Literature

Series Description From the Series: The extensive correspondence files span 1980-2013 and are arranged alphabetically by correspondent. Every correspondent is included in the container list, and when known, organizational affiliations are listed in parenthesis. Individuals with a significant quantity of letters include: Jeffrey Abrahams; Norma Alarcón; Dorothy Allison; Julia Alvarez; Beatrix Badikian; Gertrude Baker; Ruth Behar; Ronnie Burke; Norma Cantu; Ana Castillo; Denise Chávez; Carlos Cumpián; Ted Dvoracek; Gayle...

Series Description From the Series: This series contains materials belonging to Shrake of a more personal nature and is arranged chronologically. The oldest item in this series, and in the collection, is Shrake’s father’s baby dress. Also included are certificates, clippings about Shrake and friends, photographs of Shrake, family and friends, scrapbooks, short stories written for class, two typewriters, a briefcase Shrake used for traveling on Sports Illustrated assignments, Artwork by Shrake...

Series Description From the Series:

Publicity Material spans 1978-2014 and is divided into the following subseries: Cisneros Cover Stories; Magazines with Articles about Cisneros; Newspaper and Other Articles; Appearance Publicity; Oversized; and Book Publisher Catalogs.

Scope and Contents From the Series: Though essentially consisting of only three projects, all published, this sub-series contains a voluminous amount of research on its subjects, especially Willie Nelson. Included in the Willie materials are numerous tapes and transcripts of interviews Shrake and others did with Nelson and his acquaintances. Also included are clipping files on Nelson and country music going back to 1978 (when Shrake was writing the Songwriter screenplay), and many files of...

Subseries Description From the Sub-Series: Woman Hollering Creek may have had the working title “The Sky Has Little Eyes,” as there are four folders so labeled in this series. That material was kept together in box 51, folders 2-8, with drafts of all of the stories arranged alphabetically beginning in box 51, folder 9. Nearly every story contains multiple drafts, some with translations, such as “Eleven,” “Eyes of Zapata,” “La Fabulosa, A Texas Operetta,” “Never Marry a Mexican,” “Tepeyac,” and “Woman Hollering Creek.” Additional...

Sub-Series Description From the Sub-Series: Original carved and inked woodblocks created by Barbara Whitehead commissioned by the Encino Press. These blocks have been scanned and printed on plain paper for ease of access. See print-outs and accompanying zip-disks in box 877. Print-outs are annotated with either a title taken from the block or simply a descriptive cataloger-assigned title; these are the titles listed in this quide. Prnt-outs are also annotated with the titles of books in which the images appeared, such as: Deep Like...

Series Description From the Series: Reader Correspondence, 1990-2013, is arranged chronologically. Each year is separated into letters from individuals and letters from classes. The individual letters are typical fan letters and document the effect her writing has had on her readers. The class letters are often packets sent by teachers containing letters from students who have read her works in class, and sometimes thank-you letters from students whose class Cisneros visited. When known, the school name is included in the...

Series Description From the Series:

Cisneros’ nonfiction writings are arranged alphabetically and include speeches, editorials, and essays. Many were eventually published in anthologies or magazines. In cases when the date and location of a speech is known, that information is included in the listing. This series also contains interviews Cisneros conducted with other writers while working at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center (box 41).

Scope and Contents

Subjects include Joan Frederick, Terry Ybañez (27 photographs)

Sub-Series Description From the Sub-Series:

Handwritten and typed notes, clippings, and photocopies, arranged in alphabetical order by the author’s subject categories, comprise the majority of this subseries. Also included are several folders of topographical and road maps of various Texas counties and other locations.

Subseries Description From the Sub-Series: Woman Hollering Creek may have had the working title “The Sky Has Little Eyes,” as there are four folders so labeled in this series. That material was kept together in box 51, folders 2-8, with drafts of all of the stories arranged alphabetically beginning in box 51, folder 9. Nearly every story contains multiple drafts, some with translations, such as “Eleven,” “Eyes of Zapata,” “La Fabulosa, A Texas Operetta,” “Never Marry a Mexican,” “Tepeyac,” and “Woman Hollering Creek.” Additional...

Subseries Description From the Sub-Series:

The bulk of the material for Loose Woman are the poems, arranged alphabetically. Many were originally housed in a folder titled “complete book.” Additional material includes proofs from Knopf, promotional displays, and Spanish translations by Paloma Zozaya and Marilar Aleixandre.

Subseries Description From the Sub-Series:

Europe Poems were originally housed together in one folder and date from Cisneros’ time abroad in Greece, 1982-1983. Some were later published in My Wicked Wicked Ways and Loose Woman. The poems are arranged alphabetically, with untitled poems and fragments at the end.

Scope and Contents

“Mexico trip when I was 15." Subjects include Abuelito Cisneros, Alfred Jr. Cisneros, Henry Cisneros, Lilia. Polaroid left to right: SC: Phyllis, (Licha) Lopez (cousin) and Lilia, (7 photographs)

Scope and Contents

Subjects include Alejandro Galindo, Shan Sanchez. (63 photographs)

Scope and Contents

(55 photographs)

Series Description From the Series: Notebooks and Journals span 1979-2012 and often overlap with the items in series III: Diaries. They include notes, story ideas, lists, addresses, and a number of other jottings by Cisneros. Some notable entries include notes and quotes concerning what poetry is while she was working as a counselor at Loyola University in Chicago in 1981; drafts and notes for poems and for The House on Mango Street in 1982; a list of stories for Mango Street in 1983; and notes from 1987 which Cisneros titled”...

Series Description From the Series: Notebooks and Journals span 1979-2012 and often overlap with the items in series III: Diaries. They include notes, story ideas, lists, addresses, and a number of other jottings by Cisneros. Some notable entries include notes and quotes concerning what poetry is while she was working as a counselor at Loyola University in Chicago in 1981; drafts and notes for poems and for The House on Mango Street in 1982; a list of stories for Mango Street in 1983; and notes from 1987 which Cisneros titled”...

Sub-Series Description From the Sub-Series:

Photographs in this subseries are divided into the following groups: photographs of R.G. Vliet alone, Vliet and his immediate family, Vliet and extended family, Mexico snapshots, friends, workspaces, and pets. Most are color snapshots from Vliet’s personal life, most are not labeled with identifying information. See also Subseries C : Scrapbook, for additional photographs, especially from Vliet’s youth.