Title: Kenneth Fearing papers
Inclusive Dates: 1931-1995

Creators:

• Fearing, Kenneth, 1902-1961

• Ryley, Robert M.

Unique Identifier: Collection B

Quantity:

• 5.25 Linear Feet
• 7 letter document boxes, 1 narrow cassette box, 1 flat oversize box

Repository:

University of Wisconsin-Madison. Department of Special Collections

Abstract:

The Kenneth Fearing papers contains various correpondence and manuscripts written by and about American poet and author, Kenneth Fearing (1902-1961). The collection includes published and unpublished typed manuscripts, early drafts, notes, contracts and agreements, and correspondence to Fearing. Additional items include materials about Fearing collected by Robert M. Ryley such as genealogical information, early high school works, and FBI documents; letters to Ryley about Fearing; manuscripts written by Ryley about Fearing; materials collected by Nan Lurie, Fearing's second wife, such as spiritual pamphlets and work books; and interview notes and recordings.

Language: English .

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-sc-b

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Kenneth Flexner Fearing (1902-1961) was born in Oak Creek, Illinois on July 28, 1902. He attended the University of Illinois for two years. In 1922, he transferred to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He worked for the Wisconsin Literary Magazine as a student and was voted the editor-in-chief for the for the 1923-1924 school year. He was later forced to resign. Fearing did not graduate in 1924 due to a failed math course although he was eventually granted his degree in 1938. During his time at Wisconsin, Fearing met Margery Latimer, who he had a brief romantic relationship with. Fearing and Latimer moved to New York in 1924, where Fearing lived even after the end of his relationship with Latimer.

Fearing began his writing career by writing stories for pulp magazines. Early poems were published in magazines such as "Poetry", "The New Yorker", "Free Verse", and "Scribner's". In 1929, Fearing published his first work, "Angel Arms", a collection of poetry. From 1930 to 1933, he was a contributing editor for "New Masses" magazine. In the summer of 1931, Fearing met Rachel Meltzer. They were married in 1933 and had a son, Bruce Fearing, in 1935. In 1936, Fearing won a Guggenheim Fellowship for creative writing which took him and his family to London for several months. The fellowship was renewed in 1939. In the next few years, Fearing would publish a number of books including, "The Hospital" (1939), "Dagger of the Mind" (1941), "Clark Gifford's Body" (1942). Fearing and Meltzer separated in 1942 and were later divorced in 1943. Fearing met Nan Lurie, an artist, during his 1942 stay at Yaddo, an artists' retreat in Saratoga Springs, NY. He first attended Yaddo in 1938 and had returned frequently. Fearing and Lurie were married in 1945.

His most well known novel, "The Big Clock" was published in 1946 and was later adapted into a movie in 1948. Fearing had struggled with alcohol for most of his life but it wasn't until 1952 when he stopped drinking due to a warning from his doctor. Soon after this, Lurie and Fearing separated. Fearing wrote book reviews for "Newsweek" from 1952-1954 and worked with the Muscular Dystrophy Assocation of America, writing reports and publicity releases from 1955-1958. His last two novels, "The Generous Heart" (1954) and "The Crozart Story" (1960) were received poorly. On June 21, 1961 he was admitted to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City for a pain in his back. Fearing died five days later on June 26, 1961 of malignant melanoma of the left chest and pleural cavity at age 58.

Collection materials may be subject to laws governing rights. Researchers are solely responsible for determining the rights status of the materials they use. Permission may be required for some uses such as publication or reproduction.

This collection has restrictions or is in a format that may not be accessible. Special Collections lacks the playback equipment for the 3.5" computer disks. The audio cassette tapes have already been digitized. Please consult Special Collections staff for access.

Part 1: Purchased from the Fearing family with Robert M. Ryley as intermediary, 1984

Part 2: Acquired from Robert M. Ryley, 1996

The collection consists mainly of correspondence, handwritten notes, typed manuscripts for published and unpublished works, and materials about Fearing. It is split into two series: Part 1 and Part 2.

Materials in Part 1 include correspondence to Fearing from his family, friends, literary agents, and various publishers, critices, and reviewers. Also included in this series are permissions, contracts and agreements, and royalty statements as well as published and unpublished typed manuscripts, early drafts, and holographic notes.

Materials in Part 2 include correspondence to Robert M. Ryley from those who knew Fearing as well as a small selection of letters written by Fearing. This series also contains spiritual work books and pamphlets collected by Fearing's second wife, Nan Lurie. Photocopies of materials about Fearing, Ryley's interivew notes, photographs of Fearing, a framed sketch of Fearing by Nan Lurie, an audio recording of an interview with Rachel Landon, and an audio recording of Fearing reading some of his works are also included. Ryley's inventory and additional notes of Part 2 is included in Box 1.

The collection is arranged into two series, Part 1 and Part 2, based on source of acquisition.

Poets, AmericanAmerican poetry -- 20th centuryAmerican prose literature -- 20th centuryRyley, Robert M.

	Series: Part 1
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 1	Chronology and list of major works
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 2	Catalog of Fearing papers in other respositories
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 3	Acquisition Information RESTRICTED
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 4	Santora, abstract of PhD thesis on Fearing (1982); Biography; sources of information on Fearing 1961, Undated
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 5	Photos of Fearing, his family, Harry Ross; Birth Certificate; Earliest extent work (last page missing); Letter of Explanation; Foreword about his ideas of poetry 1902-1948
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 6	Family Correspondence: Olive F Power (mother), Harry L Fearing (father), Ethel Fearing (half-sister), Ralph Fearing (half-brother) 1937-1961
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 7	Family Correspondence: Rachel Landon (first wife) and Nan Lurie (second wife), 1953-1955
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 8	Family Correspondence: Bruce Fearing (son), Sue Fearing 1951-1956, Undated
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 9	Family Correspondence: Rachel Landon, 1957, 1963
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 10	Personal Correspondence, A-C 1954-1960
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 11	Personal Correspondence, F-L 1937, 1954-1957
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 12	Personal Correspondence, P-S 1936, 1950-1956
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 13	Personal Correspondence: Minna Sophian, Unidentified woman 1953, Undated
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 14	Personal Correspondence: Elizabeth Ames, 'Yaddo' 1953-1957
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 15	Correspondence with literary agents, Barthold Fles and Russell + Volkening 1936-1961
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 16a	Correspondence with publishers, critics, reviewers, and editors Undated, 1944-1954
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 16b	Correspondence with publishers, critics, reviewers, and editors 1955-1961
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 17	Legal Correspondence RESTRICTED
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 18	Legal/business correspondence, 1946, 1958
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 19	Correspondence: friends, Author's Guild, 1020 Club; reprint of 'Interpersonal Relations: Personal and Depersonalized' by Jule Nydes 1936, 1953-1958
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 20	Movies and TV, correspondence and contracts 1946, 1954-1958
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 21	Permissions correspondence, 1937-1961
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 22	Guggenheim fellowship, 1936-1937
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 23	Job Applications and resumes, 1957-1959, Undated
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 24	Contracts and agreements, 1937-1958
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 25	Royalty statements, 1943-1961
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 26	Public relations for Muscular Dystrophy Association, 1955-1956
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 27	Publishers, "The Big Clock", correspondence and agreements 1944-1961
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 28	Poetry: correspondence, statements, and permissions 1935-1955
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 29a	Poetry: Indiana University, correspondence, statements, and agreements 1947-1955
