Lydia Davis papers, 1940-2022

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Series III: Correspondence, 1940s-2021

This series contains family, personal, and miscellaneous correspondence.

The majority of Davis' professional correspondence is with Series II: Professional Files, but there may be correspondence on professional subjects in Davis' personal correspondence files. In addition, files of miscellaneous business correspondence are filed in Subseries III.3: Professional (Miscellaneous).


Subseries III.1: Family Correspondence, 1940-1964

This subseries contains correspondence between Davis and her parents and siblings (1960-1964), as well as some additional correspondence of her parents (1940s, 1964).

Correspondence between Davis and her first husband, Paul Auster, is filed with Subseries III.2: Personal Correspondence, below.

There is no correspondence between Davis and her second husband, Alan Cote, or her children in the papers.



Box 122 Folder 5 Robert Gorham Davis (RGD) and Hope Hale Davis (HHD), and Others--Letters, 1940s

Mold remediation was performed on this material in 2023. Although all materials can be used in the reading room, patrons that are sensitive to mold may still experience a reaction to materials that have been cleaned.



Box 72 Folder 3 Lydia Davis Letter and Postcard to Parents, 1964


Box 72 Folder 4 Hope Hale Davis (HHD) Letters to Robert Gorham Davis (RGD), Trip to Europe, 1964 Summer


Box 72 Folder 5 C[laudia Cockurn] and Michael Flanders Letters, 1964


Box 72 Folder 6 Robert Gorham Davis (RGD) Letter, 1964


Box 72 Folder 7 Davis, Stephen--Letter, 1964


Box 72 Folder 8 Davis Family Trip Receipts, 1964

Receipts from Hope Hale Davis (HHD) and Stephen Davis? (SHD) trip to Cologne and Amsterdam, 1964.


Box 72 Folder 9 Parents' Letters to Lydia Davis (LBD), 1960-1964


Subseries III.2: Personal Correspondence, 1958-2014

This subseries contains correspondence with individuals, and two additional files: letters of condolence after the death of Davis' father, and a file of "precious letters".

There is additional personal correspondence in Subseries III.4: Miscellaneous Correspondence and Series VII: Miscellaneous Files. While Davis made content notes for these files, which include names, they do not appear to be comprehensive for all files. There is overlap between the correspondence files in Subseries III.2 and these miscellaneous files.


Box 72 Folder 10 Aciman, André, 1999


Box 72 Folder 11 Aldrich, Jonathan (and Nancy), 1960s


Box 72 Folder 12 Allison, Brenda, 1998

Fan?



Box 95 Folder 1-3 Armantrout, Rae, 1983-1995, 2005, 3 folders

Restricted pending further review by Davis per note - "Restricted for now - when it is prepared for archiving I can review it. All letters without personal content cd. be unrestricted. LD."



Box 91 Folder 1 Armantrout, Rae--Personal Correspondence, 2006


Box 91 Folder 2 Armantrout, Rae, 2006 December - 2007 January


Box 91 Folder 3 Armantrout, Rae--Emails, 2007 February


Box 91 Folder 4 Armantrout, Rae--Emails 2002-2008 and Drafts, 2002-2008


Box 91 Folder 5 Armantrout, Rae--Critical Articles, Recommendations, 1980s-2009

Includes letters


Box 91 Folder 6 Armantrout, Rae--Drafts of Poems, 1983?-1996

Only drafts of poems, plus Abacus



Box 72 Folder 13 Ashbery, John, 2001



Box 121 Auster, Paul--Envelope Used by Davis to Hold Auster's Letters, undated

Annotated.


Box 121 Paul Auster and Lydia Davis--Correspondence, 1966-1986, 2003, 2009-2010

Mold remediation was performed on this material in 2023. Although all materials can be used in the reading room, patrons that are sensitive to mold may still experience a reaction to materials that have been cleaned .

This correspondence is primarily Auster's letters to Davis. There are two photographs with the 1969 folders.



Box 94 Folder 15 Auster, Paul--Davis' letter to (Not Sent), 1972 December 24

Restricted until 2041



Box 72 Folder 14 Axtmann, Ann, 1966

Childhood friend from Davis' building. Magazine clipping of photos.


