Descriptive Summary
Steinbeck, John,
1902-1968
John Steinbeck Collection
1926-1977
TXRC00-A9
12 boxes (5 linear feet), 3
galley files
Handwritten and typescript articles, novels, and short stories,
and correspondence with Steinbeck's editor, Pat Covici, make up the bulk of the
collection.
Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center,
University of Texas at Austin
English.
Biographical Sketch
Born in 1902, the third of four children, John Steinbeck was the only
son of John Ernst and Olive Hamilton Steinbeck. Raised in the family home in
Salinas, California, Steinbeck roamed the woods and explored Monterey Bay and
the Big Sur. He was not a motivated student, but he knew from an early age that
he wanted to write. He graduated from Salinas High School in 1919 and entered
Stanford University, which he attended intermittently until 1925. He often took
time off in order to earn money for the following term's tuition and took a
variety of jobs including clerk, surveyor, and ranch hand. In 1923 Steinbeck
took a class in marine biology which sparked a life long interest in the
subject. He left Stanford in 1925 without graduating.
Steinbeck began writing fiction in college and published a few pieces in
the school paper. When he left school he decided New York was the place for an
aspiring writer to be, so he took a job on a freighter and headed East. Less
than a year later, discouraged by his lack of success, he returned to
California on another steamer. He spent the next couple of years working as a
handyman and caretaker at a Lake Tahoe estate and in February 1928 he finished
his first novel
Cup of Gold. Later that year he met Carol
Henning, whom he would marry two years later. At the end of the year he moved
to San Francisco, where Henning had a job, moved in with a friend who was also
a budding writer, and began working on his second novel.
Cup of Gold was published in 1929 and
Steinbeck and Henning were married in 1930. The couple lived simply, largely
supported by Steinbeck's father. Steinbeck published
Pastures of Heaven (1932) and
To a God Unknown (1933) in quick succession,
but the bankruptcy of his publisher left him without any consistent means of
income from his writing. The couple moved into the Steinbeck family's cottage
in Pacific Grove and, as the grip of the Depression tightened, lived largely on
what they could grow or catch in the sea. Steinbeck traveled in California a
great deal during the Depression and he wrote about what he saw. What some
critics consider his greatest works were published during the thirties
including
Tortilla Flat (1935),
Of Mice and Men (1937),
The Red Pony (1937), and
The Grapes of Wrath (1939).
Early in 1941 Steinbeck separated from Henning and in the fall moved to
New York City with Gwyndolyn Conger. His divorce became final in 1942 leaving
him free to marry Conger in early 1943. Steinbeck left almost immediately to
travel to Europe as a foreign correspondent for the
New York Herald Tribune. Gwyndolyn had two
children with Steinbeck, Thom in 1944 and John in 1946. The couple moved back
and forth between New York and California during the forties and divorced in
1948.
Steinbeck met his third wife, Elaine Scott, in 1949 and they married in
1950. They lived primarily in the New York City area, spending part of each
winter in Mexico or other warm climes, and in 1955 they bought a summer cottage
in Sag Harbor. Steinbeck continued to write, varying his steady stream of
novels with plays and screen adaptations. Many of his novels were performed on
stage or made into movies. In 1960, despite illness, Steinbeck took a
cross-country trip with only a French poodle for company. The diary of this
trip became
Travels with Charley (1962). His last novel,
The Winter of Our Discontent, was published
in 1961. After traveling to Stockholm in 1962 to accept the Nobel Prize for
Literature, Steinbeck's health began to decline. He had been suffering small
strokes for several years, and they began to worsen. He died at home in
1968.
Scope and Contents
Holograph and typescript articles, novels, and short stories, and
correspondence with his publisher make up the bulk of the John Steinbeck
Collection, 1926-1977. The collection is organized into four series, arranged
alphabetically by author or title and chronologically where possible: Series I.
Works, 1926-1966 (9 boxes); Series II. Correspondence, 1932-1964 (1 box);
Series III. Personal Papers, 1943-1946 (1 folder); and Series IV. Third-Party
Works and Correspondence, 1939-1977 (2 boxes). These papers were previously
accessible through a card catalog, but have been re-cataloged as part of a
retrospective conversion project. Adrian Goldstone materials that were formerly
part of the Steinbeck collection have been withdrawn and cataloged
separately.
The Works Series contains draft and proof versions of many of
Steinbeck's better known novels as well as dozens of articles written during
his travels in Europe and while reporting on national political conventions,
and numerous short stories, scripts, and screenplays. Of particular interest
may be the journal Steinbeck kept while envisioning
Grapes of Wrath and complete holograph and
typescript versions of
East of Eden. Also present are the novel,
play, and radio play versions of
The Moon Is Down as well as holograph
versions of
Pastures of Heaven,
Tortilla Flat, and
The Wayward Bus. Individual titles are
listed in the Index of Works at the end of this guide.
