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Benson Bobrick Papers

 Collection
Identifier: mss-1012

Scope and Content

The Book series includes correspondence (arranged with the book jacket, reviews (in the form of newspaper clippings and photographs, printouts from various websites, etc.) and correspondence related to that book (mainly proposals, emails or letters about edits to manuscripts, contracts, interviews, event flyers, etc.). Book correspondence between Bobrick and literary agent Russell Galen is prevalent. Editor Bob Bender at Simon and Schuster is also a frequent correspondent, as well as other editors at other publishing houses including Dell and Random House. No manuscripts are present but some proposals and outlines are present. Bobrick has written mainly historical nonfiction but a few more personal works are also present (including works about astrology and a memoir). Book reviews (both written by Bobrick (in the New York Times and Washington Post) and those written by others about his works are present. There are two video interviews (on DVD) in the collection and the relevant folder titles note their presence. This series is arranged chronologically.

The Correspondence is in the form of photocopies and originals. Some of the early correspondence often uses the name Barry Bobrick, which is the author's familiar name. Some correspondence is addressed to or includes Bobrick's first wife, Danielle Woerner or his second wife, Hilary Bloom. A small amount of correspondence is also addressed to Bobrick's step mother Elizabeth "Sherry" Most Bobrick. The correspondence series includes several archival binders containing autograph letters from men and women prominent in the arts, including: P.L. Travers, Edward Hoagland, Rachel Hadas, Donald Hall, Lewis Mumford, Sophia Delza, Francis Thorne, Alan Dugan, Joseph Brodsky, James Lee, Horton Foote, Joseph Ellis, John Guare, Phillip Lopate, Richard Wernick, Richard Brookhiser, John Hollander, Ellen Brodkey, Dorothy Kraus, Jan Balet, Deborah Baker, Douglas Brinkley, Hugh F. Graham, Ines Kinnell, Jock Carlisle, and Otto Nathan. There is also a binder of voluminous autograph correspondence and supplementary emails from Hagop Merjian, the Armenian poet and teacher, who was one of the author's early mentors and guides. A moderate proportion of the correspondence is in the form of printed emails. This series is arranged according to original order.

The Personal series contains biographical information including family history/genealogy and archival records, Bobrick's memoir, documentation of awards received and educational accomplishments, as well as astrological information. This series is arranged alphabetically.

The collection is largely arranged in the order as provided by the creator and includes some explanatory notes. The correspondence series is closed until March 15, 2027.

Dates

  • 1947, 1965, 1967, 1972, 1976-2021

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The correspondence series is closed until March 15, 2027.

Publication Rights

All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Curator of Manuscripts.

Biographical / Historical

Benson Bobrick (b. 1947) is a poet and historian and the author of sixteen books. Born in New York City, he attended private boarding schools for a decade, then Columbia University where he earned his B.A., M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. degrees in English and Comparative Literature. His Ph.D. was awarded in 1996 Extra Muros for his published work. In that same year, he moved to Vermont. His work, which has been translated into a dozen languages world-wide, covers an exceptionally large range of subjects, and has appealed to scholars, general readers, and men and women of letters across a wide field. In 2002, he received the Literature Award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 2019, he published a memoir, Returning From Afar. A volume of his poems is being prepared for publication in 2023.

[note provided]

Extent

2.5 Linear Feet (2 cartons, 1 oversize folder)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

This collection documents the work of author Benson Bobrick including correspondence, reviews, newspaper clippings, photographs, and publicity material.

Physical Location

Library Research Annex; contact uvmsc@uvm.edu for access.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original correspondence with Edward W. Tayler forms part of The Edward W. Tayler Papers, Columbia University, New York, NY.

Original correspondence with George and Gene Rochberg form part of The George Rochberg Collection of Manuscripts and Papers, Paul Sacher Stiftung, Basel, Switzerland.

Related Materials

Additional personal and family papers and documents may be found in the following collections: 1. The James Chamberlain Baker Papers, Boston University School of Theology, Boston, MA 2. The James Chamberlain Baker Papers, Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA 3. The Robert L. Bobrick, Nixon Impeachment Papers, Harvard University Law Library, Boston, MA 4. The Elizabeth Most Bobrick Archive, American Jewish Historical Society, New York, NY 5. The George Rochberg Collection of Manuscripts and Papers, Paul Sacher Stiftung, Basel, Switzerland 6. The Edward W. Tayler Papers, Columbia University, New York, NY 7. The Rachel Field Papers, Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children's Literature, Henry Madden Library, California State University, Fresno

Title
Guide to the Benson Bobrick Papers
Status
Completed
Date
2022 April
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the University of Vermont Libraries, Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Silver Special Collections Library
48 University Place, Room B201
Burlington Vermont 05405 U.S.A. US
(802) 656-2138
(802) 656-4038 (Fax)