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This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the Duplication Policy section for more information.
Size | 62.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 15,000 items) |
Abstract | Gail Godwin, a white author, was born in Birmingham, Ala.; grew up in Asheville, N.C.; was graduated in 1959 from the University of North Carolina with a B.A. in journalism; and studied at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, earning an M.A. in creative writing and Ph.D. in English literature. She has published widely in fiction and non-fiction and taught in various colleges and universities. Godwin lives in Woodstock, N.Y. The Gail Godwin Papers consist of literary material related to her published and unpublished books, book reviews, essays, excerpts, libretti, novellas, and short stories. There are also publicity materials that document appearances, speaking engagements, honors, awards, interviews, book reviews, and articles about Godwin and her work. Personal materials include correspondence with family members, friends, fans, and other literary figures. Family correspondence and related materials pertain to members of the Cole, Godwin, Krahenbuhl, Rogers, and Zeigler families, but the bulk documents Godwin's relationships with her mother, Kathleen Cole, and with her grandmother, Edna Rogers Krahenbuhl. Other materials include Godwin's writings on writing and teaching, photographs, scholarly writing about Godwin, drawings, materials related to St. Hilda's Press, writings by others, dream diaries, and journals. |
Creator | Godwin, Gail. |
Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
Language | English |
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
Gail Godwin (1937- ) was born in Birmingham, Ala., to Mose W. Godwin and Kathleen Krahenbuhl Godwin (later Cole). Her parents divorced when she was a child and she was raised by her mother and maternal grandmother, Edna Rogers Krahenbuhl. Kathleen was both parent and friend to Gail, and the close relationship between mother and daughter would be lifelong.
Kathleen (1912-1989) grew up in western North Carolina with her parents, Tom Krahenbuhl and Edna Rogers Krahenbuhl. She attended Greenville Womans College and then transferred to Furman University to finish her B.A. In 1935 she earned an M.A. in English from the University of North Carolina. Kathleen married Mose W. Godwin in 1936 and gave birth to Gail the following year. The marriage was shortlived. After the divorce, Kathleen supported her daughter and mother by teaching college English, reporting for the Asheville Citizen Times, and writing romance fictions under the names Kathleen Godwin and Charlotte Ashe. In 1948, she married Frank Cole and with him had three more children: Franchelle Cole, Tommy Cole, and Rebel Cole. Kathleen returned to creative writing after her children were grown, although not for financial gain. She also divorced Frank Cole and became active in local Episcopal churches and in the volunteer community of Asheville, N.C. Kathleen Cole died in 1989.
Kathleen's influence in her daughter's life is particularly evident in Gail's educational training and career path as a writer. As a child, Gail attended St. Genevieve-of-the-Pines Academy, a school run by Roman Catholic nuns in Asheville, N.C. She graduated from high school in 1955 in Portsmouth, Va., and enrolled in Peace Junior College in Raleigh, N.C. She continued her studies at the University of North Carolina, where she graduated in 1959 with a B.A. in journalism. While at the University of North Carolina, Gail wrote columns and feature articles for the student newspaper, the Daily Tar Heel.
After college, Gail moved to Florida to take a job as a reporter for the Miami Herald. A year later, she was fired by the bureau chief, who felt they had both failed to develop Gail's writing ability into good reporting. Frustrated by this setback in her writing career, she married Miami Herald photographer Doug Kennedy. The union, which lasted only three months, is described in her unpublished first novel, "Gull Key." Upon dissolution of her marriage, Gail returned briefly to western North Carolina, then embarked on an open-ended trip to Europe. She stayed six years. For most of that time, she worked for the U.S. Travel Service at the American Embassy in London and wrote novels and short stories in her spare time. In 1965, she married Ian Marshall, an English psychiatrist she met in a creative writing class. This marriage also proved to be brief, though it provided her with material for her first published novel, The Perfectionists.
After six years abroad, Godwin returned to the United States and enrolled in the Iowa Writers' Workshop, where she earned an M.A. in creative writing and a Ph.D. in English literature. The Perfectionists (1970) would serve as her dissertation. While at the Writers' Workshop, Gail studied creative writing under Kurt Vonnegut and with John Irving. Both would remain good friends of Godwin's, and the latter a regular correspondent and friendly critic.
After leaving Iowa City, Godwin accepted a fellowship at the University of Illinois, spent time at the Yaddo artist community in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and occasionally taught writing courses at various New York schools, including Vassar College and Columbia University. In 1976, Godwin settled in Woodstock, N.Y., with composer Robert Starer, her companion until his death in April 2001.
In the course of several decades of full-time writing, Godwin has published extensively, including an number of bestselling and award-nominated books, dozens of short stories and essays, and ten musical works in collaboration with Starer. Godwin's body of work has garnered many honors, including three National Book Award nominations, a Guggenheim Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts grants for both fiction and libretto writing, and the Award in Literature from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. Five of her novels have been on the New York Times best seller list.
Godwin lives and writes in Woodstock, N.Y.
Back to TopThe collection consists of published and unpublished literary materials, correspondence, and other materials documenting the writing life of Gail Godwin, a white author with ties to North Carolina, Iowa City, Ia., and Woodstock, N.Y. The collection remains largely in the order as received.
Series 1 includes fiction and non-fiction books, book reviews, essays, excerpts, libretti, novellas, short stories, and other materials related to writing and publishing. For some published materials, there is only one draft; for others, there are several versions, which may range from typescript rough drafts to page proofs. In addition, for many of the published books, there are dust jackets; correspondence with publishers, editors, and other literary figures; plot, character, and theme notes; background research materials; draft folders with illustrations and writing timelines; reviews; and marketing and financial materials. The unpublished and abandoned writings often include partial drafts, but sometimes constitute no more than background research.
