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Robinson Jeffers Letters

An inventory of his letters at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: KM
Date: Aug 1987

Biographical History

Robinson Jeffers (1887-1962) was an American poet best remembered for his works focusing on the California coast.

Jeffers was born on January 10, 1887 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to William Hamilton, a Presbyterian minister and scholar, and Anne Robinson Jeffers. He attended the University of Western Pennsylvania (presently the University of Pittsburgh) before receiving his A.B. from Occidental College in 1905. Jeffers pursued graduate study at the University of Zurich the following year and received his M.A. from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles around 1910. While in Los Angeles, Jeffers met Una Call Kuster, the wife of a prominent Los Angeles attorney. The two fell in love prompting Kuster to divorce her husband. The scandalous affair made the front page of the Los Angeles Times on March 1, 1913. In August 1913, the couple wed and together they had twin children, Donnan Call and Garth Sherwood. Jeffers had a successful poetic career. His works centered on the California coastal region, drawing much inspiration from his home area of Carmel, California. Jeffers died at his home on January 20, 1962.

Selected Works
1912 Flagons and Apples
1916 Californians
1924 Tamar and Other Poems
1925 Roan Stallion, Tamar and Other Poems
1927 The Women at Point Sur
1928 Cawdor and Other Poems
1929 Dear Judas and Other Poems
1931 Descent to the Dead: Poems Written in Ireland and Great Britain
1932 Thurso's Landing and Other Poems
1933 Give Your Heart to the Hawks, and Other Poems
1935 Solstice and Other Poems
1937 Such Counsels You Gave to Me and Other Poems
1938 The Selected Poetry of Robinson Jeffers
1941 Be Angry at the Sun
1948 The Double Axe and Other Poems
1954 Hungerfield and Other Poems
1963 The Beginning and the End and Other Poems
1965 Selected Poems

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Robinson Jeffers Letters contain biographical material, two items of outgoing correspondence, photographs, and proof sheets.

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.

Subject Headings

Persons

Jeffers, Robinson, 1887-1962.

Subjects

American poetry -- 20th century.
Poets, American.

Genres and Forms

Letters (correspondence)
Photographs.
Proofs (printed matter)

Occupations

Poets.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Robinson Jeffers Letters
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Table of Contents

Biographical material

Correspondence

Photographs

Proof sheets

Inventory