Descriptive Summary
Crawford, Max, 1938-
Max Crawford Papers,
1960-2000 and undated
Papers of author Max
Crawford from 1960-2000.
R 7.1
Southwest Collection/Special Collections
Library, Texas Tech University
10 boxes (9.3 linear
feet)
English.
Biographical Sketch
Max Crawford is a writer born and raised around Blanco Canyon, near
Mount Blanco, Texas. He studied at the University of Texas and at Stanford
University, where he held a writing fellowship under Wallace Stegner. He has
traveled widely since leaving Texas, living in California, Mexico, and France.
He currently resides in Livingston, Montana. Many of his novels are set in West
Texas, such as
Lords of the Plain and
The Backslider. Others, such as
The Bad Communist, are set in California.
His early novels were published by major New York City publishers, but many of
his later works were self-published. The University of Oklahoma Press began
publishing his work around 2002, both new and previously published titles.
Crawford has also published poems and written for literary publications.
A list of his publications include:
- Crawford, Max.
Waltz Across Texas.New York: Farrar,
Straus and Giroux, 1975.
- Crawford, Max.
The Backslider.New York: Farrar,
Straus and Giroux, 1976.
- Crawford, Max.
The Bad Communist.New York: Harcourt,
Brace, Jovanovich, 1979.
- Crawford, Max.
Lords of the Plain. New York:
Atheneum, 1985.
- Crawford, Max.
Six Key Cut. New York: Atheneum,
1986.
- Crawford, Max.
Icarus. New York: Atheneum,
1988.
- Crawford, Max.
Can’t Dance. New York: Atheneum,
1989.
- Crawford, Max.
The Red"&"the White. Livingston,
MT: Crawford, 1996.
- Crawford, Max.
Highschoolharry"&"co. Livingston,
MT: Crawford, 2000.
- Crawford, Max.
Wing Shot: A Novel. Livingston, MT:
Crawford, 2001.
- Crawford, Max.
Wamba. Norman: U of Oklahoma P, 2002.
- Crawford, Max.
Eastertown. Norman: U of Oklahoma P,
2003.
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of literary production in the form of written
manuscripts, holographs, and galleys, research materials and hand notes, and
literary correspondence with his publishers. Literary records include daily
compile activities, expenditures, and correspondence while Mr. Crawford lived
in France and Livingston, Montana and other places.
The collection is in good condition and is part of the James Sowell
Family Collection in Literature, Community and the Natural World.
Organization
The collection is organized by literary production, correspondence,
and research materials.
Index Terms
The subject headings used by the Southwest Collection/Special
Collections Library are derived from the Library of Congress and/or locally
developed.
Subjects (Persons)
Crawford, Max,
1938-
Crawford, Max, 1938-
--Archives
Crawford, Max, 1938-
--Correspondence
Crawford, Max, 1938-
--Manuscripts
Places
Texas--History--Fiction
Texas, West--Religious
life and customs--20th century--Fiction
Subjects
Comanche
Indians--Wars--Fiction
Football stories
Revolutionaries--California--Fiction
Prisoners--Correspondence
Novelists, American--20th
century--Correspondence
Chess
Collection accession #(s):
2000-0355-X
Purchase, 2001
Access Restrictions
Open for research
Processed by
Abel Ramirez, 2000, reprocessed by Jamie Wormsbaker, 2007
Preferred Citation
Max Crawford Papers, 1960-2000 and undated, Southwest
Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University, Lubbock,
Texas
For related materials located in the Southwest Collection/Special
Collections Library, see the following collections:
- William Kittredge Papers, 1954-2000 and undated
- David Quammen Papers, 1856-1999 and undated
- Pattiann Rogers Papers, 1960-1999 and undated
- Barry Lopez, 1964-2001 and undated
- Rick Bass Papers, 1964-2001 and undated
- Doug Peacock Papers, 1950-2000 and undated
- Bill McKibben Papers, 1971-2001 and undated
- Annick Smith Papers, 1940-2000 and undated
- David James Duncan Papers, 1959-2002 and undated
- Sandra Scofield Papers, 1958-2005 and undated
Collection Inventory
Correspondence
1
1
Correspondence between family members. Also contains
copies of correspondence sent by Crawford,
1963-1968
1
2
Poems and letters from William Rivera,
1966
1
3
Newspaper clippings, letters from friends and publishers
including: Toby Tovey, Wallace Stegner, Larry McMurtry, Geri Thoma, Elaine
Markson, Nancy Marble, Barry Hannah, Jon Jackson, Bill Elkins, Michael Koepf,
Bill Dolson, Thomas A. Stewart (Atheneum), Walter Pawlich (signed broadside),
George Wilbur (plus poems) and others,
1983
1
4
Includes letters from: Kenneth Gangemi, Jon Jackson,
Larry McMurtry, George Wilbur, Judith Lord, Elaine Markson, and Michael Koepf;
also contains one color photo,
1989-1990
1
5
Letters from friends and publishers, including: Larry
McMurtry, Bill Elkins, George Lynn, John Henry Irsfeld, Michael Koepf, Klotilde
Wilbur, Kimberly Wier, Jeff Gerecke, Virginia McKenney, David MacDonald, Denis
Johnson, Cyra McFadden, David Quammen, Jonathan Galassi, Leslie Marmon Silko,
Elaine Markson, Gary Fisketjon and others.