Other materials related to writing and publishing are located in Series 2. Included are writing notebooks; notes on writing and teaching; and research files with background material for "Mountain City," a fictional town created by the author that appears in some of her writings. Also included in this series are publicity files and scrapbooks that document appearances, speaking engagements, awards, honors, and newspaper clippings of interviews and feature articles about the author and her writing. Texts for some of the speeches given at appearances and speaking engagements are available. In addition, some of the appearances, speaking engagements, and interviews are also documented in the audio-visual materials series. A few of the publicity-related audio-visual materials are in Swedish. Separate subseries exist for scholarly writing about the author and for book reviews, some of which duplicate those collected in the scrapbooks. There is some material related to the establishment of St. Hilda's Press, formed by the Episcopal diocese of western North Carolina and interested individuals and funded by Gail Godwin. Miscellaneous materials in the projects series include drawings that may be related to the author's writing and photograph albums documenting the construction of her home in Woodstock, N.Y.
Many of the writing- and publishing-related series and subseries contain correspondence, but the vast majority of letters can be found in Series 3 and 4.1. The bulk of the correspondence in Series 3 consists of incoming letters from literary figures, including John Irving, Joyce Carol Oates, and Kurt Vonnegut; Godwin's agent, John Hawkins; her spiritual mentor, Gale Webbe; fans; family members; and friends. Topics include both personal and professional concerns. Friendships, family, the creative life, writing, and life events are often discussed. Family correspondence in Series 4.1 documents in great detail Godwin's relationships with her mother, Kathleen Cole, and with her grandmother, Edna Rogers Krahenbuhl, and the relationship between her mother and grandmother. Letters discuss home and school life, family news, money, love, and writing. There is some miscellaneous correspondence of Cole, Godwin, Krahenbuhl, and Zeigler family members, and some early correspondence of Gail Godwin.
Other materials in the family series include writing and research materials of Kathleen Cole; early writing of Gail Godwin, from childhood through her time at the Iowa Writers' Workshop; a small amount of family history materials; photographs; and miscellaneous personal items belonging to Gail Godwin, Kathleen Cole, Tommy Cole, and Edna Rogers Krahenbuhl, including calendars, school mementos, teenage scrapbooks, notebooks, drawings, a yearbook, diary, address book, and some financial materials. Materials created by non-family members, including Godwin's second husband, Ian Marshall, and her companion, Robert Starer, are located in the miscellaneous materials series.
Writings by others are collected in Series 6. Gail Godwin often served as critic to other writers with whom she had long friendships, including Robb Forman Dew, John Irving, and Gale Webbe.
With the Addition of 2006, Series 8 and Series 9 were created for Godwin's dream diaries and journals.
The additions of 2006-2018 are intellectually integrated with similar materials from the original deposit but are physically separated.
As there is considerable overlap among series, researchers are advised to check all possible locations for materials of interest. Researchers should also note that various surnames are associated with the author, including Godwin, Cole, Kennedy, and Marshall. Likewise, there are several surnames associated with her mother Kathleen, including Krahenbuhl, Godwin, and Cole.
Back to TopPublished and unpublished books, book reviews, essays, excerpts, libretti, novellas, short stories, and materials related to writing and publishing, including correspondence, financial materials, notes, research, and marketing materials.
Arrangement: chronological.
Chiefly typescript drafts and related materials, including notes on characters, plot, and themes; background research; the author's draft folders with illustrations and writing time lines; correspondence; and some publicity materials. Where possible, drafts have been arranged in chronological order.
Published in 1970. Originally called "The Beautiful French Family." Includes the short story version submitted to a writing workshop taught by Kurt Vonnegut; subsequent typescript drafts and the thesis version; notes; book reviews; the dust jacket; letters from the publisher; and congratulatory notes. See also Series 2.4 for additional book reviews.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 102000
Box 110 |
Readers copy, proof copy, manuscript #05055, Subseries: "1.1.1A. The Perfectionists, circa 1970 (Addition of 2014)." Box 110 |
Published in 1972. Comprised of letters relating to book publicity and reviews. Includes a letter from Kurt Vonnegut. See also Series 1.5 for dust jacket and Series 2.4 for additional reviews.
Folder 13 |
Letters, 1972 #05055, Subseries: "1.1.2. Glass People, 1972." Folder 13 |
Published in 1974. Includes various undated typescript drafts and proof stages of the manuscript; notes; and publicity. Correspondence with the editor and other staff members at Knopf Publishing relates to publication of the novel and includes some reviews. Other correspondence includes an exchange with Nina Baym, upon whom the character of Sonia Marks is based, and a few writers who received publicity copies. See also Series 1.5 for dust jacket; Series 2.4 for additional book reviews; and Series 2.5 for fan letters, related publicity materials, and additional book reviews.
Published in 1976. Includes a contract for international publication and the jacket copy. See also Series 1.2.5 for stories included in this collection that were published individually and Series 2.4 for reviews.
Folder 36 |
Contract, 1976 #05055, Subseries: "1.1.4. Dream Children, 1976." Folder 36 |
Folder 37 |
Jacket copy #05055, Subseries: "1.1.4. Dream Children, 1976." Folder 37 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 102000
Box 110 |
Screenplay, 1984 #05055, Subseries: "1.1.4A. Dream Children, 1984 (Addition of 2014)." Box 110 |
Published in 1978. Earlier titles include "Children of Romantics" and "The Last Gothic Heroine." Materials include various undated typescript drafts and an uncorrected proof; notes on characterization, symbolism, and themes; and background research on travel, art, and artist motivations. Correspondence relates to manuscript changes; solicitation of reviews of the manuscript; attempts to sell excerpts to magazines; and discussion of possible titles. See also Series 2.4 for additional book reviews and Series 2.5 for fan mail, articles, other marketing materials, and additional reviews.
Published in 1982. Includes various undated typescript draft stages and an uncorrected proof; notes on character and themes; research on breast cancer, stroke, fire, measles, World War I military service, North Carolina beaches, apocalyptic events, television directors, bankers, pesticides, and feminism; and a publicity file with introductions to be read at book readings and signings. Correspondence with publisher relates to author's decision to be published by Viking Press. See also Series 2.1 for a writing notebook with related notes; Series 2.4 for reviews; Series 2.5 for related articles, fan mail, publicity materials, and additional reveiws; and Series 4.1.1 for research-related correspondence with Kathleen Cole, regarding the "old guard" of Asheville, N.C.
Published in 1983. Includes undated typescript drafts and various stages of proofs. See also Series 1.2.5 for drafts of individual stories; Series 2.4 for reviews; and Series 2.5 for reviews, notes, and correspondence with publisher and agent.
Folder 99-100
Folder 99Folder 100 |
Semi-final draft #05055, Subseries: "1.1.7. Mr. Bedford and the Muses, circa 1983." Folder 99-100 |
Folder 101-102
Folder 101Folder 102 |
Final draft #05055, Subseries: "1.1.7. Mr. Bedford and the Muses, circa 1983." Folder 101-102 |
Folder 103-106
Folder 103Folder 104Folder 105Folder 106 |
Setting manuscript #05055, Subseries: "1.1.7. Mr. Bedford and the Muses, circa 1983." Folder 103-106 |
Folder 107-108
Folder 107Folder 108 |
Galley proofs #05055, Subseries: "1.1.7. Mr. Bedford and the Muses, circa 1983." Folder 107-108 |
Folder 109 |
Unrevised and unpublished proofs #05055, Subseries: "1.1.7. Mr. Bedford and the Muses, circa 1983." Folder 109 |
Published in 1984. Includes several undated typescript drafts (one with comments from Robb Forman Dew) and stages of proofs; notes on plot, characterization, themes, and motivations; research, including notes and notebooks with information about plot, themes, scenes, and descriptions of characters; information on France, IBM, life in wartime London, American volunteers, child evacuation, convoys, music in Argentina, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and houseboats; and publicity materials. Correspondence pertains to publication of the novel. See also Series 1.5 for dust jacket; Series 2.4 for book reviews; and Series 2.5 for fan letters, marketing materials, a published excerpt of the novel, and additional book reviews.
Published in 1987. Includes various undated typescript drafts and stages of proofs; notes and notebooks on character, themes, and copyediting; a plan for writing the novel; research materials on forestry and teaching history; folders for early drafts of chapters, with timelines for pages written. Correspondence relates to domestic and international publishing of novel; attempts to sell excerpts of novel to magazines; cover art; advertising, publicity materials, and marketing plans; and reader responses. See also Series 1.5 for dust jacket; Series 2.4 for reviews; Series 2.5 for marketing materials, some correspondence, articles, and additional reviews; and Series 4.5.2 for additional research materials on Tommy Cole, upon whom the character of Theo Quick is based.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 102000
Box 110 |
Reviews #05055, Subseries: "1.1.9A. A Southern Family, 1987 (Addition of 2014)." Box 110 |
Published in 1991. First called "Vinca." Includes various undated typescript drafts and stages of proofs; notes on character, plot, themes, and sentence drafts, with a plan for the novel and "blue papers," or reports, on what the author knew about her characters; research on women in theater, scenic design, and religion; sketches; and folders, some decorated, with time lines of pages written. Correspondence relates to publication, reviews, advertising, and cover design. There are some letters from fans, including clergy. See also Series 1.5 for dust jacket; Series 2.1 for a writing notebook with related notes; Series 2.4 for additional book reviews; and Series 2.5 for marketing materials, related correspondence, and additional reviews.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438
Folder 1049-1054
Folder 1049Folder 1050Folder 1051Folder 1052Folder 1053Folder 1054 |
Final draft #05055, Subseries: "1.1.10A. Father Melancholy's Daughter, circa 1991 (Addition of 2006)." Folder 1049-1054 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 102000
Box 110 |
Reviews #05055, Subseries: "1.1.10A. Father Melancholy's Daughter, 1991 (Addition of 2014)." Box 110 |
Published in 1994. First called "Misericord." Includes various typescript drafts and stages of proofs; notes on themes and characters, including comments from Robert Starer; research on monastic life, seminaries, misericords, parenting of gay and lesbian children, cancers, and illiteracy; and draft folders, decorated with misericords, with time lines of writing for each chapter. Correspondence pertains to the dedications, cover art, editing, and marketing materials; feedback from editor, publisher, and John Irving; and a letter from "Alice," who served as inspiration for the character in the novel. In addition, there are fan letters; media materials used in preparation for book tour and interviews; book tour materials, including notes, itineraries, and a journal with a record of impressions of her agent, interviews, hotels, meals, travel, conversations, readings and signings, and fans; and reviews. See also Series 2.1 for a writing notebook with related notes; Series 2.4 for additional reviews; and Series 3.2 for more fan mail.
