2.5 Linear Feet, 2 ft. 6 in. (2 record cartons, 15 in. each); (1 oversize folder)
Creator
Andrews, Tom, 1961-2001
Location
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown,
WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Copyright is retained by Tom Andrews' Estate. For
more information, please contact the West Virginia and Regional History Center.
Conditions Governing Access
No special access restriction applies.
Preferred Citation
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Tom Andrews Papers, A&M 4209, West Virginia and Regional History Center,
West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.
Thomas Chester "Tom" Andrews (April 30, 1961 – July 18, 2001) was an American poet who grew up in Charleston, West Virginia
with his parents, Ray and Alice Andrews, and an older brother, John, who died at age 16 in 1980. When Andrews was 11, he
got into the Guinness Book of World Records by clapping for over 14 hours.
He graduated from George Washington High School (Charleston, WV) in 1979. He studied at Oberlin College during his senior
year in college, and graduated from Hope College with a B.A. (1984). While at Hope he studied under Jack Ridl and developed
his love of poetry. He then graduated from the University of Virginia with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing (1987). He went
on to lecture at the University of Michigan (1987-1988), taught at Ohio University (ca. 1991-1996), then served as Faculty
at Purdue University (1996-?). In 1999, he won a Poetry Fellowship to the American Academy in Rome.
Prior to being diagnosed with hemophilia, Tom developed a great interest in motorcycles. While his diagnosis meant he shouldn't
continue to ride, he maintained his interest, he co-founded and edited the online magazine/forum "Beginner Bikes."
He wrote and edited many books of poetry; his works include:
1989
Hymning the Kanawha (chapbook), Haw River Books
1993
On William Stafford: The Worth of Local Things (ed.), Univ. Michigan Press
1995
The Point Where All Things Meet: Essays on Charles Wright (ed.), Oberlin College Press
1990
Brother's Country , Persea Books (about his older brother John)
1994
The Hemophiliac's Motorcycle , University of Iowa Press
1998
Codeine Diary: True Confessions of a Reckless Hemophiliac , Little, Brown (memoir)
2002
Random Symmetries: The Collected Poems of Tom Andrews , Oberlin College Press
His awards include a 1993 Iowa Poetry Prize for The Hemophiliac's Motorcycle , a 1989 National Poetry Series Award for Brother's Country , and a 2001 Guggenheim Fellowship.
Andrews died in England as a result of complications from thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. At the time of his death, Tom
was an Adjunct Professor of Creative Writing with Warren Wilson College and was affianced to Alice Paterakis. He had previously
been married to Carrie Andrews.
This collection documents mostly the adult life and work of Tom Andrews. His papers also include materials collected by Tom's
family after his death, such as tributes from friends and colleagues, as well as works of Tom's that were published posthumously.
There are 5 series, with some overlap between the series.
Correspondence (1980s-2000s) includes emails, letters, and more on a variety of topics.
Personal Material (1972-2013) includes, photos, Tom's CV, information on his illness, and other miscellaneous material.
Subjects (1972-2006) includes folders for specific events and jobs, such as Tom's handclapping, his teaching materials, American
Academy in Rome materials, and more.
Tributes (1972-2006) includes memorials, tributes, condolences, and more.
Works (1983-2003) includes Tom's writings, both published works and some that may be unpublished, and notes.
For the most part, folders retain their original collations of material. Foldering and the order of the folders mostly represents
the original order of the materials.