1995-1996
1
6
Letters from: Larry McMurtry, Bill Elkins, George Lynn,
Chuck Kinder, John Henry Irsfeld, Sonia Guy, Allan Silltoe, Peter Kinsley, Mark
Maxwell, Liliane Parpaillon, Bret Crawford, Jim Crawford, Gwen Peterson, David
Lewin, Michael Koepf, Karen C. Weider, Kenneth Gangemi, Larry Crouch, Andrew
Moss and others,
1997
1
7
Letters from: Selma Hicks, Larry McMurtry, Bill Elkins,
George Lynn, Gary Fisketjon, Denis Johnson, Chuck Kinder, John Henry Irsfeld,
Allen Jones, Sonja Guy, Jonathan Galassi, Kenneth Gangemi, Michael Koepf and
others; also contains one color photo,
1998
1
8
Letters from: Larry McMurtry, Bill Elkins, George Lynn,
Chuck Kinder, John Henry Irsfeld, Michael Devine, David Lewin, Carolyn Osborne,
Michael Koepf, Karen C. Weider, Bruce Anderson, Ed Gehrman, Craig Hokenson, Bob
Datilla and others; also contains eight color photos,
1999
1
9
Correspondence between George Lynn and Crawford plus
chess charts and moves. There are more chess games included in previous
correspondence folders,
1999
1
10
Correspondence from Peter Kinsley,
1984-1999
Personal Records
1
11
Personal files such as arrest record, transcript and
resume, photocopies of poems, miscellaneous papers,
1969-1970 and undated
Correspondence
1
12
Hologram poems and letters from George Wilbur (Also
known as Hunter George),
undated
Notebooks
1
13
Daily recordings of writings, correspondence,
expenditures, etc.,
1986
1
14
Daily recordings of writings, correspondence,
expenditures, etc.,
1987
1
15
Daily recordings of writings, correspondence,
expenditures, etc.,
1988
1
16
Daily recordings of writings, correspondence,
expenditures, etc. while living in France,
1991
1
17
Daily recordings of writings, correspondence,
expenditures, etc. while living in France,
1992
1
18
Daily recordings of writings, correspondence,
expenditures, etc. while living in France,
1993
1
19
Daily recordings of writings, correspondence,
expenditures, etc. while living in France,
1994
1
20
Daily recordings of writings, correspondence,
expenditures, etc. while living in France,
1995
1
21
Daily recordings of writings, correspondence,
expenditures, etc. while living in Livingston, Montana,
1996
1
22
Daily recordings of writings, correspondence,
expenditures, etc. while living in Livingston, Montana,
1997
Literary Production
2
1
Copies of The Redneck Review edited by Crawford. Ran for
3 issues. Contributors: Larry McMurtry, Lennart Bruce, Thom Gunn, Simon
Perchik, William Rivera, Max Crawford, David Meltzer, and John Irsfeld.
Contains one copy of the Spring 1968 issue, two copies of the Spring 1969
issues, and 3 copies of the Spring 1970 issue,
1968-1970
2
2
100 Flowers. Copy of the left wing publication that
Crawford published and edited,
1971
2
3
Untitled screenplay with Mexican envelope, written in
Palo Alto, California,
1971
2
4
Stray notes,
undated
2
5
Spiral notebook of notes “Confessions of a screen writer
Manque,” Hollywood screen writers, written while Crawford lived in Missoula,
MT,
1981
2
6
Papers written while in college, including one on A.C.
