Larry Eigner papers, 1937-1995

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Summary

Creators:
Eigner, Larry, 1927-
Abstract:
Personal papers through 1996, including all his poetry manuscripts arranged in sequence of composition by Eigner himself. Also literary and family correspondence, prose manuscripts, notebooks and juvenilia of Larry Eigner.
Extent:
15.75 linear feet
Language:
Languages represented in the collection: English
Preferred citation:

Larry Eigner papers, M0902. Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Background

Scope and content:

The papers include the typescripts of all of Eigner's poetry, arranged in sequence by the author, many with holographic notations by Eigner. Also included is correspondence to Eigner arranged alphabetically by the correspondent's name. Major correspondents include from Cid Corman, Clayton Eshleman, Arthur McFarland, James Weil, Douglas Woolf, and many others. There are also copies of some of Eigner's return correspondence.

Biographical / historical:

American poet born in Swampscott, MA, Eigner was confined his entire life to a wheelchair as a result of cerebral palsy. Educated at home by his parents, he lived with them in Swampscott until 1978, when he moved to California. Eigner's writing reflects his special perspective on the world, developing a distinctive style to register his uniquely distanced vision of the world. His first volume of poetry From the Sustaining Air was published in 1953 by Robert Creeley. His steady productivity resulted in numerous subsequent collections, including, Another Time in Fragments (1967), Things Stirring/ Together/ or Far Away (1974), now there's-a-morning-hulk of the sky (1981), and Waters/Places/ A Time (1983). His short stories are collected in Farther North (1969) and his prose writings in Country/ Harbour/ Quiet/ Act/ Around: Selected Prose (1978) and Area/ Lights/ Heights: Selected Writings, 1954 -1989. His latest book of poetry is Windows/ Walls/ Yard/ Ways (1994), but at the time of his death he had just completed work on a new collection Readiness/ Enough/ Depends/ On, now forthcoming.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Richard M. and Beverly Eigner, 1996 and 1997. Accession numbers 1996-256, 1997-006, 1997-190.
Arrangement:

Boxes #1 through #7 contain materials documenting Larry Eigner?s poetical works. These papers are arranged in the sequences Eigner himself devised and used. The papers consist predominantly of photocopy and carbon copies of typescripts, the originals of which are in the University of Kansas Library. Many of these copies do, however, have holographic notations, most of which are extremely difficult to read. There are some original manuscript works included, also with notations. Boxes #8 through #12 contain letters to Eigner arranged alphabetically by the correspondent?s name. Larger and more important files are from Cid Corman, Clayton Eshleman, Arthur McFarland, James Weil, and Douglas Woolf. Occasional copies of Eigner?s own letters are present and noted. The major exception to this pattern is the McFarland file which includes Eigner?s original correspondence to McFarland. Boxes 13-20 comprise the rest of the material from the original 1996 accession. Additional material from later accessions are found in Boxes 21-31.

Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research; materials must be requested at least 24 hours in advance of intended use.

Terms of access:

Property rights reside with the repository. Literary rights reside with the creators of the documents or their heirs. To obtain permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the Public Services Librarian of the Dept. of Special Collections.

Preferred citation:

Larry Eigner papers, M0902. Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Location of this collection:
Department of Special Collections, Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford, CA 94305-6004, US
Contact:
(650) 725-1022
specialcollections@stanford.edu
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