Texas Archival Resources Online

TABLE OF CONTENTS


Descriptive Summary

Biographical Sketch

Scope and Contents

Organization

Restrictions

Index Terms

Related Material

Administrative Information

Description of Series

Correspondence

Personal Records

Correspondence

Notebooks

Literary Production

Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University

Max Crawford:

An Inventory of His Papers, 1960-2000 and undated, at the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library



Descriptive Summary

CreatorCrawford, Max, 1938-
Title:Max Crawford Papers,
Dates:1960-2000 and undated
Abstract:Papers of author Max Crawford from 1960-2000.
Collection #R 7.1
Quantity:10 boxes (9.3 linear feet)
LanguageEnglish.
Repository:Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University

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.

Return to the Table of Contents


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.

Return to the Table of Contents


 

Organization

The collection is organized by literary production, correspondence, and research materials.

Return to the Table of Contents


Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Open for research

Return to the Table of Contents


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

Return to the Table of Contents


Related Material

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

Return to the Table of Contents


Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Max Crawford Papers, 1960-2000 and undated, Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas

Collection accession #(s):
2000-0355-X

Purchase, 2001

Processed by

Abel Ramirez, 2000, reprocessed by Jamie Wormsbaker, 2007

Return to the Table of Contents


Collection Inventory

 

Correspondence

boxfolder
11Correspondence between family members. Also contains copies of correspondence sent by Crawford, 1963-1968
2Poems and letters from William Rivera, 1966
3Newspaper 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
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
5Letters 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
6Letters 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
7Letters 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
8Letters 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
9Correspondence between George Lynn and Crawford plus chess charts and moves. There are more chess games included in previous correspondence folders, 1999
10Correspondence from Peter Kinsley, 1984-1999

Return to the Table of Contents




 

Personal Records

boxfolder
111Personal files such as arrest record, transcript and resume, photocopies of poems, miscellaneous papers, 1969-1970 and undated

Return to the Table of Contents




 

Correspondence

boxfolder
112Hologram poems and letters from George Wilbur (Also known as Hunter George), undated

Return to the Table of Contents




 

Notebooks

boxfolder
113Daily recordings of writings, correspondence, expenditures, etc., 1986
14Daily recordings of writings, correspondence, expenditures, etc., 1987
15Daily recordings of writings, correspondence, expenditures, etc., 1988
16Daily recordings of writings, correspondence, expenditures, etc. while living in France, 1991
17Daily recordings of writings, correspondence, expenditures, etc. while living in France, 1992
18Daily recordings of writings, correspondence, expenditures, etc. while living in France, 1993
19Daily recordings of writings, correspondence, expenditures, etc. while living in France, 1994
20Daily recordings of writings, correspondence, expenditures, etc. while living in France, 1995
21Daily recordings of writings, correspondence, expenditures, etc. while living in Livingston, Montana, 1996
22Daily recordings of writings, correspondence, expenditures, etc. while living in Livingston, Montana, 1997

Return to the Table of Contents




 