The Correspondence Series is composed of letters to and from Steinbeck.
Over 500 letters between Steinbeck and his editor, Pascal Pat Covici, represent the bulk of this series with
additional letters from Steinbeck to Ben Abramson, Robert Ballou, and others.
Correspondents are listed in the Index of Correspondence at the end of this
guide.
The small Personal Papers series contains notes, a memorandum of
agreement, and Steinbeck's war correspondent identity card. The Third-Party
Works and Correspondence Series contains a number of works by Steinbeck's
friends and associates as well as a few letters. Of note is a typescript of
Oscar Hammerstein's
Pipe Dream, a play adaptation of Steinbeck's
Sweet Thursday, a draft television
adaptation for
Travels with Charley, and a number of
letters from Steinbeck's third wife Elaine. Individual titles and
correspondents are listed, by author, in the Index of Works by other Authors
and the Index of Correspondence at the end of this guide.
Elsewhere in the Ransom Center are about 60 photographs of Steinbeck and
his family, and eleven Vertical Files containing newspaper clippings with
biographical information and literary criticism in addition to published
articles by Steinbeck.
Acquisition
Purchases and gifts, 1958-1997
Access
Open for research
Processed by
Chelsea S. Dinsmore, 2000
Provenance
A large portion of the materials in the John Steinbeck Collection were
originally acquired at part of the Pascal Covici Collection in 1969.
Sources
Dictionary of Literary Biography -- Volume 9:
American Novelists, 1910-1945. James J. Martine, Ed. (Detroit: Gale
Research Company, 1981).
Parini, Jay.
John Steinbeck: A Biography. (London:
William Heinemann, Ltd., 1994).
Other materials associated with John Steinbeck may be found in the
following collections at the Ransom Center:
- Adams, James Donald
- Anderson, Maxwell
- Armitage, Merle
- Conrad, Joseph
- Covici, Pascal
- Dobie, J.F.
- Downing, Robert
-
Genesis West
- Goldstone, Adrian
-
Harpers
- Jeffers, Robinson
- Masters, E.L.
Index Terms
Correspondents
Abramson, Ben
Ballou, Robert
Covici, Pascal,
1885-1964
Steinbeck,
Elaine
Subjects
Arthur,
King--Fiction
Authors, American--20th
century
Community life--Monterey,
California--Fiction
Depression--1930s--United
States
Document Types
Galley proofs
John Steinbeck Collection--Folder List
Series I. Works,
1926-1966
1
1
Unidentified; A-C
1
2
America and the Americans,
typescript with author revisions,
1966,
148pp
1
3-5
Arthur, carbon copy,
546pp
1
6
Bombs Away: The Story of a Bomber Team,
unrevised galley proofs, bound,
86pp
2
1
Cannery Row, unrevised galley
proofs, bound,
1944,
112pp
2
2
D-H
East of Eden
4
1-5
Holograph with author revisions, includes journal
entries and messages to Pascal Covici written on versos of pages,
1951,
540pp (oversize box)
2
3-6
Typescript and carbon copy with author revisions,
includes sketches, paste-ups, and front matter,
1952,
950pp
3
1-2
Typescript, cont.
3
Galley proofs, unrevised,
1952
(removed to Galley Folder 1)
3
3-4
Discarded pages, holograph, typescript and carbon copy
pages with author revisions,
1952,
523pp
5
1
Grapes of Wrath Journal, two sets of
combined typescript and carbon copy,
1938-41,
158pp (includes a letter to Pascal Covici, 1950,
2pp)
5
2
I-O
5
3
In Dubious Battle, holograph in
bound notebook,
79pp
5
4
The Moon Is Down (novel), bound
galley proofs, unrevised,
ca. 1941,
74pp
5
The Moon Is Down (play)
5
5
Typescript with minor revisions,
136pp
5
6
Carbon copy,
121pp
5
7
Typescript with stage directions and minor revision,
124pp
6
1
Typescript copy,
103pp
6
2
Production materials, correspondence, actor biographical
sketches, playbills, promotional materials, and reviews,
1942
6
3