Box 72 Folder 15 Axtmann, Ann, 1998-2005


Box 72 Folder 16 Balter, Mary, 2005


Box 72 Folder 17 Bamber, Linda, 2000, undated


Box 72 Folder 18 Bamber, Linda / Patsy Vigderman, 1998-1999


Box 72 Folder 19 Barber, Robin and Carol Edelstein, 1998-2009


Box 72 Folder 20 Barnett, Anthony, 1983-1985


Box 72 Folder 21 Barrell, Simon, 1985


Box 72 Folder 22 Basso, Eric, 1985


Box 72 Folder 23 Baxter, Charles, 1988, undated


Box 72 Folder 24 Bazelon, Cecile Gray, 1985


Box 72 Folder 25 Beecher, Lennie and Elise, 2001

Family friends, both painters


Box 72 Folder 26 Beltrametti, Franco, 1986-1991


Box 72 Folder 27 Bergman, Susan, 1999

Sister of Anne Heche; wrote book about her father


Box 72 Folder 28 Berl, Christine, 1999

Clipping


Box 72 Folder 29 Bernstein, Charles and Susan Bee, 1985-2004


Box 72 Folder 30 Boddy, Kasia, 2010


Box 72 Folder 31 Bouvier, Geoff, 1999-2001


Box 72 Folder 32 Brearley Classmates, 2003


Box 72 Folder 33 Brenner, Summer, 1998-2008


Box 72 Folder 34 Brennan, Liz, 1998-1999

Ex-Bard MFA student


Box 72 Folder 35 Brilliant, Alan, 2004

Evidently knew him in circa 1969; partner of Teo Savory


Box 72 Folder 36 Brock, Rebecca and Fletcher, 2003-2004

Childhood friend; children of the Brocks of "Alice's Restaurant"


Box 72 Folder 37 Brodie, Scott and Stacy, 2003-2006


Box 72 Folder 38 Bronk, William, 1987


Box 72 Folder 39-40 Buck, Paul, 1978-1988, 2 folders


Box 72 Folder 41 Cardona, Tarquin, 1983-1984

Ex-student, University of California San Diego


Box 72 Folder 42 Careau, Steve and Rachel, 2002, 2005



Box 73 Folder 1 Chamberlain, Lori and Michael Davidson, 1984-2006


Box 73 Folder 2-4 Cheney, Don, 1983-1994, 3 folders


Box 73 Folder 5 Cherches, Peter, 1997-2003


Box 73 Folder 6-7 Chester, Laura, 1984-1990, 2 folders


Box 73 Folder 8 Chilton, Bruce, 2005

Theologian and chaplain at Bard College



Box 95 Folder 12 Clifford, James, 1983-1984

Restricted



Box 73 Folder 9 Clifford, Jim, 1983-1987, 2003-2004


Box 73 Folder 10 Codrescu, Andrei, 1984-1988


Box 73 Folder 11 Coetzee, J.M., 1984

Correspondence to


Box 73 Folder 12 Cofie, Christiana, 2001-2005


Box 73 Folder 13 Cohen, Mary, 1988

Prop., cottages at Round Lake Road


Box 73 Folder 14 Collins, Mary Jane (Bancroft), 1985-1986


Box 73 Folder 15 Collins, Tody and Paula Redmond, undated


Box 73 Folder 16 Collett, Jon and Charlotte Brown, circa 2006


Box 73 Folder 17 Coover, Robert, 2003


Box 73 Folder 18 Corbett, Bill, 2003


Box 73 Folder 19 Creamer, Jon, 2002

Photographer; ex-Bard MFA student


Box 73 Folder 20 D'Agata, John, 2005


Box 73 Folder 21 David, Fedora, 1985

Landlady at Bergen St.


Box 73 Folder 22 Davidson, Michael, 1983-1988, circa 2002


Box 73 Folder 23 Davis, Lydia Adams, 1998


Box 73 Folder 24 Davenport, Bill and Roselle, 1987


Box 73 Folder 25 De Angelis, Paul, 1996


Box 73 Folder 26 De Feo, Ron, 2004


Box 73 Folder 27 Deihl, Marcia, 2006


Box 73 Folder 28 Delville, Michel, 1997


Box 73 Folder 29 Dickman, Steve, 1985


Box 73 Folder 30 Diefendorf, David, 1998


Box 73 Folder 31 Dix, Douglas, 1995-1996


Box 73 Folder 32 Dixon, Stephen, 1984



Box 74 Folder 1 Dobo, Frank, 1984, 1998


Box 74 Folder 2 Dodson, Daniel, 1983-1988


Box 74 Folder 3 Ducornet, Rikki, 1998


Box 74 Folder 4 Dupin, Jacques, 2003

French poet; first knew him in Paris in the 1970s


Box 74 Folder 5 Eggers, David and Chris, 2001


Box 74 Folder 6 Einzig, Barbara, 1982-1990


Box 74 Folder 7 Fagin, Larry, 2006


Box 74 Folder 8 Feitlowitz, Marguerite, 2007


Box 74 Folder 9 Ferguson, Steve, 1999

ex-Bard MFA student


Box 74 Folder 10 Fletcher, Janice, 1983-1992


Box 74 Folder 11 Foer, Jonathan Safran, 2003?


