.
Collection Overview
Abstract
Author. This collection includes bibliography, book reviews, writings, correspondence, page proofs, articles, scripts, galley sheets, letters from readers, award plaques, honorary degrees, academic stoles, baptismal dress, biographical information, gravestone rubbing, and autographed first edition books. [See also the Campus Titles Database.]
Biographical Note
Author, Peter De Vries was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1910. His father wanted him to become a minister for the Christian Reformed Church, so De Vries enrolled at Calvin College. De Vries pursued his Calvin education as an English major and played basketball. After graduation, De Vries returned to Chicago picking up odd jobs, including a part-time job as associate editor for the magazine Poetry. In 1943, De Vries married one of the magazine’s contributors, Katinka Loeser.
Between 1940 and 1944 De Vries wrote three books, which quickly went out of print. For Poetry, De Vries wrote a flattering essay on James Thurber. Thurber was so taken by the essay, he passed along De Vries’ work to Harold Ross, the editor of The New Yorker. Ross enjoyed De Vries’ work so much so that he extended a job offer to him. De Vries accepted the position and moved out to Greenwich Village. De Vries became an occasional contributor for the magazine and a cartoon doctor, aiding the magazine’s cartoonists with captions and gags.
De Vries continued to write – one of his novels, The Tunnel of Love, even became a Broadway play and a movie released in 1958. Although best known as a comic novelist, De Vries’s sixth novel, The Blood of the Lamb, took a more serious tone, dealing with a death of a child. De Vries’ daughter, Emily, had passed away from acute lymphoblastic leukemia like the novel’s character, Carol Wanderhope.
In 1983, De Vries was honored by being inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Ten years later, he passed away from pneumonia on September 29, 1993 in Westport, Connecticut. He was survived by his children - Jan, Jon, and Derek - along with 2 grandsons.
Administrative Information
Repository:
Heritage Hall, Hekman Library
Alternate Extent Statement:
8.50 cubic ft.
Acquisition Source:
Gift of Jan De Vries
Other Note:
Name variant: Peter DeVries
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Personal Material],
[
Series 2: First editions, signed by author:],
[
All]
- Series 1: Personal Material
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Obituaries --- 1993
- Folder 2: Bibliography - primary sources --- 1965-1980
- Folder 3: Bibliography - secondary sources --- 1981-1982
- Folder 4: Cartoon, poster, copies of book covers --- 1943-1979
- Folder 5: Articles written about Peter De Vries --- 1927-1993
- Folder 6: Chimes, New York Times Magazine, Chicago Tribune articles --- 1930-1993
- Folder 7-15: Book reviews --- 1941-1987
- Box 2
- Folder 1: Chicago Christian High School class yearbooks --- 1926 and 1927
- Folder 2: Letters to the Archives from Jan De Vries (daughter) --- 1994-1996
- Folder 3: Book reviews by Peter De Vries --- 1943-1944
- Folder 4: Script for Spofford based on Reuben, Reuben --- undated
- Folder 5: Page proofs for Sauce for the Goose; Advance proofs, bound: Sauce for the Goose [reviewer --- 1981
- Folder 6: Page proofs for Consenting Adults --- undated
- Folder 7: Copy of New Yorker Magazine --- 1979
- Folder 8: Program and correspondence re: Induction into Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters --- 1978-1983
- Folder 9: Return to Calvin --- Mar-79
- Folder 10: Esquire articles --- 1937-1942
- Folder 11: Correspondence --- 1967-1973
- Folder 12: Calvin Prism article and Chicago YMS play program --- 1933
- Box 3
- Folder 1-7: Letters from readers --- 1948-1983
- Box 4
- Folder 1-16: Writings --- 1926-1980
- Folder 17: Correspondence --- 1931-1989
- Folder 18: S. Lambers correspondence --- 1979-1982
- Folder 19: S. Lambers compilation of Peter De Vries books, articles, etc. --- undated
- Folder 20: Copies of Chimes articles/editorials by Peter De Vries --- 1930-1931
- Box 5
- Folder 1: Paper written while student at Calvin on his struggle with faith --- 1932
- Folder 2: Correspondence with Harrison Kinney --- [1977] - 1996
- Folder 3: Copy of Angel Can't Do Better --- 1944
- Folder 4: State Department sponsored lecture tour (Germany) --- 1978
- Folder 5: A critical essay by Roderick Jellema --- 1976-1978
- Folder 6: Correspondence re: The Mackeral Plaza --- 1959
- Folder 7: Scripts for the play, The Mackeral Plaza --- 1961-1963
- Folder 8: Galley sheets, The Prick of Noon --- January 23, 1985
- Folder 9: Galley sheets, The Prick of Noon --- December 12, 1984)
- Folder 10: Commencement program and honorary degree citation --- June 9, 1968
- Folder 11: Photographs re: honorary degree conferred by University of Bridgeport --- June 1, 1968
- Folder 12: Photograph of PDV family --- 1946
- Box 6
- Item 1: Honorary degree from the University of Michigan --- 1984
- Item 2: Honorary degree from Susquehanna University --- 1979
- Item 3: Honorary degree from Wake Forest University --- 1980
- Item 4: Award from the Southern Fairfield County Council of the International Reading Association --- 1984
- Item 5: Video, Pete 'n' Tillie --- 1994
- Item 6: Pins and medals --- 1982 and undated
- Box 7
- Item 1: Academic stoles --- undated
- Item 2: Plaques, University of Notre Dame --- 1968, 1969
- Box 8
- Item 1: Award Plaques: Westport Arts Award --- 1984
- Item 2: The Van Wyck Broosk Award for Literary Achievement --- 1968
- Item 3: Cartoon drawing of Peter De Vries --- undated
- Item 4: Copies of Chimes --- 1930-1933
- Box 9
- Item 1: Baptismal dress and picture --- 1910
- Item 2: Tie --- undated
- Box 10
- Folder 1: Reel to reel tape: "Peter De Vries Speech," taped by WSND [Notre Dame radio] for Sophomore Literature Festival, [HHM69-1] --- 27 Mar 1969
- Item 1: National Institute of Arts and Letters award plaque --- 1969
- Item 2: Friends of the Westport Library award --- 1991
- Item 3: Match book --- undated
- Item 4: Sunday School Bible --- 1923
- Box 11
- Item 1: Rubbings of Peter De Vries' headstone --- undated
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Personal Material],
[
Series 2: First editions, signed by author:],
[
All]
