Contents and Arrangement
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The American Writer and American Society, 1986 October 28

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Collection Overview

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

The moderators introduce the six writers linking their work by their explorations of social, cultural and political themes -- sometimes using techniques that are postmodernist -- to explore the larger questions of American life. The panelists begin by responding to a Philip Roth quote: "The American writer in the middle of the twentieth century has his hands full in trying to understand, and then describe, and then make credible much of American reality. It stupefies, it sickens, it infuriates, and finally it is even a kind of embarrassment to one's own meager imagination. The actuality is continually outdoing our talents." Some of the writers respond directly to the quote attempting to define what fiction writers do and their role in the culture. They also consider urgency vs time to create and to consider complexity -- one author states sometimes "it's time for everyone to get a gun and sometimes for everyone to get a pen." They also speak about the economic imperatives in publishing, the isolation of writers, realism in relation to the inner life of writers, the status of the American novel in the world and if American writers are political enough, and the pitfalls of teaching creative writing.

2 compact cassettes (1/8-inch magnetic audio tape; 90 minutes)

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Collection History

Appraisal

Approximately 100 linear feet of material was separated in 2010, including duplicate material, clippings, general administrative and logistical files, general membership files, general reference files, publications (transferred to Firestone Library general collections) and extraneous material.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Jennifer Bowden with the assistance of Jennifer Watkins in 1994. Finding aid written by Jennifer Bowden with the assistance of Jennifer Watkins in 1994.

Reprocessed by Regine Heberlein in 2010.

Original audiovisual media were digitized in 2015-2017 as part of a grant-funded digitization project in collaboration with PEN America. Description of audiovisual materials was enhanced by Kelly Bolding in 2018, using description provided by PEN America.

In 2022, restrictions on the P.E.N. Writers' Fund files were lifted as part of a restrictions review project.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

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.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

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.

Online access to most digitized audiovisual media in the collection is available through the PEN America Digital Archive site.

Credit this material:

The American Writer and American Society; P.E.N. American Center Records, C0760, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
Storage Note:
  • ReCAP (rcpxm): Box 266