Folder 1055 |
Correspondence, 2002-2003 #05055, Subseries: "1.1.11A. The Good Husband, 2002-2003, 2010 (Additions of 2006 and 2017)." Folder 1055Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438 |
Folder 1259 |
Correspondence, 2010 #05055, Subseries: "1.1.11A. The Good Husband, 2002-2003, 2010 (Additions of 2006 and 2017)." Folder 1259Acquisitions Information: Accession 103051 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 102000
Box 110 |
Reviews #05055, Subseries: "1.1.11A. The Good Husband, 1994 (Addition of 2014)." Box 110 |
Published in 1999. First called "Vespertide," then "An Evening Gone." Includes various typescript drafts; notes on character, theme, chapter organization, and notepads with sentence and phrase drafts; background research materials on St. Mary's parish, the history of Asheville, N.C., spirituality and religious beliefs, Cloisters, England, music, General Theological Seminary, Holy Week, burial instructions, and other ministerial materials; Advent journal of The Reverend Janet Vincent-Scaringe; folders decorated for each chapter draft; and book reviews. Personal and professional correspondence pertains to publication of the book and includes some publicity materials. In addition, there is fan mail. See also Series 1.5 for dust jacket; Series 2.4 for additional book reviews; and Series 2.3.1 for materials related to the book tour.
Published in 2001. Includes various undated typescript drafts; notes for phone interviews and a marketing pamphlet; research on cardiology and ideas about the heart; an idea journal; illustrations; publicity materials; and book reviews. Correspondence pertains to publication and marketing of the book. See also series 1.5 for dust jacket.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438
Acquisitions Information: Accession 102000
Box 110 |
Publicity #05055, Subseries: "1.1.14A. Evenings at Five, 2007-2008 (Addition of 2014)." Box 110 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438
Acquisitions Information: Accession 102000
Box 110 |
Manuscripts, reviews, publicity, book club #05055, Subseries: "1.1.15A. Queen of the Underworld, 2004-2007 (Addition of 2014)." Box 110Includes materials relating to The Making of a Writer and contract with Ballantine Books. |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438
Note that the correspondence includes draft material. See also Series 1.1.15. for publicity materials relating to both Queen of the Underworld and The Making of a Writer.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 102000
Box 110 |
Manuscript #05055, Subseries: "1.1.16A. The Making of a Writer, 2009 (Addition of 2014)." Box 110 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103383
Box 112 |
Manuscript for Working on the Ending: Diaries, 2001-2005 #05055, Subseries: "1.1.16A. The Making of a Writer, undated (Addition of 2018)." Box 112Edited by Rob Neufeld; part 1 of a 3 part project that is part of The Making of a Writer. |
The addition is comprised of the original final draft of "The Red Nun: A Tale of Unfinished Desires" (retitled Unfinished Desires for publication), related notes, and reviews and correspondence.
Folder 1241-1253
Folder 1241Folder 1242Folder 1243Folder 1244Folder 1245Folder 1246Folder 1247Folder 1248Folder 1249Folder 1250Folder 1251Folder 1252Folder 1253 |
Final draft, circa 2008 #05055, Subseries: "1.1.17A. Unfinished Desires, 2004-2011 (Additions of 2009 and 2017)." Folder 1241-1253Acquisitions Information: Accession 101178 Without prologue; before reformatting and cut suggestions; 837 pages |
Folder 1254-1258
Folder 1254Folder 1255Folder 1256Folder 1257Folder 1258 |
Notes, 2004-2008 #05055, Subseries: "1.1.17A. Unfinished Desires, 2004-2011 (Additions of 2009 and 2017)." Folder 1254-1258Acquisitions Information: Accession 101178 |
Folder 1260 |
Reviews and correspondence, 2010-2011 #05055, Subseries: "1.1.17A. Unfinished Desires, 2004-2011 (Additions of 2009 and 2017)." Folder 1260Acquisitions Information: Accession 103051 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 102000
Box 110-111
Box 110Box 111 |
Manuscript, notebook, publicity, interviews, reviews #05055, Subseries: "1.1.17A. Unfinished Desires, 1999-2010 (Addition of 2014)." Box 110-111 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 102000
Box 111 |
Manuscript #05055, Subseries: "1.1.18A. Flora, 2012 (Addition of 2014)." Box 111 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103051
Comprised of drafts of Flora, related notes, and publicity.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103383
Box 112 |
Drawings #05055, Subseries: "1.1.18A. Flora, 2009 (Addition of 2018)." Box 112 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103051
Comprised of the original final draft of Publishing: A Writer's Memoir and related notes and research.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103051
Comprised of original drafts of Grief Cottage and related notes and research.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103383
Box 112 |
Composition notebook, research, publicity, reviews, and drawings. #05055, Subseries: "1.1.20A. Grief Cottage, 2015 (Addition of 2018)." Box 112 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103383
Box 114-115
Box 114Box 115 |
Signed copies of hardback publications #05055, Subseries: "1.1A. Published Writings, 1970-2017 (Addition of 2018)." Box 114-115 |
Arrangement: by genre.
Materials include published book reviews, essays, excerpts of novels and novellas, libretti, and short stories, with some related correspondence.
Arrangement: chronological.
Reviews written by Gail Godwin and published in the Chicago Tribune Book World , New Republic, New York Times , New York Times Book Review, and North American Review. Authors reviewed include James Agee, Nina Baym, T. Coraghessan Boyle, Pat Conroy, Shirley Ann Grau, Doris Lessing, Joyce Carol Oates, Walker Percy, Reynolds Price, Mary Lee Settle, Paul Theroux, Anne Tyler, John Updike, and Shirley Fay Weldon.
Arrangement: chronological.
