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Kenneth Roberts Letters to Malcolm Johnson

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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

Roberts

Kenneth Roberts was a popular American historical novelist, whose subjects were the colonial period, the American Revolution, and the early years of the United States. His novels include Arundel (1929), Lydia Bailey (1947), Northwest Passage (1937), Oliver Wiswell (1940), and Rabble in Arms (1933).

The collection consists primarily of over 60 letters (1936-1955) by Roberts ("Ken") to his Doubleday editor, Malcolm Johnson, addressed mostly from Kennebunkport, Maine, but also from the Bahamas and Bermuda. Often of a warm and personal nature, many of these concern his current books and their progress. Many letters are accompanied by their original envelopes, and one late, long letter (1955) catches up on old times. Additional pieces include a postcard-sized photo of a painting of Mrs. Robert Rogers, with Roberts's identification and a note on the verso; a proof sheet of the title page of March to Quebec (1938) with his holograph correction; a corrected and annotated dust jacket for Arundel; two of his Christmas drinking song checklists; and miscellaneous notes, I.O.U.s, and clippings.

The letters are organized chronologically, with proofs and printed material at the end.

Purchased in November 2013.

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 John Delaney on November 25, 2013. Finding aid written by John Delaney on November 25, 2013.

Nothing was discarded or transferred in the processing of this collection.

Publisher
Manuscripts Division
Finding Aid Author
John Delaney
Finding Aid Date
Published on November 26, 2013.
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research use.

Use Restrictions

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Collection Inventory

Letters to Malcolm Johnson, undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Letters to Malcolm Johnson, 1936-1939. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Letters to Malcolm Johnson, 1940. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Letters to Malcolm Johnson, 1941. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Letters to Malcolm Johnson, 1942. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Letters to Malcolm Johnson, 1943. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Letters to Malcolm Johnson, 1944. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Letters to Malcolm Johnson, 1945. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Letters to Malcolm Johnson, 1946. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Letters to Malcolm Johnson, 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Letters to Malcolm Johnson, 1948. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Letters to Malcolm Johnson, 1949. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Letters to Malcolm Johnson, 1955. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Corrected Proofs, 1938. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Contains a proof sheet of the title page of March to Quebec (1938) with his holograph correction, and a corrected and annotated dust jacket for Arundel.

Physical Description

1 folder

Miscellaneous Material, 1937-1944. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Includes a postcard-sized photo of a painting of Mrs. Robert Rogers, with Roberts's identification and a note on the verso;two of his Christmas drinking song checklists; and miscellaneous notes, I.O.U.s, and clippings.

Physical Description

1 folder

Print, Suggest