A Guide to the Theodore Dreiser Collection, 1923-1930 Dreiser, Theodore, Collection 6220-e

A Guide to the Theodore Dreiser Collection, 1923-1930

A Collection in the
Clifton Waller Barrett
The Special Collections Department
Accession Number 6220-e

Special Collections, University of Virginia Library

Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
USA
Phone: (434) 243-1776
Fax: (434) 924-4968
Reference Request Form: https://small.lib.virginia.edu/reference-request/
URL: http://small.library.virginia.edu/

Processed by: Special Collections Staff

Repository

Special Collections, University of Virginia Library

Accession number

6220-e

Title

Theodore Dreiser Collection, 1923-1930

Physical Characteristics

This collection consists of 26 items.

Language

English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Theodore Dreiser Collection, Accession #6220-e, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

This collection was deposited in 1973.

Contents List

Theodore Dreiser, Monticello, New York, to Sallie Kussell, New York 1923 Aug 4

ALS. 4 p. w/env.

Calls her "My Little Yankee Zulu"; mentions classic tragedy they discussed, and a letter from Liveright; thinks of her often; plans to work with her.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, to Sallie Kussell 1923 Aug 4

APCS, 1 p.

Depicts Tri-State Monument in Port Jervis, New York with a line about man sitting on bench.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, Monticello, New York, to Sallie Kussell, New York 1923 Aug 7

ALS, 4 p. W/env.

Asks if she knew that Mrs. Dreiser's first name was Sallie; wishes for her patience; needs her encouragement and criticism as he works on [ An American Tragedy ]; mentions [H. L.] Mencken, illness, and cabin in the woods; plans to send 6 chapters and would like her opinion of them.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, Monticello, New York, to Sallie Kussell, New York 1923 Aug 9

ALS, 2 p. W/env

Hopes Liveright will come across with something; fells depressed; wished for her company; compliments her maternal understanding and sympathy.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, Monticello, to Sallie Kussell, New York [1923] Aug 10

ALS, 3 p. W/env.

Wishes he could see her; compliments her talk; describes natural surroundings.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, Monticello, to Sallie Kussell, New York 1923 Aug 16

ALS, 8 p. W/env.

Discusses his struggles with [ An American Tragedy ]; mentions Shakespeare and Ann Hathaway.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, Monticello, to Sallie Kussell, New York [1923 Aug 18]

ALS, 1 p. W/env.

Encloses proof of article The Nordic Blond Renaissance , by H. L. Mencken; mentions delays; plans to return and see her Sunday or Monday.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, New York, to w/envSallie Kussell, Chicago 1923 Aug 24

ALS, 4 p.

Asks about Chicago; asks if he is forgiven; calls her soul dark and passionate; hopes show and trip go well; mentions circular H. L. Mencken sent him about impotency.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, New York, to Sallie Kussell, Chicago 1923 Aug 25

ALS, 4 p.

Discusses their relationship; believes he could make her happy, but not indefinitely; wishes he could solve all her problems.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, New York, to Sallie Kussell, Chicago [1923 Aug 25]

ALS, 1 p. W/env.

Believes 64 page chapter was too late, as he wanted to go over it with her; wishes he had seen her today.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, New York, to Sallie Kussell, Chicago 1923 Aug 27

ALS, 4 p. W/env.

Apologizes for not being in stateroom with her; compliments her gift for suggesting the sensual, her ideas, and her idealism; wishes he could write a chapter a day of [ An American Tragedy ]; asks her to practice telepathy on him to speed his work.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, New York, to carbonArthur Vance, Carl Van Doren, Henry S. Canby, Alfred Knopf, William H. Briggs, and Burton Rascoe, New York [ca. 1924 Jan 16]

TLS, 1 p.

Writes letter of recommendation for Sallie Kussell, who assisted him in a literary and editorial capacity of almost a year; mentions her work in play construction; lists her qualifications and suggests they may have a place for her.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, New York, to [Sallie Kussell], New York 1924 Jan 16

ALS, 2 p. Draft w/env.