Ayers,
early 1960s
2
7
Early poems,
1963-1968
2
8
Early poems and drafts (Crawford: “About as bad as it
gets.”),
1963-1968
2
9
Poetry: Steno notebook of notes and poetry from the
summer,
1968
2
10
Poetry: Original holograph and typewritten drafts of
poems and humor by Crawford,
1968-1970
2
11
Small group of loose notes and miscellaneous writings
undated
2
12
Original typewritten manuscript of “Nightwriting,” “Desiderata or Murther in the
London Librarie,” “BM: G7” or “The Umpteenth Marx,” and
“The Last Pedestrian” with holograph corrections by Crawford,
undated
2
13
“Desiderata or Murther in the London Librarie,” early manuscript,
undated
2
14
“Desiderata or Murther in the London Librarie,” later version,
undated
2
15
“Nightwriting”; short story,
undated
2
16
Various holograph manuscripts
(Crawford: “Things such as Clack Clack don’t even remember writing and who would.”),
Spring 1962 and 1963
2
17
Manuscript: “Newton’s Fall” poem fragments and manuscript,
written and typed in fall of 1963 (Mexico) and 1961-1963 (Austin, TX),
1961-1963
2
18
“Intermediate” poetry manuscripts both typed and holograph with corrections,
1963-1965
2
19
“Rain and Joy” early beginnings of a novel written in Mexico City,
1963-1965
2
20
“Minus Half” novel fragment, miscellaneous papers and stories,
1963-1968
2
21
“Minus Half” and “The Happy” drafts with mailing envelope,
1963-1968
2
22
“Hide and Go Seek” folder of manuscripts,
1963-1968
2
23
Miscellaneous Manuscripts: “The Wappened Widow” and
“The Party and Revolution Talk of Revolution” and “Fishwrap”
and a children’s story “A Christmas Tree Writes Home,”
1981
2
24
Waltz Across Texas: Notes, outlines, revisions, and possible titles,
1970-1975
2
25
Waltz Across Texas: Original holograph manuscript with long opening, missing page 238,
1975
2
26
Waltz Across Texas: Manuscript fragments typed and written by hand,
1975
2
27
Waltz Across Texas: Loose notes, revisions,
advertisement for the book in a newspaper and magazines,
1972-1975
2
28
Waltz Across Texas: “No Expectations” also known as
Waltz Across Texas, 1st half of 1st version. Outline for part II,
1973
2
29
Waltz Across Texas: “No Expectations” also known as
Waltz Across Texas, 2nd half of the 1st draft.
Letter from Ellen Levine at Curtis Brown Ltd., about the book,
1973
3
1
Waltz Across Texas, duplicate set of galleys,
1975
3
2
Waltz Across Texas, letter defending allegations that
Waltz was plagiarized from Jonathan Kwitney’s book
The Mullendore Murdercase,
June 1975
3
3
Backslider: “Mount Blanco Stories” what would become
Backslider, Mexico City,
1963
3
4
Backslider: Original holograph manuscript and poem prayer,
December 2, 1965
3
5
Backslider: Autograph, original and complete holograph manuscript,
1965-1966
3
6
Backslider: Typed manuscript with corrections,
copies of “The Stuck Foot Feed,” some unnumbered pages, pages 1-39 excerpted for story,
1960s
3
7
Backslider: “Coda West” manuscript from Backslider,
copy of 1968 Redneck Review with “Coda West” in it,
1968
3
8
Backslider: Manuscript fragments and “The Three Wives Tale” story excerpt
3
9
Backslider: Manuscript with original outlines.
“Blassingame” extra material and “Three Wives” material, Grace and Children material,
1975
3
10
Backslider: Miscellaneous holograph pages
3
11
Backslider: Early holograph version,
1974
3
12
Backslider: Early typed draft, 65 pages,
1975
3
13
Backslider: Original typed manuscript with corrections,
1975
3
14
Backslider: Early draft,
undated
3
15
Backslider: Typed manuscript. Third draft in Dorothea Oppenheimer box,
1976
3
16
Backslider: Manuscript proof. Some items placed in flat storage (box 10) 9-4-07,
1975
3
17
Backslider: Manuscript with original galleys, 1975.
Manuscript placed in flat storage (box 10) 9-4-07,
1975
3
18
Backslider: Manuscript master proof.