Essays and incidental pieces published in magazines and journals such as Antaeus, Art and Antiques, Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, Gourmet, Harper's, James Joyce Quarterly, Ms., New Times, New York Times Book Review , and The Writer; as introductions to novels; in book length collections of essays; and online. It is not clear where some of the essays were published. Includes some related correspondence.
Published excerpts from novels and short story collections, including "The Fate of Fleeing Maidens" (from Violet Clay); "Violet Clay" (from Violet Clay); "The Unlikely Family" (from Mr. Bedford and the Muses); and "A Mother and Two Daughters" (from A Mother and Two Daughters ).
Folder 509 |
1978-1981 #05055, Subseries: "1.2.3. Excerpted Novels and Short Story Collections, 1978-1981." Folder 509 |
Arrangement: chronological.
Text and music collaborations with composer Robert Starer.
Arrangement: chronological.
Includes drafts and tearsheets of short stories published in magazines such as Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, Harpers, McCall's, Ms., Redbook, and USA Weekend. Some stories later appeared in Godwin's short story collections, Dream Children and Mr. Bedford and the Muses . A small amount of related correspondence is included.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103051
Solo Notes is a work in progress comprised of Gail Godwin's journal entries, and is intended as a companion to The Making of a Writer. Some of the entries have been published online. This collection contains correspondence between Godwin and Rob Neufeld regarding the editing of the collection.
Folder 1286 |
Correspondence with Rob Neufeld, 2011 #05055, Subseries: "1.2.6A. Solo Notes, 2011 (Addition of 2006)." Folder 1286 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 102000
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103383
Box 113 |
Writings about Robert Starer and Grief Cottage #05055, Subseries: "1.2A. Other Published Writing, 2015 (Addition of 2018)." Box 113 |
Arrangement: by genre.
Includes unpublished and abandoned novels, novellas, short stories, and story ideas. See also Series 4.3 for other earlier unpublished writing.
Arrangement: chronological.
Includes typescript and handwritten drafts, notes and notebooks, and research for unpublished and abandoned novels.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103383
Box 113 |
Drafts and notebooks #05055, Subseries: "1.3A. The Guardian's Tale, 2013 (Addition of 2018)." Box 113 |
Arrangement: chronological.
Typescript drafts of unpublished novellas.
Folder 564 |
"Summer Suite," 1979? #05055, Subseries: "1.3.2. Novellas, 1970s." Folder 564 |
Folder 565 |
"Godchild," 197?: unfinished #05055, Subseries: "1.3.2. Novellas, 1970s." Folder 565 |
Arrangement: chronological.
Chiefly undated stories, probably written while Godwin was a student at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Multiple drafts exist for some items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Chiefly accounts payable notices from Gail Godwin's agent, John Hawkins, for royalties received for written works and earnings from appearances. Also included is a record of unearned advances.
Arrangement: chronological.
Materials include incidental writings and writing fragments, a collection of essays gathered for a possible book, and dust jackets.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438
Materials include writing notebooks; notes on writing and teaching; publicity materials; book reviews; scrapbooks; photograph albums; research notes; family history; scholarly writings about Gail Godwin; drawings; and materials related to St. Hilda's Press.
Arrangement: chronological.
Chiefly notebooks kept while traveling, with commentaries on friends visited, fellow travelers, self-esteem, notes on characters and themes for novels, and dreams. Includes some notes and research for A Mother and Two Daughters, Father Melancholy's Daughter, and The Good Husband .
Chiefly materials gathered for "Mysteries of the Writing Life," a seminar given at Manhattanville College in 1988. Includes texts and notes of lectures, presentations, and articles given in previous appearances at Breadloaf, New York University, Mars Hill College, and other institutions; also some miscellaneous materials accumulated while teaching. See also Series 2.3.1 for text of speech given at this seminar.
Folder 615-618
Folder 615Folder 616Folder 617Folder 618 |
Notes on writing and teaching #05055, Subseries: "2.2. Notes on Writing and Teaching, 1970s-1980s." Folder 615-618 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103051
Materials gathered for "Stuck: A Writer's Companion to the Dark Days," a master class given at Kratz Center for Creative Writing at Goucher College in 2015. Included are texts and notes for the class.
Materials pertain to Gail Godwin's appearances and speaking engagements, awards and honors received, and interviews and articles written about her. Includes correspondence, brochures, posters, and clippings. See also Series 5 for related audio-visual materials.
Arrangement: chronological.
Materials include text of some speeches given at appearances and speaking engagements with related correspondence; may include materials from award presentations and writing conferences, workshops, and lectures; some materials in Swedish.
Arrangement: chronological.
Honors include Guggenheim fellowship, 1976; a citation from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, 1981; a distinguished alumni award from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1988; several honorary degrees; and other awards.
Folder 640 |
Awards and honors, 1975-1994 #05055, Subseries: "2.3.2. Awards and Honors, 1975-1994." Folder 640 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438
Folder 1173 |
Awards and honors, 2005 #05055, Subseries: "2.3.2A. Awards and Honors, 2005 (Addition of 2006)." Folder 1173 |
Arrangement: chronological.
Interviews, feature articles, advertising, and a small amount of correspondence related to Gail Godwin and her published books.
Posters advertising upcoming readings and talks, and correspondence and marketing materials related to the Gail Godwin room at the Richmond Hill Inn.
