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Roger Zelazny Papers

A description of his papers at Syracuse University

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Zelazny, Roger.
Title: Roger Zelazny Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1954-1968
Quantity: 5.5 linear ft.
Abstract: Correspondence, 1954-1968; typescript draft and manuscript poems, speeches, stories, and novels; and printed material, including clippings and newsletters.
Language: English
Repository: Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Science fiction writer Roger Zelazny was born on May 3, 1937 in Cleveland, Ohio, and spent his childhood in Euclid, Ohio, where he attended school. He edited the school newspaper, in 1954 receving a National Scholastic Short Story award.

Mr. Zelazny graduated from Western Reserve University with an A.B. in English and a minor in psychology, and from Columbia University with an M.A. in English and comparative literature. He was awarded two prizes in poetry at Western Reserve.

Mr. Zelazny moved to Baltimore, Maryland to work for the Social Security Adminstration, where he became a claims policy specialist. During his spare time, he began writing science fiction and, as early as 1964, was awarded a Hugo (an annual award of the Science Fiction Writers of America) for "A Rose for Ecclesiastes." Other prize-winning works include "The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth" (1966), "He Who Shapes" (1966), "Lord of Light" (1968), and "Damnation Alley" (1968).

Mr. Zelazny served as secretary-treasurer of the Science Fiction Writers of America during the fiscal year 1967-1968 and is a member of Mensa, an organization for people with a tested high intelligence quotient. He lives in Baltimore with is wife Judy.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Roger Zelazny Papers contain biographical and background material, correspondence, writings, publications of the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA), and published material. Contained in the biographical and background material 1954, 1966-1968, is published matter relating to science fiction conventions and activities in which Mr. Zelazny participated, as well as financial records.

Correspondence, 1954-1969, most of it incoming, is from publishers, literary agents, science fiction writers, and fans. Arranged chronologically, much of the correspondence relates to Mr. Zelazny's writings and science fiction activities, including one group of letters from a fourth-grade class which read "Susi's Magic Pterodactyl," placed at the end of the correspondence.

Important correspondence include: Ace Books, Inc., 1966-1968; Amazing-Fantastic Publications, 1965-1966, 1968; Philip K. Dick, 1967; Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1964, 1966-1968; Faber and Faber Ltd., 1966-1968; Fantasy and Science Fiction, 1962-1968; Galaxy, 1968; Alma Hill, 1964-1967; Hugo Awards, 1964, 1968; Damon Knight, 1965-1967; Robert P. Mills, 1964-1966; Henry Morrison, 1967-1968; New Worlds, 1965-1968; Frederick Pohl, 1963, 1966-1968; Rex Stout, 1968; Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, 1962-1965. A list of this correspondence with exact dates may be found in the first folder of Box 1.

Writings, 1965-1968, are composed of typescripts, holographs, and printed material and are arranged alphabetically by title under the divisions of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Many of the manuscripts are not dated, and those not titled are arranged alphabetically by the first line of the manuscript. Many of Mr. Zelazny's prize-winning stories are contained in this series.

Material from the SFWA consists of the Secretary-Treasurer's Handbook by Mr. Zelazny and Nebula Award Stories 3, co-edited by Mr. Zelazny. Published material, 1965-1967, included fanzines (magazines published by fans and amateurs in the science fiction field).

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Mr. Zelazny's periodical and fanzines have been integrated with our science fiction periodicals.

Many other science fiction authors' papers are in our holdings, including Forrest J. Ackerman, Piers Anthony, Hal Clement, Hugo Gernsback, Damon Knight, Keith Laumer, Anne McCaffrey, Frederik Pohl, Robert Silverberg, Kate Wilhelm, and more. Refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete list.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Zelazny, Roger.

Subjects

American literature -- 20th century.
Authors, American.
Novelists, American.
Science fiction, American.

Genres and Forms

Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Manuscripts for publication.
Newsletters.
Poems.
Speeches (documents)

Occupations

Authors.
Novelists.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Roger Zelazny Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Roger Zelazny, 1966, 1968, 1991.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: RT
Date: Feb 1969
Revision history: 31 Aug 2005 - EAD file created (MRR); 24 Jan 2019 - minor style and format cleanup (MRC)