Some items placed in flat storage (box 10) 9-4-07,
October 29, 1975
3
19
Backslider: Galleys with corrections,
1976
4
1
The Bad Communist: Early holograph fragment in a folder with notations by Michael Koepf on folder,
1968-1970
4
2
The Bad Communist: Miscellaneous publications,
“bad communists”: Popeye: Literatura Sovietica; Caribbean Studies (inscribed to Crawford by Bill Elkins);
London Magazine tearsheet,
1979
4
3
The Bad Communist: Untitled screenplay and miscellaneous notes both holograph and typewritten,
1968-1970
4
4
The Bad Communist: 4 notebooks of holograph drafts, outlines, and notes,
1979
4
5
The Bad Communist: Chapter outlines, timelines, loose notes,
1979
4
6
The Bad Communist: Paper, miscellaneous typed and holograph notes,
corrections and drafts. Letter asking friends for advice on title,
1979
4
7
The Bad Communist: Early holograph manuscript of an early version of this novel,
1970s
4
8
The Bad Communist: Early holograph manuscript,
undated
4
9
The Bad Communist: 3 page outline typed manuscript. Missing pages 114-119 and 123-135,
1979
4
10
The Bad Communist: Early typed manuscript. 324 pages,
1979
4
11
The Bad Communist: Early narrative version,
1979
4
12
Lords of the Plain: Holograph and typewritten version of massacre of Indian Ponies,
1963-1968
4
13
Lords of the Plain: Holograph notebook #1 of drafts, pages 1-80 dated
October 28, 1982; written in Missoula, Montana, 1983,
1982-1983
4
14
Lords of the Plain: Holograph notebook #2 of drafts, pages 81-159
dated March 2, 1983; written in Missoula, Montana,
1983
4
15
Lords of the Plain: Holograph notebook #3 of drafts, pages
160-238 dated June 9, 1983; written in Missoula, Montana,
1983
4
16
Lords of the Plain: Holograph manuscript #4 of drafts, pages 239-284,
October 5, 1983
4
17
Lords of the Plain: Original typed manuscript with corrections Part 1, pages 1-316,
1984
4
18
Lords of the Plain: Original typed manuscript with corrections Part 1, pages 317-552,
1984
5
1
Lords of the Plain: Master proof copy with corrections (author’s pages);
placed in flat storage (box 10) 9/4/07,
1984
5
2
Lords of the Plain: Master proof copy with corrections; placed in flat storage (box 10) 9/4/07,
1984
5
3
Lords of the Plain: Master proof copy with corrections; placed in flat storage (box 10) 9/4/07,
1984
5
4
Lords of the Plain: Advance proof copy with corrections,
1984
5
5
Lords of the Plain: Typed prologue and epilogue
(not published in the book) plus a copy of the 1st edition dust jacket,
1983
5
6
Icarus: “Archangel” by “Otto Kane” (i.e. Icarus) early typescript,
undated
5
7
Icarus: Typescript beginnings of the novel,
undated
5
8
Icarus: 2 holograph notebooks of chapters 3-7,
undated
5
9
Six Key Cut: Movie script original to book, with notes and corrections;
missing pages 1-21; typed manuscript chapters 1 and 2,
1986
5
10
Six Key Cut: Typed holograph manuscript chapters 3-14 and dust jacket proof,
1986
5
11
Six Key Cut: Typed manuscript chapters 15-26,
1986
5
12
Can’t Dance (Original Version): Early holograph manuscript fragment
of lost novel missing pages 1-75; 78-99;
this is not the later novel about Texas football,
1968-1969
5
13
Can’t Dance (Original Version): Early typed manuscript;
this is not the later Texas football novel,
1968-1969
5
14
Can’t Dance (Original Version): Early typed manuscript written while
Crawford was in Palo Alto California; original mailing envelope included; this is not the later Texas football novel.
(Crawford: Totally different from published book),
1971
5
15
Can’t Dance (Original Version): Typewritten excerpt with corrections; 14 pages;
this is not the later Texas football novel. Biography of Crawford included,
1968-1971
5
16
Can’t Dance (Original Version): “Dixie Pig” holograph excerpt,
same as folder # 15 (excerpt from story?)