Box 74 Folder 12 Foltz, Craig, 2003


Box 74 Folder 13 Fort, Jeff, 1999-2006


Box 74 Folder 14 Fourcade, Dominique, 1998-2005


Box 74 Folder 15 Fox, Paula, 2010


Box 74 Folder 16 Fraser, Kathleen, 1986-1989

Editor of HOW(ever)


Box 74 Folder 17 Frazier, Kristin, 2004, 2008


Box 74 Folder 18 Freilicher, Melvyn, 1983-1999


Box 74 Folder 19 Frémon, Jean, 1988


Box 74 Folder 20 Frick, Thomas, 1999


Box 74 Folder 21 Galassi, Jonathan, undated


Box 74 Folder 22 Gander, Forrest, 2005

Poet, and husband of C.D. Wright


Box 74 Folder 23 Garber, Eugene K., 1994


Box 74 Folder 24 Gardner, Justine, 1997

Ex-Bard undergraduate


Box 74 Folder 25 Gerstler, Amy, 1983-1985

Beyond Baroque and Magazine


Box 74 Folder 26 Gilman, Richard, 1987


Box 74 Folder 27 Gioia, Dana, 1985-1986?


Box 74 Folder 28 Glück, Robert, 1985-2000



Box 95 Folder 13 Grab, Fred, 1981-1983

Restricted


Box 95 Folder 14 Grab, Fred, 1983-1985

Restricted until at least 2040



Box 74 Folder 29 Greenside, Mark, 1997-2003


Box 74 Folder 30 Grenier, Arpine, 1998-1999


Box 74 Folder 31 Gresset, Michel, 1986


Box 74 Folder 32 Haring, Lee, 2002-2006


Box 74 Folder 33 Hanan?, Elwood, undated

Item has some water damage; last name is illegible


Box 74 Folder 34 Harmon, Josh, 2009


Box 74 Folder 35 Hart, Heidi, 2001

Met her on a teaching gig


Box 74 Folder 36 Heisen, Paula, 2000?, 2009


Box 74 Folder 37 Hellew, Joyce, 1988-1990

Ex-Bard MFA


Box 74 Folder 38 Hines, Virginia Lee, 2006

Re: Edward Steichen


Box 74 Folder 39 Hoffman, Helga, 1986


Box 74 Folder 40 Hollander, John, 1981


Box 74 Folder 41 Hollo, Anselm, 2004


Box 74 Folder 42 Howe, Susan, 1986-1987


Box 74 Folder 43 Humphreys, Dick (John R.), undated

Friend of parents, Davis also taught under him at Columbia University


Box 74 Folder 44 Hunt, Laird, 2000


Box 74 Folder 45 Hunt, Nell, 1994

ex-Bard MFA student


Box 74 Folder 46 Irons, Shirley and Don Dudley, 1997-2008



Box 75 Folder 1 Jabès, Edmond and Arlette, 1980-1988



Box 94 Folder 16 Jarolim, Edie, 1969-1993

Restricted until 2042



Box 75 Folder 2 Jarolim, Edie, 1997

Article, with covering letter


Box 75 Folder 3 Jenkins, Margy, 1996-1997?


Box 75 Folder 4 Jennings, Paul, 2004

Friend from Sligo, Ireland 1970s


Box 75 Folder 5 Jin, Ha, 1998


Box 75 Folder 6 Johannessen, Tara, 1989


Box 75 Folder 7 Joris, Pierre, 1986


Box 75 Folder 8 Jubela, Joan, 1996

ex-Bard MFA student


Box 75 Folder 9 Kearney, Margaret, 1984-2005


Box 75 Folder 10 Keim, Bill, 1984-1993

Ex-student, University of California San Diego


Box 75 Folder 11 Bill Keim, circa 1991

Former student at the University of San Diego. Two plays, with covering letter.