Folder 657 |
Posters, 1970s-1980s #05055, Subseries: "2.3.4. Other Publicity Materials, 1970s-1980s." Folder 657See also OPF-5055/1. |
Oversize Paper Folder OPF-5055/1 |
Posters, 1970s-1980s #05055, Subseries: "2.3.4. Other Publicity Materials, 1970s-1980s." OPF-5055/1 |
Folder 658 |
Richmond Hill Inn, 1988-1989 #05055, Subseries: "2.3.4. Other Publicity Materials, 1970s-1980s." Folder 658 |
Arrangement: chronological.
A small sampling of reviews of Gail Godwin's novels and short story collections. See also Series 1.1 and Series 2.5 for additional reviews.
Arrangement: chronological.
Book reviews, feature articles, marketing materials, and some correspondence surrounding publication of The Odd Woman, Violet Clay , A Mother and Two Daughters, Mr. Bedford and the Muses, The Finishing School , and A Southern Family. In a few cases, the enclosures are more substantial than the materials collected in the volumes.
Chiefly documentation of construction of Woodstock, N.Y., house. Some family photographs are included.
Folder 670-676
Folder 670Folder 671Folder 672Folder 673Folder 674Folder 675Folder 676 |
Photograph albums 1-3: clearing of land and construction of house in Woodstock, N.Y. #05055, Subseries: "2.6. Photograph Albums, 1980s." Folder 670-676 |
Folder 677-678
Folder 677Folder 678 |
Photograph album 4, 1970s-1980s: chiefly photographs of Gail Godwin and Robert Starer entertaining guests and family, including Godwin's brother Tommy Cole and nephew Justin Cole #05055, Subseries: "2.6. Photograph Albums, 1980s." Folder 677-678 |
Miscellaneous research and story ideas. Includes background material for developing "Mountain City," a fictional town based on Asheville, N.C.
A small amount of Godwin, Krahenbuhl, and Rogers family history materials, including correspondence, clippings, photographs, and lineage charts.
Arrangement: chronological.
Includes articles written about Gail Godwin and some related correspondence with the authors. Articles appeared in various reference books, journals, and magazines, including the Dictionary of Literary Biography and the Mississippi Quarterly.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 102000
Box 112 |
Writings on Gail Godwin, 1991-2010 #05055, Subseries: "2.9A. Scholarly Writings on Gail Godwin, 1991-2010 (Addition of 2014)." Box 112 |
Arrangement: chronological.
Items include a 1974 water color painting and copies of colored pencil drawings, probably created during the 1990s.
Folder 699 |
1974 #05055, Subseries: "2.10. Drawings, 1974-1990s." Folder 699 |
Folder 700 |
1990s #05055, Subseries: "2.10. Drawings, 1974-1990s." Folder 700 |
Arrangement: chronological.
Materials related to the establishment and funding of St. Hilda's Press, formed by the Episcopal diocese of western North Carolina and interested individuals and funded by Gail Godwin. Includes correspondence with some financial materials and minutes from board of directors meetings; marketing and publicity materials; and materials related to the publication of Gale Webbe's Sawdust and Incense: Worlds that Shape a Priest.
Includes personal correspondence and fan mail. See Series 4 for family correspondence.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Includes correspondence with family, friends, publishers, editors, agents, and colleagues. Topics include both personal and professional concerns. Friendships, the creative life, writing, and life events are often discussed. Correspondents include Nina Baym, Prissy Hursh Benander, Doris Betts, Bill Cathey, Frank Cole, Justin Cole, Rebel Cole, Robert Coover, Frank Crowther, Roberston Davies, Robb Forman Dew, Marie Duane, William Godwin, Allan Gurganus, John Hawkins, John Irving, Norval Neil Luxon, Ian Marshall, Franchelle Cole Millender, Pat Merchant Verhulst, Joyce Carol Oates, Walter Spearman, Anne Tyler, John Updike, Kurt Vonnegut, Gale Webbe, Sister Kathleen Winters, Jonathan Yardley, and others. Some correspondents in Series 3.1. also appear in Series 3.2. and Series 4.1.4.
Note that correspondents who changed their last names may appear under both previous and new names. See Series 4.1 for the bulk of the family correspondence and early Gail Godwin correspondence.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Chiefly incoming letters, but there are a few replies by Gail Godwin. See especially her exchanges with Joyce Carol Oates and letters from John Irving. Includes compact disc of a poetry reading.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103383
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Chiefly letters with descriptions of emotional responses to the characters and writing in Godwin's novels, especially Violet Clay, A Southern Family, The Finishing School , and Father Melancholy's Daughter. Some letters ask questions about characters and textual analysis. See also Series 1.1 and Series 2.5 for additional fan mail related to specific titles.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438
Arrangement: chronological.
Chiefly incoming letters, but there are a few replies by Gail Godwin.
Folder 1214 |
1991, 2002-2005 #05055, Subseries: "3.2A. Fan Mail, 1991, 2002-2005 (Addition of 2006)." Folder 1214 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438
Arrangement: chronological.
Chiefly incoming fan mail, but there are a few personal letters included.
Materials include the family correspondence of Kathleen Cole, Gail Godwin, Edna Rogers Krahenbuhl, and extended family members and friends; writing and research materials of Kathleen Cole; early writing of Gail Godwin; and family photographs. In addition, there are miscellaneous family materials, including items related to the deaths of Tommy Cole and Kathleen Cole, personal calendars, diaries and notebooks, school mementos, scrapbooks, and drawings. Materials in Series 4 are arranged largely in the order in which they were received, with the exception of the family correspondence. Materials in Series 4.1.1, 4.1.2, and 4.1.3 have been rearranged to reflect the dialogue between mother and daughters and grandmother and granddaughter.
Includes correspondence between two generations of mothers and daughters and grandmother and granddaughter. Also included is correspondence of extended family members and friends.