Box [89130042005]   1   folder 29b	Poetry: Indiana University, correspondence, statements, and agreements 1956-1959
Box [89130042963]   2   folder 30	Poetry: Foreword, manuscripts, letters 1956-1958
Box [89130042963]   2   folder 31	"Reading, writing, and the rackets", manuscript Undated
Box [89130042963]   2   folder 32a	Short stories, typed manuscripts, A-C and untitled
Box [89130042963]   2   folder 32b	Short stories, typed manuscripts, E-J
Box [89130042963]   2   folder 32c	Short stories, typed manuscripts, M-U
Box [89130042963]   2   folder 33a	"Clark Gifford's Body", typed manuscript (pages 1-91)
Box [89130042963]   2   folder 33b	"Clark Gifford's Body", typed manuscript (pages 92-214)
Box [89130042963]   2   folder 34	"Simple Hearts", typed manuscript
Box [89130042963]   2   folder 35a	"Dagger of the Mind", typed manuscript (pages 13-143)
Box [89130042963]   2   folder 35b	"Dagger of the Mind", typed manuscript (pages 144-281)
Box [89130042963]   2   folder 36a	"The Crozart Story", early drafts and holograph notes
Box [89130042963]   2   folder 36b	"The Crozart Story", early drafts and holograph notes
Box [89130042963]   2   folder 36c	"The Crozart Story", early drafts and holograph notes
Box [89130042971]   3   folder 37a	Notes for "The Crozart Story"
Box [89130042971]   3   folder 37b	Notes for "The Crozart Story"
Box [89130042971]   3   folder 37c	Notes for "The Crozart Story"
Box [89130042971]   3   folder 38	"Gentleman's Destiny", unpublished novel (pages 1, 2, 101-221)
Box [89130042971]   3   folder 39	Holograph and typed notes for manuscripts (no titles)
Box [89130042971]   3   folder 40	Typed manuscripts for incomplete stories (no titles)
Box [89130042971]   3   folder 41	Typed manuscripts for articles (no titles)
Box [89130042971]   3   folder 42	"Shake Up", typed manuscript
Box [89130042013]   4   folder 43	Articles, incomplete: "Phantoms of the investigation"; "The Lower East Side"; "Creeping cretinism"; and introduction to "New and Selected Poems" Undated
Box [89130042013]   4   folder 44	Writings, Medical communications Undated
Box [89130042013]   4   folder 45	Script, Supermouse in "King of the Mountain" Undated
Box [89130042013]   4   folder 46	Book Review, "Balcony in the forest" by Julien Gracq Undated
Box [89130042013]   4   folder 47	Prologue for book by Elinor Ferry about Whittaker Chambers trial, Undated
Box [89130042013]   4   folder 48	Brief catalog by Robert Ryley, with notes on contents of letters
Box [89130042013]   4   folder 49	Letters to Rachel Meltzer (Group I), September 1931-April 1932
Box [89130042013]   4   folder 49a	Envelopes and notes to letters in folder 49, September 1931-April 1932
Box [89130042013]   4   folder 50	Letters to Rachel (Meltzer) Fearing (Group II), July 1933-July 1940
Box [89130042013]   4   folder 50a	Envelopes and notes to letters in folder 50, July 1933-July 1940
Box [89130042013]   4   folder 51	Letters to Rachel (Meltzer) Fearing and Bruce Fearing (Group II), August 1942-September 1942
Box [89130042013]   4   folder 52	Letters to Rachel (Meltzer) Fearing (later Landon) and Bruce Fearing (Group III), October 1942-July 1948
Box [89130042013]   4   folder 52a	Envelopes and notes to letters in folder 52, October 1942-July 1948
Box [89130042013]   4   folder 53	Letters from Fearing, his father, and stepmother; poems; manuscript of cartoon story "Monster of the Sea" (Group IV) 1933-1940, Undated
Box [89130042013]   4   folder 54	Obituaries, June 27, 1961
	Series: Part 2	⇧
Box [89130005655]   1   folder 1	Genealogical and biographical accounts and records
Box [89130005655]   1   folder 2	FBI documents and correspondence concerning Fearing's association with Communist Party, 1951-1952, 1986, Undated
Box [89130005655]   1   folder 3	Letters from Fearing, 1943-1956
Box [89130005655]   1   folder 4	Letters to Fearing; to Nan Lurie from Byron Bishop, 1941, 1943, Undated
Box [89130005655]   1   folder 5	Letters to RMR about KF, from A-C 1981-1986, 1990-1991, 1995
Box [89130005655]   1   folder 6a	Letters to RMR about KF, from Bruce Fearing December 9, 1981-January 4, 1982
Box [89130005655]   1   folder 6b	Letters to RMR about KF, from Bruce Fearing and Franzen Clough January 11, 1982-January 30, 1982
Box [89130005655]   1   folder 7	Letters to RMR about KF, from Bruce Fearing March 1982-December 1982
Box [89130005655]   1   folder 8	Letters to RMR about KF, from Bruce Fearing 1983-1989
Box [89130005655]   1   folder 9	Letters to RMR about KF, from F-K 1983-1989, 1992-1994