Box 75 Folder 12-14 Kelley, Robert (Sulphur), 1980-1985, undated, 3 folders


Box 75 Folder 15 Kennedy, Christopher, 1998


Box 75 Folder 16 Kerns, Chloe Jane, 1983-1985

Ex-student


Box 75 Folder 17 Knight, Christopher, 2005, undated

Friend of Edie Jarolim and one of the subjects of "Special Chair"


Box 75 Folder 18 Koestenbaum, Phyllis, 2004

Mother of Wayne; writer


Box 75 Folder 19 Koo, Carolyn, 2005


Box 75 Folder 20 Kussinen, Asta, 1984


Box 75 Folder 21 Lamberton, Robert, 1980


Box 75 Folder 22 Lauterbach, Ann, 1998-2000


Box 75 Folder 23 Letarte, Geneviève, 2001-2002

Canadian writer and translator of my work


Box 75 Folder 24 Levert, Jack, 1971?


Box 75 Folder 25 Levert, Jack, 1981


Box 75 Folder 26 Levert, Jack and Cindy Ballenger, 1983-2008


Box 75 Folder 27 Litscher, Hans-Peter, 1987


Box 75 Folder 28 Lloyd, Don and Martha, 2003-2009


Box 75 Folder 29 Loewinsohn, Ron, 1984-1986


Box 75 Folder 30 Luomo, Bill, 1983-1987, 1996-1997


Box 75 Folder 31 Lust, Herbert, 1987-1988


Box 75 Folder 32 Maher, Merna and John, 2004-2005


Box 75 Folder 33 Malin, Irving, 2002, 2005?


Box 75 Folder 34 McDonough, Tom, 1991


Box 75 Folder 35 McLaren, Robin, 1958?

Met at Salzburg at age 11



Box 76 Folder 1 Means, David, 2000


Box 76 Folder 2 Menashe, Samuel, 2000-2001

Poet


Box 76 Folder 3-5 Miller, Barry (Proust Translation), 2008-2014, 3 folders


Box 76 Folder 6 Miller, Christopher, 2006


Box 76 Folder 7 Monette, Madeleine, 1990, 2005


Box 76 Folder 8-9 Moody, Rick, 1995-2001, 2 folders


Box 76 Folder 10 Moore, Judith, 1998-2002


Box 76 Folder 11 Moore, Judith, 1997-2005

Davis' note - See Also: Waters


Box 76 Folder 12 Moore, Susanna, 2009


Box 76 Folder 13 Moorman, Peggy, 2001-2003, undated


Box 76 Folder 14 Moorman, Peggy, 2006


Box 76 Folder 15 Morris, Errol, 2005


Box 76 Folder 16 Niedzviecki, Hal, 2001-2004

Candian writer and former Bard MFA student


Box 76 Folder 17 Norman, Howard, 2004-2005


Box 76 Folder 18 Nuñez, Sigrid, 1997, 2006


Box 76 Folder 19 Nuñez, Sigrid and Fence, 1998-2003


Box 76 Folder 20 Olsen, Laurie, 1963-1966

Putney roommate


Box 76 Folder 21 Owens, Rochelle, 1982, undated


Box 76 Folder 22 Patterson, Zahra, 2004-2009


Box 76 Folder 23 Letter to Bob Perelman, 1966 Spring?



Box 94 Folder 17 Perelman, Bob--Draft of Davis' Letter to, 1967

Restricted until 2041



Box 76 Folder 24 Perloff, Marjorie, 1985-1986


Box 76 Folder 25 Phillips, Anita, 1992, 2002


Box 76 Folder 26 Plimpton, Sarah, 1990-1994, 2005


Box 76 Folder 27 Plisnier, Maryse, 1987-1994


Box 76 Folder 28 Postel, Louis, 1966, 1998, undated

Friend from Putney School


Box 76 Folder 29 Pruiett, Megan, undated

Ex-Bard undergrad student


Box 76 Folder 30 Quaytman, Emma, 2006


Box 76 Folder 31 Raworth, Tom, 1984-1986


Box 76 Folder 32 Reuther, Lisa (Dickmeyer), circa 1966, 1994, undated

Friend from Putney School


Box 76 Folder 33 Robbins, Susannah, 2005

Childhood friend, daughter of Herbert Robbins


Box 76 Folder 34 Rodefer, Stephen, 1983



Box 77 Folder 1 Roeseler, Karl, 1983


Box 77 Folder 2 Roeseler, Karl, 1985-2009


Box 77 Folder 3-4 Roeseler, Karl, 1983-2005, 2 folders


Box 77 Folder 5 Röggla, Kathrin, 2001

Austrian writer Davis has translated


Box 77 Folder 6 Ronk, Martha, 1999


Box 77 Folder 7 Rosoff, Bill, circa 1963-1964

Putney boyfriend


Box 77 Folder 8 Royet-Journoud, Claude, 1984-2000


Box 77 Folder 9 Rudman, Mark, 1979


Box 77 Folder 10 Rudman, Mark, 1985-1988


Box 77 Folder 11 Sanders, Ed, 1999


Box 77 Folder 12 Scalapino, Leslie, 1995-1996, undated


Box 77 Folder 13 Scalapino, Leslie, circa 2000-2003

Poet, editor


Box 77 Folder 14 Schwartzchild, Ed and Elissa, 2005-2006


Box 77 Folder 15 Schutt, Christine, 1996-2006


Box 77 Folder 16 Scialabba, George, 1999

Critic, reviewer, friend of Hope Hale Davis (HHD)


Box 77 Folder 17 Seidman, Hugh, 1984-1995


Box 77 Folder 18 Shapiro, Harvey, 1985


Box 77 Folder 19 Sharpe, Matthew, 2005


Box 77 Folder 20 Shattuck, Roger, 2000-2001


Box 77 Folder 21 Shaw, Francie, 2006


Box 77 Folder 22 Sheehan, Aurelie, 2003


Box 77 Folder 23 Sieburth, Richard--Correspondence, 1991, undated


Box 77 Folder 24 Sieburth, Richard--Emails, 2007



Box 78 Folder 1 Sikelianos, Eleni, 1998-2005


Box 78 Folder 2 Simas, Joseph, 1985-1990


Box 78 Folder 3 Sisskind, Mitch, 1983-1993


Box 78 Folder 4-5 Smith, Ben, 1965-1970, 2 folders


Box 78 Folder 6 Sondheim, Ellen, 1983-1990


Box 78 Folder 7 Sondheim, Joanna and Eugene Lim, 2005


Box 78 Folder 8 Speer, Laurel, 1986


Box 78 Folder 9-10 Spoerri, Marj, 1980-1993, 2 folders


Box 78 Folder 11 Strachan, Pat, 2000


Box 78 Folder 12 Streb, Elizabeth, 1999


Box 78 Folder 13 Suchman, Susan, circa 1964-1966


Box 78 Folder 14 Svenson, Bob, 1984

Pastoral counselor


Box 78 Folder 15 Swann, Donald, 1994

Clipping


Box 78 Folder 16 Tarting, Christian, 1984-1993


Box 78 Folder 17 Thompson, Tony and Margaet Saliske, 2007


Box 78 Folder 18 Thurston Family, 1962?

Family that Davis lived with as an au pair


Box 78 Folder 19 Tidwell, Mike, 1996


Box 78 Folder 20 Tillman, Lynne, 2003, undated


Box 78 Folder 21 Tinney, Christopher, 1999

Ex-Bard MFA student


Box 78 Folder 22 Tucker, Bill, 2006


Box 78 Folder 23 Unferth, Deb Olin, 2002-2005, undated


Box 78 Folder 24 Unknown, 1983-1999


Box 78 Folder 25 Unknown (Personal), 1965-1966?