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Inventory

Biographical and background material
Box 1 Published material 1966-1968
Box 1 Correspondence August 1967
Box 1 Financial records 1954, 1967-1968
Correspondence
Box 1 Correspondence 1954-1967 (3 folders)
Box 2 Correspondence 1968
Box 2 Correspondence Undated
Box 2 "Susi's Magic Pterodactyl" 4 Feb 1965
Writings
Box 2 Addresses undated - untitled, holograph
Fiction
Box 2 And call me Conrad - original typescript revised, 164p.
Box 2 Angel, dark angel - original typescript revised, 12p; typescript carbon, 16p.
Box 2 Beside the Vedra - typescript carbon, 56p.
See also Lord of Light, chapter 6
Box 2 The Borgia hand - original typescript revised, 4p.
Box 2 Clementowicz and the commissioner - holograph revised, 13p.
Box 2 Co Nestor's fever (The world, the deeble, and Uncle Sidney's rock collection) - original typescript revised, 5p.
Box 2 Corrida - original typescript revised, 3p.
Box 2 Damnation alley - original typescript revised, 89p.; incomplete published material, revised, 3p.; publicity, repro. annotated; correspondence
Box 3 Dismal light - original typescript revised, 15p.
Box 3 Divine madness - original typescript revised, 8p.
Box 3 The doors of his face, the lamps of his mouth - original typescript revised, 37p.; in Fantasy and Science Fiction vol. 28 no. 3 (March 1965), p. 4-30; revised; 1 drawing; publicity, published material, 1966-1968
Box 3 The dream master 1968 - book reviews, March 25, April 4, 1968; correspondence
Box 3 Final dining - original typescript revised, 12p.
Box 3 For a Brbath I tarry - holograph revised, 30p.
Box 3 Four for tomorrow - book review; correspondence, undated; Introduction by Theodore Sturgeon, original typescript revised; correspondence, undated, 11p.
Box 3 The furies - published material, revised; 1 drawing, 15p.
Box 3 The graveyard heart - typescript carbon revised, 1 drawing, 81p.
Box 3 Hand of the master - original typescript revised, 3p.
Box 3 He yt moves (these bones) - original typescript revised, 9p.; typescript carbon, 13p
Box 3 He who shapes - drafts (6); part III, original typescript revised, 37p.
See also The ides of Octember.
Box 3 Horseman! - original typescript revised, 3p.
Box 3 The hounds of sorrow - original typescript revised, 8p.; typescript carbon, 11p.
Box 3 The house of the hanged man - typescript carbon, 5p.
Box 3 Hunt down the happy wallaby - holograph revised, 45p.
Box 3 The ides of Octember - synopsis, original typescript revised, 2p.; original typescript revised, 96p.
See also He who shapes
Box 3 In the dry of Capricorn - original typescript revised, 3p.
Box 4 The insider - typescript carbon revised, 6p.
Box 4 The Juan's thousandth - original typescript revised, 9p.
Box 4 The keys to December - original typescript revised, 25p.
Box 4 King Solomon's ring - original typescript revised, 24p.
Box 4 A knight for Merytha - original typescript revised, 10p.
Box 4 The last inn on the road - typescript carbon revised, 7p.
Box 4 Lord of Hellwell - typescript carbon, 55p.
See also Lord of light.
Box 4 Lord of light 1967-1968
Chapter 7, typescript carbon, 51p.
printer's copy, typescript carbon annotated, ca. 1967 (pages 1-178, 179-395)
final galley proof revised, ca. 1967, 90p.
page proof, annotated, ca. 1967, 84p.
page proof, annotated, ca. 1967, 84p.
book reviews, published material, 1967-1968; correspondence, April 1968
Box 5 Love is an imaginary number 1968 - original typescript revised, 7p.; publicity, published material; correspondence
Box 5 Maitreya - typescript carbon, 54p.
See also Lord of light, chapter 1
Box 5 The Malatesta collection - original typescript revised, 7p.
Box 5 The man who loved the Faioli 1968 - original typescript revised; correspondence, January 8, 1968
Box 5 Mine is the kingdom - original typescript revised, 20p.
Box 5 The misfit - original typescript revised, 6p.
Box 5 Moonless in Byzantium - original typescript revised, 6p.
Box 5 Morning of the scarlet swinger - original typescript revised, 16p.
Box 5 The new pleasure - typescript carbon, 5p.
Box 5 The night has nine hundred ninety-nine eyes - typescript carbon, 4p.
Box 5 Nine princes in Amber 1968 - original typescript revised, 162p.; notes, original typescript, June 27, 1968
Box 5 Nine starships waiting - original typescript revised, 40p.
Box 5 None but the lonely heart - original typescript revised, 7p.
Box 5 Of time and the yan - original typescript revised, 4p.
Box 5 Party set - original typescript revised, 58p.
Box 5 Passage to Dilfar - holograph revised, 8p.
Box 5 Passion play - original typescript revised, 4p.
Box 5 Power & light - original typescript revised, 6p.
Box 5 The powers of heaven - original typescript revised, 54p.
See also Lord of light, Chapter 5.
Box 5 Prelude in the house of the dead - original typescript revised, 130p.
Box 5 A rose for Ecclesiastes - In Fantasy and Science Fiction, p. 5-35; 1 drawing; 16p.