Arrangement: chronological.
Correspondence between Kathleen Cole and her daughter, Gail Godwin. Extensive correspondence chronicles relationship between mother and daughter for nearly fifty years. Letters discuss home and school life, family news, money, love, work, fashion, and writing.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103051
Arrangement: chronological.
Letters from Gail Godwin to her mother, Kathleen Cole. Letters discuss love, money, and family news.
Folder 1289 |
1963 #05055, Subseries: "4.1.1A. Kathleen Cole and Gail Godwin, 1963 (Addition of 2017)." Folder 1289 |
Arrangement: chronological.
Correspondence between Kathleen Cole and her mother, Edna Rogers Krahenbuhl. Chiefly letters from daughter to mother, describing family life.
Arrangement: chronological.
Correspondence between Gail Godwin and her grandmother, Edna Rogers Krahenbuhl, whom she addressed as "Monie." Chiefly letters from granddaughter to grandmother, regarding boyfriends, family relations, money, and school life. Includes some childhood drawings by Gail Godwin.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103051
Arrangement: chronological.
Letters from Gail Godwin to her grandmother, Edna Rogers Krahenbuhl, whom she addressed as "Monie." Chiefly letters regarding boyfriends, family relations, money, and school life.
Folder 1290 |
1953-1969 #05055, Subseries: "4.1.3A. Gail Godwin and Edna Rogers Krahenbuhl, 1953-1969 (Addition of 2017)." Folder 1290 |
Miscellaneous correspondence of various family members and friends of the Cole, Godwin, Krahenbuhl, and Zeigler families. Unless otherwise noted, correspondence is with Gail Godwin.
The chronological correspondence at the end of this subseries is comprised chiefly of miscellaneous letters Gail Godwin exchanged with male friends, including Stacy Barbour, Garland Radford, Frank Crowther, and "Robert" while she lived in North Carolina and Denmark. Other Gail Godwin correspondents include Lorraine O'Grady, a friend she met in Copenhagen, Denmark; Norval Neil Luxon, dean of the journalism school at the University of North Carolina while Gail was a student there; and Sister Kathleen Winters, a childhood mentor from St. Genevieve-of-the-Pines Academy. In addition, there are some letters pertaining to scholarships and fellowships and to legal matters related to divorce and inheritance.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103051
Miscellaneous correspondence of various family members and friends of the Cole, Godwin, Krahenbuhl, and Zeigler families. Unless otherwise noted, correspondence is with Gail Godwin.
Folder 1291 |
Franchelle Cole, 1963 #05055, Subseries: "4.1.4A. Other Correspondence, 1963 (Addition of 2017)." Folder 1291 |
Writings from college and graduate school; romance short stories; unpublished novels; numerous short stories; research materials gathered for teaching a course on the history of Asheville, N.C.; and a card file with with research, notes, and recordkeeping. Many items are undated. See also Series 4.3 for an unpublished novel rewritten by her daughter, Gail Godwin.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 102000
Box 112 |
"And Not to Yield" #05055, Subseries: "4.2A. Kathleen Cole Writings, 1947 (Addition of 2014)." Box 112 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103383
Box 113 |
"Borrowed of the Hills" and "Where There Is Faith" #05055, Subseries: "4.2A. Kathleen Cole Writings, 1937 (Addition of 2018)." Box 113For Professor Koch's class, performed in experimental productions. |
Materials created by Gail Godwin from childhood through the early 1970s at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Includes scrapbooks and journals created in childhood and newspaper columns, articles, essays, and short stories written in high school, college, while living abroad, and in graduate school. Note that Gail Godwin throughout this period used various surnames, including Godwin, Cole, Kennedy, and Marshall.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103051
Folder 1292 |
Coursework at Iowa Writers' Workshop, 1967 #05055, Subseries: "4.3A. Early Gail Godwin Writings, 1967 (Addition of 2017)." Folder 1292 |
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Chiefly photographs of Gail Godwin and Kathleen Cole, from childhood to adulthood. Includes some photographs of unidentified Godwin, Krahenbuhl, and Rogers family members.
Image Folder PF-5055/19 |
Godwin, Gail, circa 1959, 1975-2001 #05055, Subseries: "4.4A. Photographs, 1952, circa 1959, 1975-2001, and 2013 (Additions of 2006 and 2017)." PF-5055/19Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438 |
Image Folder PF-5055/20 |
Cole, Kathleen, 1952 #05055, Subseries: "4.4A. Photographs, 1952, circa 1959, 1975-2001, and 2013 (Additions of 2006 and 2017)." PF-5055/20Acquisitions Information: Accession 103051 |
Image Folder PF-5055/21 |
Flora Book Tour, May 2013 #05055, Subseries: "4.4A. Photographs, 1952, circa 1959, 1975-2001, and 2013 (Additions of 2006 and 2017)." PF-5055/21Acquisitions Information: Accession 103051 |
Arrangement: alphabetical by name.
Miscellaneous materials belonging to various members of the Cole, Godwin, and Krahenbuhl families. Materials include sympathy cards and letters, a small amount of Cole family correspondence, photographs, clippings, and miscellaneous personal items, including calendars, school mementos, scrapbooks, notebooks, drawings, yearbook, diary, address book, and some financial materials.
Miscellaneous personal items belonging to Kathleen Cole, including a calendar; notebooks; school mementos; scrapbooks; sympathy cards sent upon her death to her daughter, Gail Godwin; and childhood drawings.
Materials include correspondence, sympathy cards and letters, notes and a notebook, and miscellanous items related to Tommy Cole's suicide and murder of an ex-girlfriend. These materials may have been gathered together as background research for A Southern Family.