Box [89130005655]   1   folder 10a	Letters to RMR about KF, from Rachel (Meltzer Fearing) Landon and Margot Latimer 1982-August 1985
Box [89130005655]   1   folder 10b	Letters to RMR about KF, from Rachel (Meltzer Fearing) Landon September 1985-1994
Box [89130043136]   2   folder 11a	Letters to RMR about KF, from Nan Lurie and Meridel LeSueur 1983-1985
Box [89130043136]   2   folder 11b	Letter to RMR about KF, from Nan Lurie; "Margery Latimer and Kenneth Fearing Fragments of a Love Story", edited by RMR December 9, 1983
Box [89130043136]   2   folder 12	Letters to RMR about KF, from M-W 1982-1989, 1994
Box [89130043136]   2   folder 13	Photocopies of KF manuscripts and writings; Bruce Fearing's unpublished "Meditation"; Margery Latimer's "The Black Pool" typescript; Nan Lurie's notes and reminiscences
Box [89130043136]   2   folder 14a	Works from High School, 1918-1920
Box [89130043136]   2   folder 14b	Foreign Translation (Czech) of "Manhattan", 1964
Box [89130043136]   2   folder 15a	True crime article; Reviews and clippings collected by Nan Lurie and William L. Alison; Crossword with KF as answer
Box [89130043136]   2   folder 15b	Transcripts of RMR's interview notes
Box [89130043136]   2   folder 16a	Materials collected by Nan Lurie, pamphlets about excerises, including face-lifting 1940-1942
Box [89130043136]   2   folder 16b	Materials collected by Nan Lurie, pamphlets regarding spirituality/religion
Box [89130043136]   2   folder 17a	Materials collected by Nan Lurie, Order of the Essenes materials and instruction pamphlets (1, 25-34)
Box [89130043136]   2   folder 17b	Materials collected by Nan Lurie, Order of the Essenes instruction pamphlets (35-37, 42, 47, 49-52)
Box [89130043136]   2   folder 17c	Materials collected by Nan Lurie, Order of the Essenes instruction pamphlet enclosures (10, 12, 18-20, 26-30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 47, 49, 52)
Box [89130043136]   2   folder 18a	Materials collected by Nan Lurie, "I Am That I Am", Adept Work Class lessons, days 1-4, 9-14
Box [89130043136]   2   folder 18b	Materials collected by Nan Lurie, "I Am That I Am", Adept Class Work lessons, days 15-16, 18, 22; Various health and spiritual pamphlets
Box [89130043128]   3   folder 19a	Materials collected by Nan Lurie, Royal Fraternity of Master Metaphysicians, student class work, lessons 1-6
Box [89130043128]   3   folder 19b	Materials collected by Nan Lurie, Royal Fraternity of Master Metaphysicians, student class work, lessons 9, 11-14
Box [89130043128]   3   folder 20a	Materials collected by Nan Lurie, Royal Fraternity of Master Metaphysicians, student class work, lessons 16-23
Box [89130043128]   3   folder 20b	Materials collected by Nan Lurie, Royal Fraternity of Master Metaphysicians, student class work, lessons 24-30
Box [89130043128]   3   folder 21a	Photocopies of clipping about KF; materials from others to/about KF; materials about KF's high school English teacher, Laura Blackburn
Box [89130043128]   3   folder 21b	Sweney, Matthew, "Daggers of the Mind", master's thesis on KF, with pencil notations by RMR 1994
Box [89130043128]   3   folder 22	Edward Landon's gallery magazine and postcard, 1994
Box [89130043128]   3   folder 23	Photographs
Box [89130043128]   3   folder 24	2 computer disks (3.5") of KF's poems
Box [89130005648]   4 Audio [89130004328]   1	Audio Cassette: Kenneth Fearing, reading "Afternoon of a pawnbroker" and "Travelogue at a shooting gallery." (From a 78rpm recording made by William Alison in Oak Park, IL) August 11, 1948
Box [89130005648]   4 Audio [89130004286]   2	Audio Cassette: Rachel Landon, recorded in Weston, VT: poems by Kenneth Fearing; interview April 7-8, 1990
Box [89130005648]   4 Audio [89130004294]   3	Audio Cassette: Rachel Landon, recorded in Weston, VT: interview April 8, 1990
Box [89130005648]   4 Audio [89130004302]   4	Audio Cassette: Rachel Landon, recorded in Weston, VT: interview (#1) July 24, 1990
Box [89130005648]   4 Audio [89130004310]   5	Audio Cassette: Rachel Landon, recorded in Weston, VT: interview (#2) July 24, 1990
Box [89130005648]   4 Audio [89130004278]   6	Audio Cassette: Rachel Landon, recorded in Weston, VT: interview April 7, 1991
Box [89130005648]   4 Audio [89130004260]   7	Audio Cassette: M.L. Rosenthal, lecture on "Chief Poets of the American Depression," recorded at the University of Main, Orono June 19, 1993
Box [89130044761]   5	Sketch of KF by Nan Lurie, signed, no. 9 of series "Kenneth at Work" 1945