Content Description

The Robert Cantwell Papers contain eleven series, which include general correspondence, diaries and notebooks, monographs, articles and subject files, financial matter, oversize, sheet music, miscellaneous, photographs, audiotapes, maps and forty-nine books. The General Correspondence Series is arranged chronologically from 1926 to 1978. The major correspondents are listed in a Selected Name Index at the end of the inventory. They include Ernest Hemingway, James T. Ferrell, John Dos Passos, Van Wyck Brooks, Whittaker Chambers, Erskine Caldwell, Malcolm Cowley, Henry Luce, Clare Luce Booth, Marianne Moore, T.S. Matthews, James Jones, Edmund Wilson, and other literary figures. A large portion of the correspondence, however, is of a family nature. Eight boxes of correspondence and diaries have been sealed until after the death of Mrs. Eva Stoltz Cantwell.

The Diaries and Notebooks Series contain Cantwell’s holograph (sometimes difficult to read) notes and diary entries. The entries are of a personal nature as well as work and research on various manuscripts.

The Monographs Series covers Cantwell’s fiction and nonfiction efforts. The manuscripts to his books Laugh and Lie Down, Alexander Wilson: Naturalist and Pioneer and The Hidden Northwest are included. Also among the monographs are unfinished works such as the biography of E.A. Filene that was a collaboration with Lincoln Steffens in 1934; the autobiography of James B. McNamara, a convicted labor dynamiter; Small Boston, a projected novel from the early 1970’s; and a project dealing with the FBI, privacy and Cantwell’s involvement with politics and Whittaker Chambers. Also in the collection is a series of articles, correspondence and research called Four Novelists, which was to include Cantwell’s work on William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, James T. Ferrell and Erskine Caldwell. Included in this section is a manuscript page of William Faulkner’s Light in August.

The Articles and Subject Files Series has been so named because Cantwell often wrote more than one article on a subject, or the working title was not the same as the published title. In these cases the material is filed under the subject; otherwise the title of the article is used. Types of material that can be found in this series are manuscripts, tearsheets, notes, correspondence, and printed research material. The majority covers Cantwell’s work at Sports Illustrated where he was senior editor. There are also sections on his Time magazine work, manuscripts, and tear sheets of his book reviews for Newsweek, reviewing such authors as Richard Aldington, Whittaker Chambers, and J.D. Salinger; tear sheets of his freelance work for New Republic, The Freeman and other periodicals; and various introductions to others works. The series is arranged alphabetically and includes such topics as ornithology, the environment, chess and other sports.

The Financial Matter Series covers Cantwell’s royalty statements, accounting of income, book contracts and expense accounts, including correspondence relating to New York State Department of Taxation from 1943 to 1965.

The Oversize Series contains Subseries A: Illustrations; Subseries B: Sheet Music; Subseries C: Maps; Subseries D: Plate Making Negatives; and Subseries E: Photographs.

The Sheet Music Series contains a collection of over 100 pieces of piano sheet music. Most of the sheet music is from the 1920’s, 1930’s and 1940’s, with a few pieces from the late 1800’s. One holograph piece is signed by Betsy Cantwell.

The Miscellaneous Series contains Subseries A: Miscellaneous; Subseries B: Tearsheets; Subseries C: Periodicals; Subseries D: Articles & Mss. Fragments; Subseries E: Newspaper Clippings; Subseries F: Biographical Information; and Subseries G: Research & Draft-Proust & The Movies & Sports. In Subseries G, a holograph note was found with a large group of file folders identifying the contents as such.

The Photographs Series constitutes photographs either of a personal nature or have some connection with an article. There are Subseries A: Photographs, Subseries B: Negatives; Subseries C: Microfilm; and Subseries D: Slides. Photographs are stored separately under call number PH138.

The Audiotapes Series contains one audiotape about Patterson’s llamas.

The Maps Series contains maps of Cantwell’s research on various articles and manuscripts.

The books included with the collection are ones that Cantwell wrote or edited as well as those he contributed to or collected. Included in the collection are books by James T. Farrell, William and John Faulkner, Erskine Caldwell, and Ernest Hemingway. Many books are signed or inscribed.