Scope and Contents
The collection consists of writings, correspondence, photographs, sketches, and awards that document the career of American author Edward Lewis Wallant. The bulk of the collection consists of drafts and proofs of novels and shorter writings, reviews, and related correspondence with publishers and literary agents. Much of the material post-dates Wallant's death and reflects his wife Joyce Fromkin Wallant's efforts to see his last two novels published and to manage his legacy in light of continued interest in his work. Photographs include portraits of Wallant as well as a few snapshots of his family and from his service in World War II. Writings of others include critical analysis and adaptations of Wallant's novels.
Dates
- circa 1945-1977
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
The materials are open for research.
Boxes 4-11 (December 2009 Acquisition): reproduction previously restricted until 2012 December 15.
Conditions Governing Use
The Edward Lewis Wallant Papers are the physical property of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, consult the appropriate curator.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Kim Wallant, Leslie Wallant, and Scott Wallant, 1991-2009.
Arrangement
Organized into two groupings: September 1991 Acquisition and December 2009 Acquisition.
Extent
8 Linear Feet (11 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
https://hdl.handle.net/10079/fa/beinecke.wallant
Abstract
The collection consists of writings, correspondence, photographs, sketches, and awards that document the career of American author Edward Lewis Wallant. The bulk of the collection consists of drafts and proofs of novels and shorter writings, reviews, and related correspondence with publishers and literary agents. Much of the material post-dates Wallant's death and reflects his wife Joyce Fromkin Wallant's efforts to see his last two novels published and to manage his legacy in light of continued interest in his work. Photographs include portraits of Wallant as well as a few snapshots of his family and from his service in World War II. Writings of others include critical analysis and adaptations of Wallant's novels.
Edward Lewis Wallant (1926-1962)
American novelist Edward Lewis Wallant was born on October 19, 1926, in New Haven, Connecticut, to Sol and Anna Mendel Wallant. Following service in the U.S. Navy, he was educated at the Unversity of Connecticut, Pratt Intstitute, and the New School for Social Research. He had a successful career in advertising, as an art director, alongside his work as a writer. His first novel, The Human Season (1960), won the National Jewish Book Award; his second, The Pawnbroker (1961), was nominated for the National Book Award and adapted into a film starring Rod Steiger. Wallant was awarded a Guggenheim fellowshop for 1962, and travelled to Europe. Shortly after his return, on December 6, 1962, he died suddenly of a stroke at the age of thirty-six. Two additional novels were published posthumously: The Tenants of Moonbloom (1963) and The Children at the Gate (1964).
Wallant married Joyce Fromkin in 1948. The couple had three children: Scott, Kim, and Leslie. At the time of Wallant's death the family was living in Norwalk, Connecticut.
Processing Information
Collections are processed to a variety of levels, depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived research value, the availability of staff, competing priorities, and whether or not further accruals are expected. The library attempts to provide a basic level of preservation and access for all collections, and does more extensive processing of higher priority collections as time and resources permit.
This collection received a basic level of processing, including rehousing and minimal organization. Various acquisitions associated with the collection have not been merged and organized as a whole. Each acquisition is described separately in the contents list below, titled according to month and year of acquisition.
Information included in the Description of Papers note and Collection Contents section is drawn from information supplied with the collection and from an initial survey of the contents. Folder titles appearing in the contents list below are often based on those provided by the creator or previous custodian. Titles have not been verified against the contents of the folders in all cases. Otherwise, folder titles are supplied by staff during initial processing.
This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
Former call number: Uncat Za Ms 197.
- Title
- Guide to the Edward Lewis Wallant Papers
- Author
- by Beinecke Staff
- Date
- June 1991
- Description rules
- Beinecke Manuscript Unit Archival Processing Manual
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Part of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Repository
Location
121 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Opening Hours
Access Information
The Beinecke Library is open to all Yale University students and faculty, and visiting researchers whose work requires use of its special collections. You will need to bring appropriate photo ID the first time you register. Beinecke is a non-circulating, closed stack library. Paging is done by library staff during business hours. You can request collection material online at least two business days in advance of your visit, using the request links in Archives at Yale. For more information, please see Planning Your Research Visit and consult the Reading Room Policies prior to visiting the library.