Box 78 Folder 26 Vecchio, Marjorie, 2000


Box 78 Folder 27 Vigderman, Patsy, 2003


Box 78 Folder 28 Viton, Jean-Jacques and Liliane Girandon, 2000


Box 78 Folder 29 Voight, Ellen, 2001

Read with her


Box 78 Folder 30 Wainhouse, Austryn and Christopher, 1987-1988


Box 78 Folder 31 Waldrop, Rosmarie and Keith, 1983-1987


Box 78 Folder 32 Walter, 1965-1966

Piano teacher


Box 78 Folder 33 Warrilow, David, 1985


Box 78 Folder 34 Waschewsky, Gabriela, 1983


Box 78 Folder 35 Washburn, Katharine and Will (son of K.), 2003


Box 78 Folder 36 Watson, Red, 1999-2003


Box 78 Folder 37 Watten, Barrett, 1986, undated


Box 78 Folder 38 Weissman, Benjamin, 1983-1985, 2003


Box 78 Folder 39 White, Mary (and Irene, her mother), 1958-1964

Davis' best friend in early childhood


Box 78 Folder 40 Whitaker, Rick, 2000


Box 78 Folder 41 Williams, Diane, 1990, 2000


Box 78 Folder 42 Young, Geoff, 1982-2009

Includes correspondence regarding Stories and Other Stories


Box 78 Folder 43 Ziolkowski, Thad, 1994-1996


Box 78 Folder 44 Letters of Condolence, 1998

Letters of condolence related to the death of Davis' father, Robert Gorham Davis. Letters from various friends including Rachel Hadas and Rick Moody.



Box 46 Folder 4 Precious Letters, 1977-2007

Includes letters from Robert Coover, Joyce Carol Oates, Andrei Codrescu, Samuel Menashe, Michel Leiris, Mary Oppen, and Jonathan Williams (with Davis' answer to Williams).


Subseries III.3: Professional Correspondence (Miscellaneous), 1975-2021

This subseries contains miscellaneous business correspondence and former student correspondence.

The majority of Davis' professional correspondence is with Series II: Professional Files; however, miscellaneous business correspondence is filed in this subseries. In addition, there may be correspondence on professional subjects in Davis' personal correspondence files.

There is additional professional correspondence in Subseries III.4: Miscellaneous Correspondence and Series VII: Miscellaneous Files.



Box 122 Folder 6 Business Correspondence, 1975-1981

Mold remediation was performed on this material in 2023. Although all materials can be used in the reading room, patrons that are sensitive to mold may still experience a reaction to materials that have been cleaned.

"About Blanchot pubs. et al"



Box 71 Folder 6 Business Letters, 1984, 2013


Box 71 Folder 7 Business Correspondence--Miscellaneous, 1993, 1999-2000, 2007


Box 71 Folder 8 Business--Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1995, 2007-2014, undated

Includes a few pages of a draft of Reve's The Evenings



Box 72 Folder 1-2 Business Correspondence--Miscellaneous, 1997-2010, 2 folders



Box 71 Folder 9 Correspondence--Miscellaneous, 1997, 2014


Box 71 Folder 10 Correspondence--Miscellaneous Business Correspondence, 2000-2021


Box 71 Folder 11 Business Correspondence--Miscellaneous, 2011-2018


Box 71 Folder 12 Students, Former--Miscellaneous Correspondence, 2011


Box 71 Folder 13 Correspondence--Miscellaneous--Students and Others, 1996-2005

Former students requesting help / blurbs, other beginning writers [?], former students, students hosting readings conferences, etc. Recommendation letters from have been separated from the file and restricted.


Subseries III.4: Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1960s-2017, undated

This subseries contains various files of miscellaneous correspondence. This is a mix of family, personal, and professional correspondence. The file descriptions in the finding aid were taken from the descriptions written on the files by Davis.



Box 79 Folder 1 Correspondence, 1960s


Box 79 Folder 2-3 Emails, 2003-2009, 2 folders


Box 79 Folder 4 Emails, 2006-2007


Box 79 Folder 5 Fan Letters (Mine to Others), 1991-1997


Box 79 Folder 6 Friends' Correspondence--Miscellaneous, 1976-2004


Box 79 Folder 7 Friends' Correspondence--Miscellaneous, 1995-1997


Box 79 Folder 8-9 Personal Letters and Cards (Folder 1-2, of 3), 1993-1999, 2009-2010, 2 folders



Box 80 Folder 1 Personal Letters and Cards (Folder 3, of 3), 1993-1999, 2009-2010


Box 80 Folder 2-4 Personal Letters and Cards, 2011-2016, 3 folders


Box 80 Folder 5 Personal Letters, Never Answered, 2007-2017, undated

Unanswered letters, miscellaneous, including from "fans" and from Red Watson, Patsy Vigdeman, Stefanie Weh, Geoff Young, and E[ric?] Keyser.


Box 80 Folder 6 Letters, etc., 1960s

Includes Davis' school work, letters from friends and family, a drawing by Davis, notes to Lydia from Hope Hale Davis, poems by Davis and others, and notes passed (in the library?).



Box 81 Folder 8 Letters and Notes, 1962-1967, 1978-1983, 1992-2000

Hope Hale Davis (HHD), her friend, emails from friends, cousin, business/literary, notes for blurbs, letters from Putney friends, and deaht notice of J. Wischnegradsky. Includes school-age items related to Davis.


Box 81 Folder 9 [Letters and Notes, etc.], 1963-1969

Mostly 1963-1964. Includes Davis' Barnard Bulletin articles, and letters and notes (1963-1964).



Box 82 Folder 1 Letters to Box, 1978-1979

Letters mostly 1978-1979, business and personal. Includes letters from Robert Gorham Davis (RGD) and Hope Hale Davis (HHD) to Davis, poet Richard Duerden, Christopher Fynsk, Gnome Baker, Richard Poirier, brother Stephen Davis inscribing book, Pantheon, John Hollander, Mary MacArthur of Gallimaufry Journal, Bill Davenport, Rosemary Flanders, and drafts of Davis' letters. Includes idealized schedule when D[aniel] was a baby.


Letters, 1988-1992, 7 folders



Box 81 Folder 1 Letters (1 of 7)

Letters (personal), mostly from friends and fellow writers. Includes Rae Armantrout, Peter Cherches, Barbara Einzig, Jonathan Franzen, Rachel Careau, Diane Williams, etc.


Box 81 Folder 2 Letters (2 of 7)

The 1989 Susan Howe letter is restricted until at least 2032, when the current restriction will be reviewed by Davis

Letters (personal), mostly from friends and fellow writers. Includes Don Cheney (former student and friend), Susan Howe, Jack LeVert, Diane Williams, Karl Roeseler (former UCSD student), Rae Armantrout, and fan letter from lawyer. The Howe letter has been separated from the file and restricted.


Box 81 Folder 3 Letters (3 of 7)

The 1989 Jonathan Franzen letter is restricted until at least 2032, when the current restriction will be reviewed by Davis

Personal letters from friends and fellow writers. Includes Rachel Hadas, Diane Williams, Eleiot Weinberger, Barbara Einzig, Jonathan Franzen, Rae Armantrout, Anthony Barrett, James Salter, and Thomas McGonigle. The Jonathan Franzen letter has been separated from the file and restricted.


Box 81 Folder 4 Letters (4 of 7)

The 1982/1983 draft letter from Davis to Paul Auster is restricted until at least 2032, when the current restriction will be reviewed by Davis

Personal letters from friends and fellow writers, some business. Includes Paul Buck, Melvyn Freilicher, Chloe (Kerns) Edge (former student at UCSD), Peggy (Moorman) Quaytman, Daniel Dodson (colleague of Robert Gorham Davis), Atlas Press, and draft of a letter from Davis to Paul Auster. The draft of a letter from Davis to Paul Auster has been separated from the file and restricted.


Box 81 Folder 5 Letters (5 of 7)

Personal letters from friends, fellow writers, and others. Includes Melvyn Freilicher, Eliot Weinberger, Don Cheney, Anne-Marie Albiach, Karl Roeseler, Janice Fletcher (former student), Arlett (Cohen) Jabès (wife of Edmond Jabès), Jack LeVert, Siri Hustvedt, Lynn Hejinian, Susan Howe, David Huddle, Joyce Hellew (former Bard MFA students), Robert Kelly (Bard professor and poet), Diane Williams, Charles Bernstein and Susan Bee.


Box 81 Folder 6 Letters (6 of 7)

Personal letters from friends and fellow writers, mostly. Includes Jack LeVert, Don Cheney, Mitchell Sisskind, Rae Armantrout, Karl Roeseler, Hugh Seidman (poet, friend of Harvey Shapiro), Geoff Young, Bill Keim (former UCSD student), Bill Petersen, Melvyn Freilicher, Lori Chamberlain (wife of Michael Davidson), and Diane Williams.


Box 81 Folder 7 Letters (7 of 7)

The 1991 letter from Rae Armantrout is restricted until at least 2032, when the current restriction will be reviewed by Davis

Personal letters from friends, fellow writers, and former students, mostly. Includes Rachel Hadas, Frank Dobo (friend of parents, once agent of L.-F. Céline), Frank Sesso, Paul Auster, Geoff Young, Franco Beltrametti, Don Cheney, Jon Collette (colleague of Robert Gorham Davis and neighbor in Brooklyn), Melvyn Freilicher, Rae Armantrout, Michael Davidson, and Marjorie Perloff. The Rae Armantrout letter has been separated from the file and restricted.



