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Louis Kronenberger Papers
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Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
Louis Kronenberger was an American critic, novelist, and biographer. Born in 1909, he attended the University of Cincinnati, and subsequently went on to work for the New York Times in 1924, Boni and Liveright in 1926, and Alfred Knopf from 1933-1938. Following his position at Knopf, he served as the drama critic for Time magazine from 1938-1961 and then for PM from 1940–48. Kronenberger was published widely in the fields of literary and historical criticism, as well as the author of several works of fiction and creative writing including The Cutting Edge: A Collection of Witty Insults and Wicked Retorts, of Polished Snubs and Homicidal Repartee (1970). He married Emily L. Plaut in 1940, with whom which he had two chilren, and he died on April 30, 1980.
This collection contains personal correspondence with literary figures as well as editorial correspondence and drafts of Kronenberger's writings. The collection is especially notable for Kronenberger's extensive correspondence with important literary figures, including, among others, W. H. Auden, Saul Bellow, John Cheever, Malcolm Cowley, E. M. Forster, Graham Greene, Joseph Heller, Lillian Hellman, Irving Howe, Alfred Kazin, Bernard Malamud, Marianne Moore, V. S. Pritchett, Stephen Spender, Eudora Welty, and Edmund Wilson. Also included are business letters and editorial correspondence sent to Kronenberger from 1954 to 1977. In addition, the collection contains drafts of Kronenberger's own writings from 1958 to 1974, including Company Manners, Animal, Vegetable Mineral, Oscar Wilde and The Extraordinary Mr. Wilkes.
The arrangement of materials at the time of their acquisition has been retained.
Formerly part of the James S. Copley Library, this collection was purchased at auction at Sotheby's, New York, 2011 June 17 (AM2011-111).
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
This collection was processed by Regine Heberlein in 2011. Finding aid written by Regine Heberlein in 2011.
No materials were separated during 2011 processing.
People
Subject
- Authors, American -- 20th century. -- Correspondence
- Drama -- Criticism and interpretation
- Editors - New York (N.Y.). -- 20th century -- Correspondence
- Novelists, American -- 20th century -- Manuscripts
Occupation
- Publisher
- Manuscripts Division
- Finding Aid Author
- Regine Heberlein
- Finding Aid Date
- 2011
- Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
-
Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.
Collection Inventory
Arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent.
The correspondence series consists of correspondence received by Louis Kronenberger. Occasional outgoing letters are interfiled. The series is especially noteworthy for including correspondence with major literary figures, including W. H. Auden, Saul Bellow, John Cheever, Malcolm Cowley, E. M. Forster, Graham Greene, Joseph Heller, Lillian Hellman, Irving Howe, Alfred Kazin, Bernard Malamud, Marianne Moore, V. S. Pritchett, Stephen Spender, Eudora Welty, and Edmund Wilson.
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3 TLsS and 3 ALsS
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10 ALsS and 3 TLsS
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3 TLsS and 2 ALsS
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2 TLsS and 1 ALS
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5 TLsS and 1 TCS
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9 TLsS
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3 TLs, 9 TLsS, 4 ACsS, and 1 ALS
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19 TLsS and 1 TCS
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6 TLsS and 1 ACS
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8 TLsS
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9 TLsS, 7 ALsS, and 1 ACS
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3 TLsS
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6 ALsS, 2 TLsS, and 2 ACsS
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1 ALS
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6 ALsS, 2 TLsS, and 1 ACS
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1 TLS
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3 TLsS
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7 TLsS and 2 TLs
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5 ALsS and 1 TL
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6 ALsS and 2 TLsS
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5 TLsS, 1 ALS, 1 ACS
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5 TLsS and 4 ALsS
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1 ALS
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7 ALsS and 2 TLsS
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1 TLS
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6 ALsS and 1 TLS
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The order of the files at the time of their transfer has been retained.
This series consists of papers concerning Kronenberger's activities as an editor and writer. It includes contract and production files, biographical information, committee minutes and rosters, permission files, and reading lists.
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This series is arranged chronologically by Kronenberger's works.
The Lectures and Writings series consists of Kronenbergers lectures at Brandeis as well as drafts, proofs and galleys for his publications, including The Polished Surface, Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, Oscar Wilde, The Last Word, and The Extraordinary Mr. Wilkes.
Physical Description4 boxes
1 folder
1 folder
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Lecture and Bicentennial Piece
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Earlier lecture stage.
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Typescript
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Typescript
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Readers Galleys
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1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Carbon Copy of the Author's Note and Xerox Copy of the Introduction.
Physical Description1 folder
Typescript
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Typescript
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1 folder
Typescript
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Typescript
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Typescript
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Typescript Part 1
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Typescript Part 2
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Typescript Part 3
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Typescript Part 3
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Setting Copy
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