Box 5 Snapdragon man (Walker in the earth) - original typescript revised, 3p.
Box 5 Song of the blue baboon - typescript carbon, 7p.; orginal typescript revised, 6p.
Box 6 Song of the witch's daughter - typescript carbon, 11p.
Box 6 Sapceman's lament - original typescript revised, 8p.
Box 6 Stainless steel leech - original typescript revised, 5p.
Box 6 The teacher rode a wheel of fire - original typescript revised, 5p.
Box 6 Ther e shall be no moon! - original typescript revised, 11p.
Box 6 A thing of terrible beauty - original typescript revised, 6p.
Box 6 This immortal 1967-1968 - printer's copy, typescript carbon annotated; correspondence; book reviews; publicity, published material
Box 6 This moment of storm - original typescript revised, 30p.
Box 6 This mortal mountain - original typescript revised, 39p.
Box 6 Through a glass greenly - original typescript revised, 4p.
Box 6 Time of night in the 7th room - original typescript revised, 6p.; typescript carbon, 8p.
Box 6 Tomorrow stuff - holograph revised, 6p.; typescript carbon, 8p.
Box 6 A turn unstoned - original typescript revised, 17p.
Box 6 The window washer - original typescript revised, 11p.
Box 6 Zindrome of negative greed - original typescript revised, 8p.
Box 6 Untitled
"And I knew of all men," holograph revised, 2p.
"The bell drowned his every seventh word," holograph revised, 1p.
"The bell that rang again," original typescript revised, 3p.
"The bell was ringing," original typescript revised, 3p.
"Evelyn listened," original typescript revised, 6p.
"Gregory Rumford listened to the bell," original typescript revised, 3p.
"He disembarked in New York Harbor," original typescript revised, 3p.
"He heard a chuckle," original typescript revised, 7p.
"He wondered," original typescript revised, 13p.
"Hell Tanner and Jerry Potter walked," holograph revised, 2p.
"Henry Soames, M.D., knew," holograph revised, 2p.
"It reared, roared, writhed," original typescript revised, 3p.
"It was on the Pa. Tpk.," holograph revised, 2p.
"Life is a thing," original typescript revised, 153p.
"One of the mechanics approached them," original typescript revised, 15p.
"Setting without characters," original typescript revised, 3p.
"There was a burst of light," original typescript revised, 3p.
"What's the last you heard," holograph revised, 1p.
"Within the theater," original typescript revised, 3p.
Untitled fragments - original typescript revised, and holograph, 11p.
Non-fiction
Box 6 (Answers to eleven questions about science fiction) - original typescript revised, 10p.
Box 6 (Bibliography of science fiction criticism) - original typescript revised, 2p.
Box 6 Christianity and courtly love, the all egory of opposites - typescript carbon, 12p.
Box 6 Fanzine bibliography (incomplete) - two typescripts, carbon, one revised, 5p.
Box 6 I just received NYAR II, re: Alexei Panshin - original typescript revised, 3p.
Box 6 I never met Cordwainer Smith, re: Cordwainer Smith - original typescript revised, 3p.
Box 6 In praise of his spirits, noble and otherwise (foreword) - original typescript revised, typescript carbon annotated, 10p.
Box 7 On writing and stories - original typescript revised; typescript carbon, 7p.
Box 7 The search for the historical L. Sprague de Camp or, The compleat dragon-catcher circa 1965 - original typescript revised; typescript carbon; correspondence
Box 7 The world of z, this being in the nature of a non-introduction to the volume in hand - original typescript revised, 3p.
Poetry
Box 7 Avalanches, The thing on the highways, and Fire, snakes and the moon - holograph, 1p.
Box 7 Between you and I - holograph revised, 1p.
Box 7 Bok - holograph revised and original typescript, 2p.
Box 7 The cat licks her coat - holograph, 1p.
Box 7 Cross Caribbean (in memoriam, Hart Crane) - original typescript, 1p.
Box 7 Dim - holograph, 2p.
Box 7 Dreams, dreams - holograph revised, 1p.
Box 7 I never met a traveller from an antique land - holograph revised, 1p.
Box 7 I was born - holograph, 1p.
Box 7 Moonsong - holograph revised, 1p.
Pelias waking with the S.C. - holograph revised, 1p.
Box 7 Pyramid - holograph revised, 1p.
Box 7 Reply - original typescript revised, 2p.
Box 7 See you later, maybe - holograph revised, 1p.
Box 7 There is always a poem - holograph revised, 1p.
This book is dedicated to - holograph revised, 1p.
Box 7 Notes - original typescript and holograph, 13p.
Box 7 The great selchie of San Francisco Bay - original typescript revised, 4p.
Science Fiction Writers of America
Box 7 Nebula award stories 3, edited by R. Zelazny and Robert Silverberg
Box 7 Secretary-treasurer's handbook, by R. Zelazny - holograph drafts, typescripts, reproductions
Published material
Zelazny's periodicals and fanzines have been integrated with our science fiction periodicals and cataloged. Please Libraries Search to locate these items.

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