Box 95 Folder 11 Letters to Box, 1974-1983, 2010-2014

Restricted utnil 2032, when the current restrictions will be reviewed by Davis



Box 82 Folder 2 Personal Letters, 1984-2004

One item of email correspondence with Wyatt Mason, one item of email correspondence with Lynne Tillman, and a draft of a letter to Siri [Hustvedt], are restricted until at least 2032, when the current restrictions will be reviewed by Davis

Personal letters, mine and others. Includes Davis' tribute to Robert Kelly, form letters, other writers, friends, draft of letter to Siri. One item of email correspondence with Wyatt Mason, one item of email correspondence with Lynne Tillman, and a draft of a letter to Siri [Hustvedt] have been separated from the file and restricted.


Box 82 Folder 3 Personal Letters, 1990-1992

Two letters from Rae Armantrout are restricted until at least 2032, when the current restriction will be reviewed by Davis

Personal letters from friends and fellow writers, mostly. Includes Putney School classmates, former students, Dominique Fourcade, Rae Armantrout, Franco Beltrametti, Diane Williams, Charles Bernstein, Tom Raworth, Bob Glück, and Josephine Humphreys. Two Rae Armantrout letters have been separated from the file and restricted.


Box 82 Folder 4 Personal Letters--Various, 2000-2005

Correspondence with friends and fellow writers



Box 122 Folder 7 Letters--Personal [and some business], 1972-1973

Mold remediation was performed on this material in 2023. Although all materials can be used in the reading room, patrons that are sensitive to mold may still experience a reaction to materials that have been cleaned.

Includes: parents (Hope Hale Davis and Robert Gorham Davis), friends, business



Box 82 Folder 5 Letters--Personal [and some business], 1981-1983

Mostly 1983. Includes: personal letters and business; parents, magazines, friends, practical, former students. Also deals with aftermath of teaching in San Diego.


Box 82 Folder 6 Letters--Personal, etc. (Lists, Business Correspondence), 1983, 1997-1998, 2014-2015

Personal and business letters. Includes: Paul Auster (note), mother (Hope Hale Davis), friends, magazines, university.


Box 82 Folder 7 Letters, etc. to box, 1969-1978

Mostly 1970s. Includes letters, Evey Riesman, friends, business, The New Yorker, Lydia to Paul [Auster], Lydia to Claudia [Cockburn Flanders].


Box 82 Folder 8 Letters, etc. to box, 1965-1978, 1999-2011

Includes: draft of letter to Ingram Merrill Fdn., letters from includes including Anita Barrows, business letters, David's letters to Bob P. (1960s), note from brother, sister in law Rosemary, Marry Oppen, Robert Gorham Davis' close friend and colleague Daniel Dodson, Evey Riseman, Alan's [Cote's] brother David


Box 82 Folder 9 Letters, etc. to box, 1963-1976, 1995, 2008-2015

Includes: business, personal, family, draft of blurb, and clipping sent by Derry related to my unfinished Alexia [early novel]



Box 83 Folder 1 To Be Boxed, 1977-1983

Includes: letters from friends and family, business letters, Paris Review, William Bronk, Susan Howe, Rae Armantrout


Box 83 Folder 2 To Archive, 1962-1970

Mostly 1967-1969. Includes personal letters, Putney School material, Putney School friends, photographs of Davis, Davis' correspondence from age 15-16, Rebecca Brock, sister Claudia, brother Stephen, sister in law Rosemary (Flanders) Graham, parents, and Queenie Schiff (Paul [Auster]'s mother).


Box 83 Folder 3 To Archive, 1967-1969

Personal letters, mostly 1967-1969. Jack LeVert, parents, Louis Postal, brother Stephen, Bridget Procter, sister Claudia, Christine (worked with her at Guardian), and friends.


Box 83 Folder 4 To Archive, 1969-1982

Includes: Paul Auster postcard about Beckett, etc., Robert Gorham Davis letter, Judith (X?), Christian (from Guardian), Liz (Wolf?) (apt. - note?), Jack LeVert, Putney School, Barbara Fogel (friend of H[ope] + R[obert] [Davis]?, Davis to Claudia [Cockburn Flanders], Jonathan Aldrich, Ann Axtmann (Robertson), Serena Crystal (cousin), Cindy Ballenger, Peter Phelpo ("boss" at Norton's), Roger Franklin (Putney School teacher), Claude Royet-Journoud, Joy Gleason (Putney School classmate), Merna Cox, Davis to parents, and Roger Meservey.