New York Public Library Acquires E. Annie Proulx Archive
The New York Public Library just acquired treasure trove of research notes, book drafts and other materials belonging to novelist E. Annie Proulx, author of The Shipping News.
The trove, housed in the Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature, includes:
* 200 pages of short stories, essays, poems and screenplays
* 145 pages of preparatory notes and research
* 10,200+ pages of typescript
* 2100 galley proofs
* 4500+ pages of correspondence
"To me there is an odd sense of balance that material dealing with some of the most rural landscapes in North America will reside in our major city," Proulx commented.
The author noted that she wanted to donate the archive for several reasons. There is insight into the creative process, to be sure. But she says that the letters, emails, and financial reports will help shed light on this era of American publishing and literature to future historians. She also said that
"We are currently undergoing major changes in the way we regard intellectual property and literary work; some of anxieties of that metamorphosis are reflected in my archive."