The Moon Is Down (radio production),
script samples, final script, and correspondence related to production,
1942
6
4
Murder at Full Moon (published under
pseudonym Peter Pym), bound typescript,
233pp
6
5
One American in Paris, 17 various
typescript articles, some with multiple copies
6
Once There Was A War, galley proofs,
1958,
83pp
(removed to Galley Folder 2)
6
The Pastures of Heaven
6
6
Holograph with author revisions in a bound notebook,
ca. 1937,
115pp
6
7
Radio script (adapted by Elizabeth Lomax), copy with
producer's notes,
1946,
180pp
The Pearl
7
1
La Perla of Le Paz, typescript,
102pp
7
2
Galley proofs, unrevised,
1947,
74pp
7
3
R-S
7
A Russian Journal, unrevised page
proofs,
1948,
218pp (removed to Galley Folder 3)
7
Sea of Cortez
7
4
Page proofs, unrevised,
1941,
287pp
7
5
Galley proofs, unrevised,
1941,
165pp
7
The Short Reign of Pippin
IV
7
6
Bourbon on the Rocks, typescript,
61pp
7
7
Typescript and carbon copy,
219pp
7
8
Carbon copy,
271pp
8
1
Galley proofs,
111pp
8
Sweet Thursday
8
2-3
Typescript and carbon copy with author revisions,
352pp
8
4
Galley proofs, unrevised,
190pp
8
5
Discarded pages, holograph and typescript with author
revisions,
28pp
8
6
Tortilla Flat, holograph with author
revisions,
67pp (includes:
The Murder,
The Chrysanthemums,
The Red Pony: The Promise, and
The Leader of the People)
8
7
W
The Wayward Bus
9
1-2
Holograph with author revisions in two bound notebooks,
1946,
145pp
9
3
Typescript and carbon copy with author revisions and
printer's markings, bound,
553pp
9
4
Advance galley proofs,
1947,
177pp
10
1
Galley proofs, unrevised,
1947,
110pp
10
2-3
Zapata, screenplay, two copies,
328pp
Series II. Correspondence,
1932-1964
10
4
A-Z
10
5
Abramson, Ben (from Steinbeck),
1935-41
10
6
Ballou, Robert Oleson (from Steinbeck),
1932-41
10
Covici, Pascal
10
7
(from Steinbeck),
1937-42, nd
10
8
(from Steinbeck),
1943-48
10
9
(from Steinbeck),
1949-56
11
1
(from Steinbeck),
1957-1960
11
2
(from Steinbeck),
1961-64
11
3
(to Steinbeck),
1938-64
Series III. Personal Papers,
1943-1946
11
4
Notes and identification papers,
12pp
Series IV. Third-Party Works and Correspondence,
1939-1977
Works,
1952-1975
11
5
A-Z
11
6
Cox, Martha Heasley,
In Search of John Steinbeck: His People
and His Land, typescript,
1975,
27pp
11
7
Hammerstein, Oscar,
Pipe Dream, script with production
notes,
1955,
230pp
11
8
The John Steinbeck Bibliographical Society, report,
1968,
15pp (three copies)
12
1
Moore, Harry Thornton, excerpts from
The Novels of John Steinbeck,
typescript biographical sketch and bibliographical checklist,
15pp
12
2
Peckinpah, Sam,
Travels with Charley in Search of
America, draft television script,
1963,
43pp
12
3
Simmonds, Roy S.,
A Note on Steinbeck's Unpublished
Arthurian Stories (11pp),
The Crazy Man with Long Hair who lived up
to the Frenchman's... (19pp),
The Original Manuscripts of Steinbeck's
<emph render="doublequote">The Chrysanthemums</emph>
(9pp),
Steinbeck's 'The Murder': A Short Critical
and Bibliographical Study (11pp), typescripts, some with author
revisions
Correspondence,
1939-1977
12
4
A-Z
12
5
Steinbeck, Elaine,
1951-64
John Steinbeck Collection--Index of Correspondents
Box and folder numbers are followed by a number in parentheses which
indicates the number of items by that person. A single item is indicated where
there is no number in parentheses following the box and folder number. Where
there is correspondence from John Steinbeck, the number in parentheses is
followed by the phrase from Steinbeck. So in the
example:
Covici, Pascal, 1885-1964--10.7-11.2 (363 from Steinbeck), 11.3
(188)
there are 363 letters from Steinbeck to Covici in box 10, folder 7
through box 11, folder 2, and 188 letters from Covici in box 11, folder 3.
- Abramson, Ben--10.5 (10 from Steinbeck)
- Altschule, Arthur--12.4
- Ballou, Robert--10.6 (20 from Steinbeck)
- Benchley, Nathaniel, 1915- --12.4
- Breit, Harvey--10.4 (from Steinbeck)
- Cohn, Lewis Henry--12.4
- Covici, Pascal, 1885-1964--10.7-11.2 (363 from Steinbeck), 11.3
(188)
- Deutsch,- --10.4 (from Steinbeck)
- Gage, William R.--12.4
- Groves, John Stuart--10.4 (from Steinbeck)
- Hoskins, Dorothy M.--10.4
- Lovejoy, R.--12.4
- Otis, Elizabeth--10.4, 12.4
- Steinbeck, Carol--12.4 (2)
- Steinbeck, Elaine A.--12.4 (2), 12.5 (35)
John Steinbeck Collection--Index of Works
-
Aboard the Saturnia--1.1
- Alarums and excursions--1.1
-
America and the Americans--1.2
-
And did you once see Shelley
Plain?--1.1
-
Arthur--1.3-5
-
Atavism and Old Lace--1.1
- Autograph hunters act like vultures...--1.1
-
The Bettencourt--1.1
-
Bombs Away: The Story of a Bomber
Team--1.6
-
Breaking Through the Etruscan
Barrier--1.1
-
Cannery Row--2.1
-
Case of the Hotel Ghost-Or What Are You Smoking
Mr. S.?--1.1
-
Clean Out the Ice Box--1.1
-
<?xm-replace_text {title}?>A Clear and
Present Danger--1.1
- Closed circuit speech for Senator Kefauver--1.1
-
Critics, Critics, Burning
Bright--1.1
-
Dateline--Dealers Choice--2.2
-
Dateline-Farewell, Oh! Ship of
State--2.2
-
Dateline-Heaven--2.2
-
Dollars for Democrats--2.2
-
Droppings from the Cow
Palace--2.2
-
East of Eden--2.3-3.4, 4.1-5, Galley
Folder 1
-
Eggheads of the World, Arise--2.2
-
Excavations at St. Peter's--2.2
-
Explosion of the Chariot--2.2
-
The Game of Authors--2.2
-
The Genius of da Vinci--2.2
-
Grapes of Wrath journal--5.1
-
Gusher, Florentine Style--2.2
-
The Hostess with the Mostess in the
Hall--2.2
-
How Mr. Horgan Robbed a Bank--2.2
-
I'd Rather Be Wrong--5.2
-
In Dubious Battle--5.3
-
It--5.2
-
It's a Treat to Beat Your
Feet--5.2
-
Just Thinking of the Hills of Home-Homesickness
May not be Fatal, But It Seems to be Unavoidable--5.2
-
Maybe Cat did Look at the Queen, But Mr. S. Saw
Tykes and a Plume--5.2
-
The Milly-Milly--5.2
-
Monecasque Fallout--5.2
-
The Moon Is Down--5.4-6.3
-
Murder at Full Moon--6.4
-
My War with the Ospreys--5.2
-
The Noblest Roman of the All--5.2
-
Note to Rome: Don't be a
Goose--5.2
-
Nothing Like Selecting Miss France to Cure
Sophisticated Stomach-Ache--5.2
-
On All Your House--5.2
-
On Both Your Houses--5.2
-
Once There Was A War--Galley Folder
2
- Open letter to the Russian people--5.2
-
The Pearl--7.1-2
-
A Rationale--7.3
-
Red Novelist's Visit Produces Uneasy
Talk--7.3
-
Robert Cape--7.3
-
Roots--7.3
-
A Russian Journal--Galley Folder
3
-
Salinas Is--7.3
-
Sea of Cortez--7.4-5
-
See Naples and Die--7.3
-
She Was a Widgeon of Delight--7.3
-
The Short Rain of Criticism--7.3
-
The Short Reign of Pippin
IV--7.6-8.1
-
Sir Richard Grenville Fell--7.3
-
Something Ain't Good? Blame It on the
Comet--7.3
-
The Summer Before--7.3
-
Sweet Thursday--8.2-5
-
Three Coins Down the Drain--7.3
-
Tortilla Flat--8.6
-
The Wayward Bus--9.1-10.1
-
What Kind of New America--8.7
-
When Swedes Welcome Summer--8.7
-
With Your Wings--8.7
-
Zapata--10.2-3
John Steinbeck Collection--Index of Works by other
Authors
-
Baltimore Sun
-
John Steinbeck and the Red Faced
Reds--11.5
- Cox, Martha Heasley
-
In Search of John Steinbeck: His People and
His Land--11.6
- Hammerstein, Oscar
-
Pipe Dream--11.7
- John Steinbeck Bibliographical Society
- Report no. 1 (1968)--11.8
- Moore, Harry Thornton
- Excerpts from
The Novels of John
Steinbeck--12.1
-
Parisian Review
- No. 48, Fall 1969--12.2
- Peckinpah, Sam
-
Travels with Charley (TV
Script)--12.3
- Simmonds, Roy S.
-
The Crazy Man with Long Hair Who Lived Up to
the Frenchman's: A Historical, Comparative, Textual and Bibliographical Study
of John Steinbeck's Short Story <emph render="doublequote">How Edith McGillcuddy Met
Mr. R.L. Stevens</emph>
--12.4
-
A Note on Steinbeck's Unpublished Arthurian
Stories--12.4
-
The Original Manuscript of Steinbeck's
<emph render="doublequote">The Chrysanthemums</emph>
--12.4
-
Steinbeck's <emph render="doublequote">The
Murder:</emph> A Short Critical and Bibliographical Study--12.4
- Skidmore, Hubert
-
John Steinbeck--11.5
- Unidentified author
- God, star, so quantitatively small...--11.5