A pair of extensive, unique collections arrived at Washington University Libraries in recent weeks, their wide-ranging contents anticipated to be of much interest to scholars and others wishing to explore the remarkable literary career of David Wagoner or Alexander Trocchi.
Both collections contain many decades’ worth of drafts, letters, photographs, notebooks, clippings and more from these celebrated authors.
The materials are undergoing preliminary organization in preparation for full processing over the next few months, according to Joel Minor, curator of the Modern Literature Collection and Manuscripts.
Minor notes the acquisitions are significant and appropriate for the growing Modern Literature Collection. First established at WU Libraries in 1964, the collection already is a repository for both Wagoner’s and Trocchi’s early literary papers.
David Wagoner (b. 1926) has been an important figure in American literature since the early 1950s, as a poet, fiction writer, editor and educator. Alexander Trocchi (1925-1984) now is considered one of the major Scottish authors of the 20th century and an international voice for the underground and avant-garde.
“Interest in the life and career of both writers is growing,” said Minor. “In the past year, I have worked with scholars who came here to access the current Wagoner and Trocchi collections, and I know in both cases they are excited by the prospect of more coming in.”
For more information, read the article on the University Libraries blog: http://wulibraries.typepad.com/whatsnew/2013/02/trocchi-wagoner-literary-archives-added-to-modern-literature-collection.html