Call Number:

C0061

Repository:

Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division

Extent:

• 50 boxes
• 22.50 linear feet

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); James Gould Cozzens Papers, Box and Folder Number; Special Collections, Princeton University Library.

Date:

1878-1978 (inclusive) and 1940s-1960s (bulk)

Creator:

Cozzens, James Gould, 1903-1978

Form:

American diaries -- 20th century., Correspondence -- 20th century, Fiction -- 20th century., Journals -- 20th century., Manuscripts., and Notebooks -- 20th century

Abstract:

The collection illustrates the literary and military careers of James Gould Cozzens in manuscripts, notebooks, diaries (1920-1970), war journals (1911-1945), correspondence (general, family, and business), documents, memorabilia, clippings, and photographs.

James Gould Cozzens (1903-1978), author of fourteen novels and numerous short stories, was born in Chicago, Illinois. He attended the Kent School, and after his graduation in 1922 he went on to Harvard University. While attending Harvard, he published his first novel, Confusion, in 1924. A few months later, he withdrew from Harvard for reasons of health and finances. He moved to New Brunswick, Canada, where he wrote his next novel, Michael Scarlett. Like Confusion, it was not well received. He relocated to Cuba, where he began to write short stories. His experiences there provided material for later stories and novels, but he resigned after only a brief period as he felt that his writing career was stagnating. Though he published two more novels, his career did not improve until 1927, when he married Sylvia Bernice Baumgarten, a literary agent who successfully guided his career for the rest of her life.

Cozzens published ten more novels and a volume of short stories entitled Children and Others. He was a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters and won many awards, including the O. Henry Award in 1931 for "A Farewell to Cuba" and again in 1936 for "Total Stranger," the Pulitzer Prize in 1949 for Guard of Honor, and the William Dean Howells medal in 1960 for By Love Possessed. However, none of his works achieved great success or popularity and Cozzens increasingly withdrew from society. As the years went on, he displayed a loss of appetite for living and an interest in suicide which pervaded his diaries. In 1978, he died in a hospital in Stuart, Florida, of cancer of the spine.

1903 Born on August 19 in Chicago, Illinois 1916 Entered the Kent School 1922 Graduated from Kent School; entered Harvard University 1924 Published Confusion; withdrew from Harvard University 1925 Published Michael Scarlett 1927 Married Sylvia Bernice Baumgarten 1928 Published Cock Pit 1929 Published Son of Perdition 1931 Published S.S. San Pedro; received O. Henry Award for "A Farewell to Cuba" 1933 Published The Last Adam 1934 Published Castaway 1936 Published Men and Brethren; received O. Henry Award for "Total Stranger" 1940 Published Ask Me Tomorrow 1942 Published The Just and the Unjust 1948 Published Guard of Honor 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Guard of Honor 1957 Published By Love Possessed 1960 William Dean Howells Medal for By Love Possessed 1964 Published Children and Others, a volume of short stories 1968 Published Morning Noon and Night 1978 Died on August 9 in Stuart, Florida

The collection illustrates the literary and military careers of Cozzens in manuscripts, notebooks, diaries (1920-1970), war journals (1911-1945), correspondence (general, family, and business), documents, memorabilia, clippings, and photographs. Ten of his novels Ask Me Tomorrow, By Love Possessed, Castaway, Guard of Honor, The Just and the Unjust, The Last Adam, Men and Brethren, Morning Noon and Night, Son of Perdition, S. S. San Pedro—as well as short stories, poetry, articles, and introductions, are represented by drafts, typescripts with author's corrections, and/or galleys.

Cozzens's correspondence with his mother, Bertha Wood Cozzens, covers almost 40 years (1917-1953); other correspondents include Carlos Baker, Saul Bellow, Matthew Bruccoli, Erskine Caldwell, Granville Hicks, William Jovanovich, Oliver La Farge, Richard M. Ludwig, Arthur Mizener, and John O'Hara. Also included is military material, such as transcripts of press conferences, correspondence, manuals, and Cozzens's Air Force file.

In addition, there are seventeen letters to John Abbott regarding problems with the publisher B. J. Brimmer & Co. (1924-1926), fourteen letters and one postcard to Richard M. Ludwig (1957-1975), two letters to Pat Lawler (1958), and one lettter to Pearson (1968).

Abbreviations used, mostly in correspondence:

JGC: James Gould Cozzens (had a great-uncle by the same name; is clearly marked as such)

BWC: (Mary) Bertha Wood Cozzens (1875-1953) JGC's mother

MEW: Mary Eliza Wood JGC's maternal grandmother

HWC: Henry William Cozzens, Jr. (1866-1920) JGC's father

Note: JGC married Sylvia Bernice Baumgarten. She is sometimes referred to as Sylvia and other times referred to as Bernice. Her professional name (as a literary agent) was "Bernice Baumgarten".