Sends copy of recommendation letter to her; includes list of people to send it to; includes corrections.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, New York, to Sallie Kussell, Larchmont, New York 1925 Dec 7

ALS, 2 p. W/env.

Includes cleaning receipt for fur coat; expresses gratitude toward tailor who repaired it; plans to leave for mountains; calls Saturday a grand occasion.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, Petersburg, Virginia, to Sallie Kussell, New York 1925 Dec 14

APCS, 1 p.

Asks her to drop note to General Delivery Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, Waycross, w/envGeorgia, to Sallie Kussell, Larchmont, New York 1925 Dec 23

ALS, 4 p.

Describes travels in Georgia; mentions mail and book; asks her to look for an apartment for him between 59th and 72nd Street; makes romantic suggestions, signed "Pedestrian" or "The outcast author."

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, St. Augustine, Florida, to Sallie Kussell, Larchmont, New York 1925 Dec 30

Telegram, 1 p.

Asks her to write him at General Delivery Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to Sallie Kussell, Larchmont, New York 1926 Jan 5

ALS, 9 p. W/env.

Expresses pleasure at being in Florida after Georgia; mentions cold spell, vegetation, criticism of [ An American Tragedy ], his inability to write letters, proximity of the Everglades, population of 5,000, and $200,000,00 construction project; thinks of her; writes that he received telegram from Liveright to say book is starting off pretty well.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, Ft. Lauderdale, to Sallie Kussell, Larchmont 1926 Jan 8

APCS, 1 p.

Depicts Coral Gables; signed "The Prince of Whales."

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, New York, to Sallie Kussell, Larchmont 1926 Feb 13

ALS, 3 p. W/env.

Believes that trouble between them stems from conviction that her interest in him is based on desire for recognition through him; discusses book inscription; mentions his silence.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, New York, to Sallie Kussell, Larchmont 1926 Dec 22

ALS, 1 p. W/env.

Writes that if she spends the New York check, he will have to see what he can do about it.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, New Jersey, to Sallie Kussell, New York [1927 Mar 25]

ALS, 3 p. W/env.

Describes his walk from Farmwood to Bound Brook;asks her to write to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; asks her to send revised cover of Chains .

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, Easton, Pennsylvania, to Sallie Kussell 1927 Mar 27

ALS, 2 p.

Mentions snow and rain in Easton; asks her to draft a letter for him to sign; describes trip in detail; gives route to Blue Ridge in West Virginia; asks her to get information on Dryden and to look after Chains and The Financier .

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, Lancaster

, w/envPennsylvania, to Sallie Kussell, New York [1927] Apr 2

ALS, 3 p.

Encloses note from Reading, Pennsylvania, March 30; asserts that nothing is wrong other than strain of traveling; mentions weight loss, arch-support shoe and disagreeable weather; likes covers, but wants script used for text on covers without boxes; discusses physical and mental information from [H. L.] Mencken; describes photos of Mennonite Dutch men his age who live between Allentown and Lancaster .

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, Martinsburg, Virginia, to Sallie Kussell, New York 1927 Apr 9

ALS, 1 p. W/env.

Plans to leave for Winchester, Virginia; mentions snow, turned ankle, Anderson; plans to walk 23-25 miles daily, while he has solitude on trip; expects to return in 10 days.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser, New York, to Sallie Kussell, Larchmont 1930 Sep 3

ALS, 1 p. W/env.

Expresses pleasure upon receiving greeting as he would not have recalled it was 7 years.

Letter from Theodore Dreiser to Sallie Kussell Jun 17

ALS, 2 p.

Asks if it is lost, strayed, stolen, or a lesson to him as the Negro on the gallows observed; asks her to write or call the Guardian Life Building in care of Arthur Hume; writes that he has been laid up for 2 days due to bad burn.