Aram Saroyan Papers
Scope and Content
This collection consists of Saroyan's incoming correspondence for the years 1975-1977, manuscripts and drafts, and audio recordings related to the then-pending publication of the book Genesis Angels: The Saga of Lew Welch and the Beat Generation, published in hardcover and trade paperback editions by William Morrow in 1979 and 1980 respectively (and as an ebook in 2011), and publications that feature Saroyan’s writing. The correspondence consists of returned manuscript submissions and numerous copies of Saroyan's own poems and reviews. Notable correspondents include: Donald Allen, Richard Avedon, Ed Dorn, Gerald Hausman, Dick Higgins, David Kherdian, Kenneth Koch, Timothy Leary, Gerard Malanga, Carol and Walter Matthau, Rod McKuen, Joel Oppenheimer, George Plimpton, Charles Plymell, William Saroyan, Gary Snyder, Anne Waldman, and Philip Whalen. Audio recordings made by Saroyan include a Lew Welch interview (probably copied from someone else) and Saroyan's own tapings of talks with Joanne Kyger, Magda Cregg, Gary Snyder and Philip Whalen. The collection includes photocopies of Saroyan's periodical publications from 1975-1977, both prose and poetry, and Saroyan's manuscripts and drafts from this period including Saroyan's materials for his book on Lew Welch, including extensive excerpts from a typescript of Welch correspondence. Manuscript holdings include poetry and complete drafts of the volume O My Generation and Other Poems. Saroyan's miscellaneous personal papers can be found at the end of the collection. Original copies of newspapers and periodicals in which Saroyan's work appears were included with the donation and have been subsequently cataloged separately and added to the Archives and Special Collections’ periodicals collection. Original copies of a Rolling Stone issue featuring Richard Avedon (RS224, October 21, 1976) and a California Living newspaper supplement (San Francisco Examiner, June 12, 1977) that only briefly mentions Saroyan were removed from the collection.
Dates
- undated, 1950-1977
Access
The collection is open and available for research.
Restrictions on Use
Permission to publish from these Papers must be obtained in writing from both the University of Connecticut Libraries and the owner(s) of the copyright.
Biography
Writer, publisher and editor Aram Saroyan was born 25 September 1943, the son of playwright William Saroyan and Carol (Marcus) Saroyan, later Carol Matthau. He attended high school at the Trinity School in New York City. He attended college at the University of Chicago, New York University, and Columbia University, but never completed a college degree. Saroyan was editor of Lines poetry magazine, 1964-65; contributed poetry and prose to the New York Times Book Review, Nation, and Poetry; published works include Genesis Angels: The Saga of Lew Welch and The Beat Generation (1979), Last Rites: The Death of William Saroyan (1982), Trio: Oona Chaplin, Carol Matthau, Gloria Vanderbilt: Portrait of an Intimate Friendship (1985), and The Romantic (1988).
Extent
5.6 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Aram Saroyan was born in 1943, the son of American writer and playwright William Saroyan. In addition to several volumes of poetry, Saroyan has published several autobiographical novels, including The Street, in addition to a critical study of beat poet Lew Welch and a biography of his father.
Arrangement
Series I: Correspondence, (1975-1977)
Series II: Audio cassettes, (1969-1977)
Series III: Publications, (undated, 1950-1977)
Acquisition Information
Collection purchased from Aram Saroyan in 1978.
- American literature Subject Source: Fast
- American poetry Subject Source: Fast
- Audiocassettes Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Bolinas (Calif.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- California (state) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
- Correspondence Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Literature Subject Source: Fast
- Novelists Subject Source: Fast
- Oral interpretation of poetry Subject Source: Fast
- Personal papers Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Poems Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Poetry -- Editing Subject Source: Fast
- Poets Subject Source: Fast
- Twentieth century. Subject Source: Fast
- manuscripts (document genre) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Title
- Aram Saroyan Papers
- Status
- Published
- Author
- Archives & Special Collections staff
- Date
- 1998 August
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
- Edition statement
- Updated November 2, 2018
Repository Details
Part of the Archives and Special Collections, University of Connecticut Library Repository
University of Connecticut Library
405 Babbidge Road Unit 1205
Storrs Connecticut 06269-1205 USA US
860-486-2524
archives@uconn.edu