James Purdy was a novelist, poet and amateur artist. Born in Ohio on July 17, 1923, he attended the University of Chicago and the University of Puebla in Mexico. Purdy served on the faculty of Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisconsin from 1949-1953, and later worked as an interpreter in Latin America, France, and Spain, and spent 1982 lecturing in Europe with the United States Information Agency. He died March 13, 2009.
When Purdy had difficulty publishing his short stories in American magazines, he privately published his first two books,
The collection consists of manuscripts of Purdy's plays along with actor's prompts, books and other items related to dramatic works. Also included are drawings by Purdy and correspondence. The collection was purchased from James Purdy in 1978. He donated the drawings contained in the collection to the Department in 1979. Professor William H. Riker donated a number of Purdy books to the collection in 1980. The department holds a collection of Purdy's works, which can be found by searching the Library's online catalog.
The James Purdy Papers is open for research use. Researchers are advised to contact the Rare Books, Special Collections & Preservation Department prior to visiting. Upon arrival, researchers will also be asked to fill out a registration form and provide photo identification.
In consultation with a curator, reproductions may be made upon request. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from a curator. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions.
[Item title, item date], James Purdy Papers, D.322, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester