Jaimy Gordon, American novelist and poet, and winner of the 2010 National Book Award for Fiction was born July 4th, 1944 in Baltimore, Maryland. She graduated from Antioch College in 1966 and received a MA in English from Brown University in 1972 and a Ph.D. in Creative Writing also from Brown University in 1976. She was one of the first Ph.D. graduates from Brown's Creative Writing Program. As the Writer in Residence for the R.I. State Council on the Arts, Ms. Gordon taught creative writing in Rhode Island public schools and community arts programs. She resides in Kalamazoo, Michigan where she taught creative writing in the MFA and Ph.D. programs of Western Michigan University. Her works have been recognized and featured at Michigan State University as part of their Michigan Writers Series. She is the author of the underground fantasy novel "Shamp of the city-solo" (Treacle Press, 1974). Her fourth novel "Lord of the misrule" (McPherson & Company, 2010) won the 2010 National Book Award for Fiction. Other works include "The rose of the West" (Woodbine Press, 1976), "The bend, The lip, The kid" (Sun Press, 1978), "Private T. Pigeon's tale" (Treacle Press, 1979), "Circumspections from an equestrain statute" (Burning Deck, 1979), "She drove without stopping" (Algoquin Books of Chapel Hill, 1990) and "Bogeywoman" (Sun & Moon Press, 2010).
This collection contains correspondence (letters, notes, note cards, postcards, off prints of literary reviews and publisher's announcements), photographs of the author, and typescript writings of short stories, poems, an academic essay, and a draft of the novel "Shamp of the city-solo" that Jaimy Gordon sent to and was collected by Laurence Eldredge and his wife, Betty Eldredge. Laurence Eldredge was a professor of English at Antioch College when Jaimy Gordon was and undergraduate at the college.
Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Jaimy Gordon papers, Ms. 2013.002, Brown University Library
The Jaimy Gordon papers are arranged in 3 series.
Gift of Laurence Eldredge, March 7, 2012.