Literary Production

boxfolder
21Copies 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
2100 Flowers. Copy of the left wing publication that Crawford published and edited, 1971
3Untitled screenplay with Mexican envelope, written in Palo Alto, California, 1971
4Stray notes, undated
5Spiral notebook of notes “Confessions of a screen writer Manque,” Hollywood screen writers, written while Crawford lived in Missoula, MT, 1981
6Papers written while in college, including one on A.C. Ayers, early 1960s
7Early poems, 1963-1968
8Early poems and drafts (Crawford: “About as bad as it gets.”), 1963-1968
9Poetry: Steno notebook of notes and poetry from the summer, 1968
10Poetry: Original holograph and typewritten drafts of poems and humor by Crawford, 1968-1970
11Small group of loose notes and miscellaneous writings undated
12Original 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
13“Desiderata or Murther in the London Librarie,” early manuscript, undated
14“Desiderata or Murther in the London Librarie,” later version, undated
15“Nightwriting”; short story, undated
16Various holograph manuscripts (Crawford: “Things such as Clack Clack don’t even remember writing and who would.”), Spring 1962 and 1963
17Manuscript: “Newton’s Fall” poem fragments and manuscript, written and typed in fall of 1963 (Mexico) and 1961-1963 (Austin, TX), 1961-1963
18“Intermediate” poetry manuscripts both typed and holograph with corrections, 1963-1965
19“Rain and Joy” early beginnings of a novel written in Mexico City, 1963-1965
20“Minus Half” novel fragment, miscellaneous papers and stories, 1963-1968
21“Minus Half” and “The Happy” drafts with mailing envelope, 1963-1968
22“Hide and Go Seek” folder of manuscripts, 1963-1968
23Miscellaneous 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
24Waltz Across Texas: Notes, outlines, revisions, and possible titles, 1970-1975
25Waltz Across Texas: Original holograph manuscript with long opening, missing page 238, 1975
26Waltz Across Texas: Manuscript fragments typed and written by hand, 1975
27Waltz Across Texas: Loose notes, revisions, advertisement for the book in a newspaper and magazines, 1972-1975
28Waltz Across Texas: “No Expectations” also known as Waltz Across Texas, 1st half of 1st version. Outline for part II, 1973
29Waltz 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
boxfolder
31Waltz Across Texas, duplicate set of galleys, 1975
2Waltz Across Texas, letter defending allegations that Waltz was plagiarized from Jonathan Kwitney’s book The Mullendore Murdercase, June 1975
3Backslider: “Mount Blanco Stories” what would become Backslider, Mexico City, 1963
4Backslider: Original holograph manuscript and poem prayer, December 2, 1965
5Backslider: Autograph, original and complete holograph manuscript, 1965-1966
6Backslider: Typed manuscript with corrections, copies of “The Stuck Foot Feed,” some unnumbered pages, pages 1-39 excerpted for story, 1960s
7Backslider: “Coda West” manuscript from Backslider, copy of 1968 Redneck Review with “Coda West” in it, 1968
8Backslider: Manuscript fragments and “The Three Wives Tale” story excerpt
9Backslider: Manuscript with original outlines. “Blassingame” extra material and “Three Wives” material, Grace and Children material, 1975
10Backslider: Miscellaneous holograph pages
11Backslider: Early holograph version, 1974
12Backslider: Early typed draft, 65 pages, 1975
13Backslider: Original typed manuscript with corrections, 1975
14Backslider: Early draft, undated
15Backslider: Typed manuscript. Third draft in Dorothea Oppenheimer box, 1976
16Backslider: Manuscript proof. Some items placed in flat storage (box 10) 9-4-07, 1975
17Backslider: Manuscript with original galleys, 1975. Manuscript placed in flat storage (box 10) 9-4-07, 1975
18Backslider: Manuscript master proof. Some items placed in flat storage (box 10) 9-4-07, October 29, 1975
19Backslider: Galleys with corrections, 1976
boxfolder
41The Bad Communist: Early holograph fragment in a folder with notations by Michael Koepf on folder, 1968-1970
2The Bad Communist: Miscellaneous publications, “bad communists”: Popeye: Literatura Sovietica; Caribbean Studies (inscribed to Crawford by Bill Elkins); London Magazine tearsheet, 1979
3The Bad Communist: Untitled screenplay and miscellaneous notes both holograph and typewritten, 1968-1970
4The Bad Communist: 4 notebooks of holograph drafts, outlines, and notes, 1979
5The Bad Communist: Chapter outlines, timelines, loose notes, 1979
6The Bad Communist: Paper, miscellaneous typed and holograph notes, corrections and drafts. Letter asking friends for advice on title, 1979
7The Bad Communist: Early holograph manuscript of an early version of this novel, 1970s
8The Bad Communist: Early holograph manuscript, undated
9The Bad Communist: 3 page outline typed manuscript. Missing pages 114-119 and 123-135, 1979
10The Bad Communist: Early typed manuscript. 324 pages, 1979
11The Bad Communist: Early narrative version, 1979
12Lords of the Plain: Holograph and typewritten version of massacre of Indian Ponies, 1963-1968
13Lords of the Plain: Holograph notebook #1 of drafts, pages 1-80 dated October 28, 1982; written in Missoula, Montana, 1983, 1982-1983
14Lords of the Plain: Holograph notebook #2 of drafts, pages 81-159 dated March 2, 1983; written in Missoula, Montana, 1983
15Lords of the Plain: Holograph notebook #3 of drafts, pages 160-238 dated June 9, 1983; written in Missoula, Montana, 1983
16Lords of the Plain: Holograph manuscript #4 of drafts, pages 239-284, October 5, 1983
17Lords of the Plain: Original typed manuscript with corrections Part 1, pages 1-316, 1984
18Lords of the Plain: Original typed manuscript with corrections Part 1, pages 317-552, 1984
boxfolder
51Lords of the Plain: Master proof copy with corrections (author’s pages); placed in flat storage (box 10) 9/4/07, 1984
2Lords of the Plain: Master proof copy with corrections; placed in flat storage (box 10) 9/4/07, 1984
3Lords of the Plain: Master proof copy with corrections; placed in flat storage (box 10) 9/4/07, 1984
4Lords of the Plain: Advance proof copy with corrections, 1984
5Lords of the Plain: Typed prologue and epilogue (not published in the book) plus a copy of the 1st edition dust jacket, 1983
6Icarus: “Archangel” by “Otto Kane” (i.e. Icarus) early typescript, undated
7Icarus: Typescript beginnings of the novel, undated
8Icarus: 2 holograph notebooks of chapters 3-7, undated
9Six Key Cut: Movie script original to book, with notes and corrections; missing pages 1-21; typed manuscript chapters 1 and 2, 1986
10Six Key Cut: Typed holograph manuscript chapters 3-14 and dust jacket proof, 1986
11Six Key Cut: Typed manuscript chapters 15-26, 1986
12Can’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
13Can’t Dance (Original Version): Early typed manuscript; this is not the later Texas football novel, 1968-1969
14Can’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
15Can’t Dance (Original Version): Typewritten excerpt with corrections; 14 pages; this is not the later Texas football novel. Biography of Crawford included, 1968-1971
16Can’t Dance (Original Version): “Dixie Pig” holograph excerpt, same as folder # 15 (excerpt from story?) 1972
17Can’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
18Can’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
19“Can’t Dance” or “All Star,” undated
20“Texas,” 1987
boxfolder
61Eastertown: 5 original holograph notebooks of notes, drafts, and outlines, 196?-1992
2Eastertown: “Cannibals” early beginnings of this novel, 1963-1968
3Eastertown: Early beginnings written in Mexico City, notes for “Mount Blanco Stories” on the back of these notes, 1963-1965
4Eastertown: Holograph manuscript of “Elementary and Secondary” what became Eastertown, 1960s
5Eastertown: 3 page typewritten letter from Crawford pitching “Can’t Dance” and “Elementary and Secondary,” undated
6Eastertown: Elementary and Secondary, early beginning of Eastertown, undated
7Eastertown: Typed manuscript with corrections pages 1-201 (plus corrective pages), 1997
8Eastertown: Typed manuscript with corrections pages 202-459 (with notes at the end), 1997
9Eastertown: 3 spiral notebooks of holograph pages of a draft of chapters 5-13 (ending), 1997
10Eastertown: Corrected unbound manuscript volume II, and I, labeled “Max’s Copy,” unpublished, 1997
11Eastertown: Corrected unbound manuscript volume II, and I, 1997
12Wingshot: Outline, and letter outlining the start of Wingshot and The Red and The White, 1988
13Wingshot: Research material, notes on Hemingway, 1998
14Wingshot: Holograph and notes, missing pages 1-43, 1998
15Wingshot: Manuscript typed with corrections, 1998
boxfolder
71Wingshot: Computer typed manuscript; missing pages 87-89, and 163-166 (Numbered according to inside numbers, not top of page), 1998
2Wingshot: 1st draft with corrections, 1998
3Wingshot: Labeled final draft, corrections made, 1998
4highschoolharry"&"co: 3 small notebooks of notes and holograph drafts, 1998
5highschoolharry"&"co: Incomplete manuscript with corrections, 1998
6highschoolharry"&"co: Unbound and corrected manuscript, 1998
7highschoolharry"&"co: Manuscript and rough sheets with corrections, missing chapter 1, 1998
8highschoolharry"&"co: Manuscript and rough sheets with corrections continued, 1998
9highschoolharry"&"co: Manuscript with note to Crawford from Peter Matthiessen on title page, 1998
10highschoolharry"&"co: Entire manuscript, 1998
11highschoolharry"&"co: First signature of the blue lines, 1998
12highschoolharry"&"co: Uncorrected manuscript with cover mock up pages 1-22, 2000
boxfolder
81The Red and The White: Miscellaneous notes and early beginnings, 1975
2The Red and The White: Large Spiral notebook, 1975-1976
3The Red and The White: Notebook of notes, outlines, and draft materials, 1980-1990
4The Red and The White: Notebook of holograph notes, outline, subplots, table of contents, and an army map of Canton China, 1980s
5The Red and The White: Original typescript volume I pages 3-443 with holograph notes, 1996
6The Red and The White: Original typescript of volume II pages 444-956, stamped “uncorrected,” 1996
7The Red and The White: Original typescript with corrections, pages 527-823, 1996
8The Red and The White: Original typescript with corrections, pages 824-1101, 1996
9The Red and The White: Original typescript of volume II with additional notes, pages 446-956, 1996
10The Red and The White: Early typed manuscript pages 1-282, folder 1 of 4, 1996
11The Red and The White: Early typed manuscript pages 283-587, folder 2 of 4, 1996
12The Red and The White: Early typed manuscript pages 588-873, folder 3 of 4, 1996
13The Red and The White: Early typed manuscript pages 874-1101, folder 4 of 4, 1996
14The Red and The White: Miscellaneous notes, layouts, and cover pages, 1996
15The Red and The White: Corrected page galleys in cover mock up, 1999
boxfolder
91Wamba: Early beginnings of what would become Wamba, 1964-1966
2Wamba: Holograph notebook with plot structure, outlines, and characters, 1999
3Wamba: Original holograph manuscript (partially there), 1999
4Wamba: “Two Toe Lone Loba Wolf” typed section, that was later cut, 1999
5Wamba: Near complete typed manuscript with corrections, 1999
6Wamba: Reader reports plus Crawford’s responses, 2000
7Wamba: Corrected typed manuscript, 1 of 3; includes address list, undated
8Wamba: Corrected typed manuscript, 2 of 3, undated
9Wamba: Corrected typed manuscript, 3 of 3, undated
boxfolder
101Lords of the Plain: Master proof copy with corrections (author’s pages), from Box 5, Folder 1, 1984
2Lords of the Plain: master proof copy with corrections, from Box 5, Folder 2, 1984
3Lords of the Plain: master proof copy with corrections, from Box 5, Folder 3, 1984
4Backslider: manuscript proof, from Box 3, Folder 16, 1975
5Backslider: manuscript with original galleys, from Box 3, Folder 17, 1975
6Backslider: manuscript master proof from Box 3, Folder 18, October 29, 1975

Return to the Table of Contents