architecture, film, music, and theater.
The Donald Barthelme Forum Collection, 1956-1960
Small collections find a new home
I’ve began to create finding aids for some of the single items that have been floating around in the purgatory that was our "A-Z Collection". As you can see, the crop of material housed therein was extremely varied. I hope that by creating individual records for these homeless yet valuable items, users will be able to access them through online finding aids, and eventually, the library catalog. And, thanks to new Senior Library Assistant Rebecca Russell, they’re already encoded in EAD and up on TARO!
Lenny Abercrombie Letter, 1858
Paul Bowles Letters, 1983-1984
Kenneth Patchen Collection Finding Aid
Special Collections holds a small collection of the late poet Kenneth Patchen’s materials. The finding aid is now online on TARO. UC Santa Cruz holds a larger Kenneth Patchen Archive, which also includes the papers of his wife and frequent collaborator, Miriam Patchen, as well as the Chester Kessler Papers, James Boyer May Correspondence, Alan and Beatrice Collection, William Plumley Collection, William M. Roth Correspondence, Kathryn Winslow Collection, Johnny Wittwer Papers, and the Fred Wright Correspondence.
Photo by Harry Redl