Arrangement: chronological.
Chiefly childhood mementos and a few items from Gail Godwin's life before she achieved publishing success.
Personal items belonging to Edna Rogers Krahenbuhl, including an address book and financial materials.
Newspaper clippings relating to family and friends, including two columns written by Frank Crowther, a college friend of Gail Godwin's; and an article on Larry Colet, a former boyfriend.
Folder 1015a-1015b |
Family and Other Clippings #05055, Subseries: "4.5.5. Family and Other Clippings, 1937-1965." Folder 1015a-1015b |
Arrangement: by format.
Audio-visual materials arranged by format.
Arrangement: chronological.
Acquisitions information: C-5055/24-25 received as Addition of February 2014 (Acc. 102000). C-5055/26-28 received as Addition of July 2018 (Acc. 103383).
Recordings include radio interviews, book readings, and conference lectures and presentations. One item in Swedish. Series also includes folder of original audiocassette enclosures. See also Series 2.3.1 for some related publicity materials.
Arrangement: chronological.
Chiefly recordings of television interviews; includes a media training tape and footage of St. Gregory's Pageant. Series also includes folder of original videotape enclosures.
Acquisitions Information: Addition of 2014 (Acc. 10200). Materials are available online via the Digital Collections Repository.
Contains interviews with Gail Godwin and musical collaborations with Robert Starer.
Digital Folder DF-5055/1 |
"The Book Show" radio interview with Gail Godwin, 2006 #05055, Subseries: "5.3. Compact Discs, 1986-2002, undated. " DF-5055/1Contains audio of a radio interview with Godwin on "The Book Show" program with Gretchen Holbrook Gerzina on WAMC, a public radio network headquartered in Albany, N.Y. |
Digital Folder DF-5055/2 |
BBC interview, 14 February 2002 #05055, Subseries: "5.3. Compact Discs, 1986-2002, undated. " DF-5055/2Contains audio of a 2002 BBC interview with Godwin. |
Digital Folder DF-5055/3 |
John Irving interviews Gail Godwin at 92nd Street Y, 1986 #05055, Subseries: "5.3. Compact Discs, 1986-2002, undated. " DF-5055/3Contains audio of a 1986 interview of Godwin by fellow writer John Irving. The interview took place at the 92nd St. Y’s Unterberg Poetry Center, sponsored by the Paris Review. |
Digital Folder DF-5055/4 |
Music of Robert Starer #05055, Subseries: "5.3. Compact Discs, 1986-2002, undated. " DF-5055/4Contains audio tracks from the recording "Music of Robert Starer" from the CRI American Masters series. Starer and Godwin were longtime companions and collaborators until Starer's death in 2001. Godwin contributed the libretto for the song cycle "Anna Margarita’s Will" on the recording. |
Digital Folder DF-5055/5 |
The Woodstock Cycle performance of "Magdalen at the Tomb" #05055, Subseries: "5.3. Compact Discs, 1986-2002, undated. " DF-5055/5contains audio tracks from the recording "The Woodstock Cycle," the product of a collaboration between Robert Starer and Gail Godwin, for which Godwin contributed the libretti. |
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Chiefly undated writings sent to Gail Godwin by her friends, Robb Forman Dew and John Irving, and her mentor, Father Gale Webbe.
Essay by Robb Forman Dew on coming of age in the segregated South.
Folder 1017 |
"The Power and the Glory," undated #05055, Subseries: "6.1. Robb Forman Dew, undated." Folder 1017 |
Chiefly undated writings, including excerpts, a draft stage, and an uncorrected proof of various John Irving novels, and an undated essay. Irving and Gail Godwin met at the Iowa Writers' Workshop and have been friends, friendly critics, and regular correspondents for more than 30 years.
Chiefly undated materials, including sermons, a television movie manuscript, essays, and clippings. Father Gale Webbe, an Episcopal priest, served as spiritual mentor, travel companion, and correspondent to Gail Godwin.
Personal items of Gail Godwin; of her second husband, Ian Marshall; and of her longtime companion, Robert Starer.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438
Arrangement: chronological.
Restriction: Some financial materials are CLOSED to researchers until the author's death.
Folder 1222 |
Financial papers #05055, Series: "7A. Miscellaneous Materials, 2001-2005 (Addition of 2006)." Folder 1222 |
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438 and 103051
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438
Arrangement: chronological.
Chiefly photocopies of diaries, but there are some original handwritten notes included and correspondence and a few writings by C. T. B. Harris ("Bud"), a Jungian analyst in Asheville, N.C.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103051
Five wire bound notebooks containing pastel drawings and accompanying notes.
Arrangement: chronological.
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100438
Arrangement: chronological.
Folder 1238-1239
Folder 1238Folder 1239 |
1959 #05055, Series: "9A. Journals, 1959 (Addition of 2006)." Folder 1238-1239Typescript copy is filed in Series 1.1.15. |
Folder 1240 |
Circa 1959 #05055, Series: "9A. Journals, 1959 (Addition of 2006)." Folder 1240 |
Restriction: Materials are CLOSED to researchers until the author's death.
Box 103 |
Closed materials: See folder 1222 #05055, Series: "Closed Materials." Box 103 |
Processed by: Nancy Kaiser, December 2001
Encoded by: Nancy Kaiser, December 2001
Finding aid updated because of additions in January 2007 and August 2012 by Nancy Kaiser; in May 2017 by Mary Oliva; August 2018 by Nancy Kaiser and Anne Wells; August 2021 by Dawne Howard Lucas.
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