Alan K. Young: My Brief Mystery-Writing Career, 1967-1980

Collection context

Creator:
Young, Alan K.
Extent:
1.25 Linear Feet (3 three-ring binders in one record carton)
Language:
English .
Scope and content:

Alan K. Young created these three 3-ring binders and entitled them "My Brief Mystery-Writing Career as recorded in documents collected, conserved, compiled, collated, captioned and clarified by Alan K. Young." In the spring of 1968, Mr. Young's first short story entitled "Letter from Mindoro" was published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine's series of "First Stories," being stories by authors who had never before had a short story published. As always, the story was prefaced by editor Frederic Dannay's introduction: "The author, Alan K. Young, is a former junior-college English instructor, with a B. A. in English from Harvard and an M. A. in the same subject from the University of California (impressive credentials, indeed). At the time Mr. Young wrote "Letter from Mindoro," he was 39, single, and living in California (though a native of Pennsylvania, born and raised in a suburb of Pittsburgh). He has tried his hand "at a goodly cross-section of those jobs in which English majors who don't write The Great American Novel so often wind up" ... How can this man miss if he but persist?" Thus began Mr. Young's 13-year mystery-writing career. In these three volumes, Alan Young has mounted the originals of his correspondence with Fred Dannay and others, tear sheets from EQMM, photographs, and all with a running commentary on the experience of being an Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine author.

Biographical / historical:

In the spring of 1968, Mr. Young's first short story entitled "Letter from Mindoro" was published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine's series of "First Stories," being stories by authors who had never before had a short story published. As always, the story was prefaced by editor Frederic Dannay's introduction: "The author, Alan K. Young, is a former junior-college English instructor, with a B. A. in English from Harvard and an M. A. in the same subject from the University of California (impressive credentials, indeed). At the time Mr. Young wrote "Letter from Mindoro," he was 39, single, and living in California (though a native of Pennsylvania, born and raised in a suburb of Pittsburgh). He has tried his hand "at a goodly cross-section of those jobs in which English majors who don't write The Great American Novel so often wind up" ... How can this man miss if he but persist?" Thus began Mr. Young's 13-year mystery-writing career.

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.

Terms of access:

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish material from the collection must be requested from the Curator of Manuscripts/University Archivist, Rare Book and Manuscript Library (RBML). The RBML approves permission to publish that which it physically owns; the responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Preferred citation:

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Alan K. Young: My Brief Mystery-Writing Career; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

Location of this collection:
6th Floor East Butler Library
535 West 114th Street
New York, NY 10027, USA
Before you visit:
Researchers interested in viewing materials in the RBML reading room must must book an appointment at least 7 days in advance. To make the most of your visit, be sure to request your desired materials before booking your appointment, as researchers are limited to 5 items per day.
Contact:
rbml@library.columbia.edu