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Peter De Vries Collection

Overview

Abstract

Biographical Note

Administrative Information

Detailed Description

Personal Material

First editions, signed by author:



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Peter De Vries Collection, 1910-1996 | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

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Collection Overview

Title: Peter De Vries Collection, 1910-1996

ID: COLL/069

Primary Creator: De Vries, Peter (1910-1993)

Extent: 15.0 Boxes. More info below.

Arrangement: Folder level description

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
Series 2: First editions, signed by author:
Box 12
Item 1: Angels Can't Do Better --- 1944
HERH PS3507.E8673 A5
Item 2: The Blood of the Lamb --- 1961
HERH PS3507.E8673 B58 c.7
Item 3: But Who Wakes the Bugler? --- 1940
HERH PS3507.E8673 B8 c.2
Item 4: The Cat's Pajamas & Witch's Milk: Two Novels --- 1968
HERH PS3507.E8673 C3 c.2
Item 5: Comfort Me with Apples --- 1956
HERH PS3507.E8673 C6 c.4
Item 6: Consenting Adults or The Duchess Will Be Furious --- 1980
HERH PS3507.E8673 C65 c.3
Item 7: Forever Panting --- 1973
HERH PS3507.E8673 F6 c.3
Box 13
Item 1: *The Glory of the Hummingbird [HERH PS3507.E8673 G5 c.3] --- 1974
Item 2: *The Handsome Heart [HERH PS3507.E8673 H3] --- 1943
Item 3: *I Hear America Swinging [HERH PS3507.E8673 I2 c.3] --- 1976
Item 4: *Into Your Tent I'll Creep [HERH PS3507.E8673 I5 c.2] --- 1971
Item 5: *Let Me Count the Ways  [HERH PS3507.E8673 L4 c.3] --- 1965
Item 6: *The Mackerel Plaza [HERH PS3507.E8673 M3 c.4] --- 1958
Item 7: *Madder Music [HERH PS3507.E8673 M33 c.3] --- 1977
Box 14
Item 1: *Mrs. Wallop [HERH PS3507.E8673 M7 c.3] --- 1970
Item 2: *No But I Saw the Movie [HERH PS3507.E8673 N6 c.3] --- 1952
Item 3: *Peckham's Marbles [HERH PS3507.E8673 P4 1986 c.3] --- 1986
Item 4: *The Prick of Noon [HERH PS3507.E8673 P7 1985 c.3] --- 1985
Item 5: *Reuben,Reuben  [HERH PS3507.E8673 R4 c.4] --- 1964
Item 6: *Sauce for the Goose [HERH PS3507.E8673 S2 c.3] --- 1981
Item 7: *Slouching towards Kalamazoo [HERH PS3507.E8673 S6 1983 c.3] --- 1983
Box 15
Item 1: *The Tents of Wickedness [HERH PS3507.E8673 T4 c.5] --- 1959
Item 2: *Through the Fields of Clover [HERH PS3507.E8673 T45 c.3] --- 1961
Item 3: *The Tunnel of Love [HERH PS3507.E8673 T8 c.2] --- 1954
Item 4: *The Tunnel of Love (a play) [HERH PS3507.E8673 T85 c.2] --- 1957
Item 5: *The Vale of Laughter [HERH PS3507.E8673 V3 c.3] --- 1967
Item 6: *Without a Stitch in Time [HERH PS3507.E8673 W5 c.3] --- 1972

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Personal Material],
[Series 2: First editions, signed by author:],
[All]


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