Gift, 1999 and 2002 (G11541, G12152)
Open for research, except for one correspondence file
Monique Daviau and Eileen Costello, 2000; Liz Murray, 2002
Noël Riley Fitch (1937-) was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and educated at Northwest Nazarene College (B.A., 1959) and Washington State University (M.A., 1965 and Ph.D., 1969). She was professor of literature (1971-1987) and chair of the Department of Literature and Modern Languages (1982 -1985) at Point Loma College. She lectures at the University of Southern California (since 1986) and the American University of Paris (since 1987).
As a scholar of American expatriate intellectuals living in Paris in the first half of this century, Fitch cast a new perspective on Paris literary life with her first biography,
Fitch continued her investigation of the literary life in Paris with her 1993 biography of another prominent Paris personality,
Fitch also wrote
Correspondence, interviews, notes, publisher's proof and manuscript fragments, newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs, legal documents, creative works, and other materials document from inception to culmination Fitch's research for the 1993 publication of her biography,
Series I. is divided into two subseries: A. Sources of Information, and B. Chapters and General Notes. Present are correspondence and interviews with over 160 people who either knew or were associated with Nin. The folders remain in their alphabetical order and key personalities include Kay Boyle, John Cage, Judy Chicago, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Erica Jong, Timothy Leary, Joaquin Nin-Culmell, Studs Terkel, and Gore Vidal. Of note are 21 interviews (1990-1993) with Rupert Pole, Nin's friend and lover for over forty years (1947-1977) and the executor of her estate. In some cases, the biographer collected obituaries and journal articles about the correspondents that provide insight into their relationship with Nin. Also included are creative works such as poetry by Daisy Aldan, essays by the erotica scholar Gershon Legman, and a dissertation on Nin by Wendy Dubow who subsequently edited
Subseries B encompasses Fitch's other research materials and has been maintained in the creator's original arrangement by chapter. Each chapter relates chronologically to Nin's life; the book begins with her genealogical tree and family history. The chapters subsequently track her peregrinations, publications, and relationships with men. A substantial amount of notes are written on Nin's first husband, Hugh Guiler (Ian Hugo), Henry Miller, and Lawrence Durrell. Since Henry Miller was such a significant part of Nin's life, one file fully documents the 1991 Miller Centennial Celebration. Clippings and biographies of other salient members of Nin's circle such as June Miller and her analyst, Dr. Rene Allendy, are also included. Of particular interest is Fitch's investigation of desertion, abandonment, and incest issues as related to Nin's childhood. This work includes letters from Nin's analysts, Otto Rank and Martha Jaeger as well as Legman's interview. Freud's published notes on
Series II. Publication Process, includes Fitch's original book proposal, proofs, copy editing notes and correspondence, publisher's files, permissions, publicity, reviews, readers' responses, and post-publication material.
Books received with the papers were transferred to the HRC library.
[matted dust jacket and scrapbook of reviews and articles, removed to oversize box 16]