1972
5
17
Can’t Dance (Later published version): Later published version of Texas football story,
chapters 1 and 2; chapter 1 missing pages 48-60, chapter 2 missing pages 37-38,
1984
5
18
Can’t Dance (Later published version): Later published version of
Texas football story. Chapters 3 and 4; chapter 3 missing pages 1-100, chapter 4 missing page 33,
1984
5
19
“Can’t Dance” or “All Star,”
undated
5
20
“Texas,”
1987
6
1
Eastertown: 5 original holograph notebooks of notes, drafts, and outlines,
196?-1992
6
2
Eastertown: “Cannibals” early beginnings of this novel,
1963-1968
6
3
Eastertown: Early beginnings written in Mexico City, notes for
“Mount Blanco Stories” on the back of these notes,
1963-1965
6
4
Eastertown: Holograph manuscript of “Elementary and Secondary” what became Eastertown,
1960s
6
5
Eastertown: 3 page typewritten letter from Crawford pitching
“Can’t Dance” and “Elementary and Secondary,”
undated
6
6
Eastertown: Elementary and Secondary, early beginning of Eastertown,
undated
6
7
Eastertown: Typed manuscript with corrections pages 1-201 (plus corrective pages),
1997
6
8
Eastertown: Typed manuscript with corrections pages 202-459 (with notes at the end),
1997
6
9
Eastertown: 3 spiral notebooks of holograph pages of a draft of chapters 5-13 (ending),
1997
6
10
Eastertown: Corrected unbound manuscript volume II, and I, labeled “Max’s Copy,” unpublished,
1997
6
11
Eastertown: Corrected unbound manuscript volume II, and I,
1997
6
12
Wingshot: Outline, and letter outlining the start of Wingshot and The Red and The White,
1988
6
13
Wingshot: Research material, notes on Hemingway,
1998
6
14
Wingshot: Holograph and notes, missing pages 1-43,
1998
6
15
Wingshot: Manuscript typed with corrections,
1998
7
1
Wingshot: Computer typed manuscript; missing pages 87-89, and 163-166
(Numbered according to inside numbers, not top of page),
1998
7
2
Wingshot: 1st draft with corrections,
1998
7
3
Wingshot: Labeled final draft, corrections made,
1998
7
4
highschoolharry"&"co: 3 small notebooks of notes and holograph drafts,
1998
7
5
highschoolharry"&"co: Incomplete manuscript with corrections,
1998
7
6
highschoolharry"&"co: Unbound and corrected manuscript,
1998
7
7
highschoolharry"&"co: Manuscript and rough
sheets with corrections, missing chapter 1,
1998
7
8
highschoolharry"&"co: Manuscript and rough sheets with corrections continued,
1998
7
9
highschoolharry"&"co: Manuscript with note to
Crawford from Peter Matthiessen on title page,
1998
7
10
highschoolharry"&"co: Entire manuscript,
1998
7
11
highschoolharry"&"co: First signature of the blue lines,
1998
7
12
highschoolharry"&"co: Uncorrected manuscript with cover mock up pages 1-22,
2000
8
1
The Red and The White: Miscellaneous notes and early beginnings,
1975
8
2
The Red and The White: Large Spiral notebook,
1975-1976
8
3
The Red and The White: Notebook of notes, outlines, and draft materials,
1980-1990
8
4
The Red and The White: Notebook of holograph notes,
outline, subplots, table of contents, and an army map of Canton China,
1980s
8
5
The Red and The White: Original typescript volume I pages 3-443 with holograph notes,
1996
8
6
The Red and The White: Original typescript of volume II pages 444-956, stamped “uncorrected,”
1996
8
7
The Red and The White: Original typescript with corrections, pages 527-823,
1996
8
8
The Red and The White: Original typescript with corrections, pages 824-1101,
1996
8
9
The Red and The White: Original typescript of volume II with additional notes, pages 446-956,
1996
8
10
The Red and The White: Early typed manuscript pages 1-282, folder 1 of 4,
1996
8
11
The Red and The White: Early typed manuscript pages 283-587, folder 2 of 4,
1996
8
12
The Red and The White: Early typed manuscript pages 588-873, folder 3 of 4,
1996
8
13
The Red and The White: Early typed manuscript pages 874-1101, folder 4 of 4,
1996
8
14
The Red and The White: Miscellaneous notes, layouts, and cover pages,
1996
8
15
The Red and The White: Corrected page galleys in cover mock up,
1999
9
1
Wamba: Early beginnings of what would become Wamba,
1964-1966
9
2
Wamba: Holograph notebook with plot structure, outlines, and characters,
1999
9
3
Wamba: Original holograph manuscript (partially there),
1999
9
4
Wamba: “Two Toe Lone Loba Wolf” typed section, that was later cut,
1999
9
5
Wamba: Near complete typed manuscript with corrections,
1999
9
6
Wamba: Reader reports plus Crawford’s responses,
2000
9
7
Wamba: Corrected typed manuscript, 1 of 3; includes address list,
undated
9
8
Wamba: Corrected typed manuscript, 2 of 3,
undated
9
9
Wamba: Corrected typed manuscript, 3 of 3,
undated
10
1
Lords of the Plain: Master proof copy with corrections (author’s pages), from Box 5, Folder 1,
1984
10
2
Lords of the Plain: master proof copy with corrections, from Box 5, Folder 2,
1984
10
3
Lords of the Plain: master proof copy with corrections, from Box 5, Folder 3,
1984
10
4
Backslider: manuscript proof, from Box 3, Folder 16,
1975
10
5
Backslider: manuscript with original galleys, from Box 3, Folder 17,
1975
10
6
Backslider: manuscript master proof from Box 3, Folder 18, October 29,
1975