Anne Tyler papers, 1958-2022

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Access restricted. One folder of correspondence in box 15 is restricted.
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Summary

Creator:
Tyler, Anne
Abstract:
Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Accidental Tourist, Breathing Lessons, Celestial Navigation, Ladder of Years, and other popular novels. Collection includes manuscript drafts, printed material, holograph manuscripts and typescripts of Tyler's novels and short stories, including Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant; clippings of articles about Tyler and her writings; serials containing articles by or about Tyler and her work; correspondence between Tyler and her publishers; and materials regarding adaptations of her novels, including the movie The Accidental Tourist. Later additions include holograph manuscripts of A Patchwork Planet and Noah's Compass; an advance uncorrected proof of Back When We Were Grownups (2001); drafts for Digging to America, The Amateur Marriage, Back When We Were Grownups, The Beginner's Goodbye, A Blue Spool of Thread, Vinegar Girl, and Clock Dance; correspondence between Tyler and her editors and agents; publicity materials; some Tyler family correspondence; book reviews; and book covers.
Extent:
29.5 Linear Feet
Language:
Materials in English
Collection ID:
RL.01318

Background

Scope and content:

The collection includes manuscript drafts, printed material, holograph manuscripts and typescripts of Tyler's novels and short stories; clippings of articles about Tyler and her writings; serials containing articles by or about Tyler and her work; Tyler's work-related and personal correspondence; and clipping and other materials regarding adaptations of her works, including the movie The Accidental Tourist. Later additions include holograph manuscripts of A Patchwork Planet and Noah's Compass; an advance uncorrected proof of Back When We Were Grownups (2001); drafts for Digging to America, The Amateur Marriage, Back When We Were Grownups, The Beginner's Goodbye, A Blue Spool of Thread, Vinegar Girl, Clock Dance, Redhead by the Side of the Road, and French Braid; correspondence between Tyler and her editors and agents; publicity materials; some Tyler family correspondence; book reviews; and book covers.

The Writings series contains novels, short stories, essays, and book reviews written by Tyler. The novels are all in draft form, with the exception of one advance uncorrected proof. Arranged in folders by date of publication, the Novels subseries includes drafts of all novels Tyler wrote between 1961 and 2016. Most of Tyler's initial drafts are handwritten, as are all of the editing marks. She also made notes for herself regarding the characters and locations in her novels. Her notes include character details and hand-drawn house floorplans. This subseries gives insight into Tyler's writing and editing process. The Short Stories & Other Writings subseries includes published and unpublished short stories, clippings, and a booklet of student essays from Tyler's time at Duke University. Oversize writings can be found in the Miscellaneous & Oversize Materials series.

The Correspondence series contains letters received or written by Anne Tyler, though the majority of the correspondence was written to Tyler. She received mail from a wide range of people, including reporters, fans, friends, publishers, editors, and event coordinators. The majority of series is arranged chronologically and provides insight into the relationships that Tyler built due to her writing, and the friendships forged through continued correspondence. One folder in this series is restricted.

The Printed Materials series contains a wide variety of materials related to Tyler and her writings. A substantial portion of this series is comprised of clippings from newspapers and magazines. Either Tyler herself or a friend or colleague subscribed to a clipping service; many book review and publicity clippings were clipped by Durrant's, an international clipping service. This series also contains materials from Eudora Welty and Tyler's speaking engagement at Duke University in 1982. This was one of the few public appearances that Tyler has made. She does not generally give interviews or go on book tours. Oversize jacket art and publicity materials can be found in the Miscellaneous & Oversize Materials series.

Biographical / historical:

Anne Tyler (b. 1941) is an award-winning author, born in Minneapolis, Minn. She spent her youth in and near Raleigh, N.C.. She graduated from Duke University and completed graduate work in Russian studies at Columbia University. In 1963, Tyler married Taghi Modarressi. In the following year, they moved to Montreal, Canada, where Tyler wrote and worked in the McGill University Law Library. The couple had two daughters. During this time, Tyler began working with editor Judith Jones of Alfred A. Knopf publishing house. In 1967, the family settled in Baltimore, and Tyler sets most of her novels there.

Tyler has published novels, short stories, and children's books. Her novels include If Morning Ever Comes, The Tin Can Tree, A Slipping-Down Life, Celestial Navigation, Searching for Caleb, Earthly Possessions, Morgan's Passing, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, The Accidental Tourist, Breathing Lessons, Saint Maybe, Ladder of Years, A Patchwork Planet, Back When We Were Grownups, The Amateur Marriage, Digging to America, Noah's Compass, and The Beginner's Goodbye. She has collaborated with her daughter Mitra, an illustrator, on two children's books: Tumble Tower and Timothy Tugbottom Says No!.

Tyler has received recognition for many of her literary works. Among her awards are the National Book Critics Circle Award, received in 1985 for The Accidental Tourist, and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, received in 1989 for Breathing Lessons.

Chronology List of Anne Tyler's Novels and Children's Books
Date Event
1961
I Know You, Rider (unpublished)
1964
If Morning Ever Comes
1965
The Tin Can Tree
1966
Winter Birds, Winter Apples (unpublished)
1970
A Slipping-Down Life
1972
The Clock Winder
1974
Celestial Navigation
1975
Searching for Caleb
1977
Earthly Possessions
~1978-1979
Pantaleo (unpublished)
1980
Morgan's Passing
1982
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant
1985
The Accidental Tourist
1988
Breathing Lessons
1991
Saint Maybe
1995
Ladder of Years
1993
Tumble Tower (children's book)
1998
A Patchwork Planet
2001
Back When We Were Grownups
2004
The Amateur Marriage
2005
Timothy Tugbottom Says No! (children's book)
2006
Digging to America
2010
Noah's Compass
2012
The Beginner's Goodbye

Sources:

Robert Wayne Croft, An Anne Tyler Companion (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 1998), 2-3.

R. Baird Shuman, Great American Writers: Twentieth Century (New York : Marshall Cavendish, 2002), 1543-5.

Acquisition information:
The Anne Tyler Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift between 1989-2022.
Processing information:

Processed by Jane Metters, August 2011

Encoded by Jane Metters and Meghan Lyon, August 2011.

Revised by Laurin Penland, April 2019.

Updated by Leah Tams, September 2022.

Accessions described in this finding aid: 1989-0011, 1991-0062, 1993-0203, 1995-0102, 1998-0348, 2003-0048, 2007-0004, 2010-0013, 2013-0104, 2015-0073, 2016-0165, 2019-0051, 2022-0112.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

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Restrictions:

Access restricted. One folder of correspondence in box 15 is restricted.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Short stories may not be republished.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Anne Tyler Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.