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Andre (Alice Mary) Norton Papers

An inventory of her papers at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: AMV
Date: Jan 1971

Biographical History

Andre (Alice Mary) Norton (1912-2005) was a multiple award-winning American science fiction and fantasy author, poet, and editor. Her writing career spanned more than seventy years, and she was a profound influence on the fantasy, science fiction, and "sword and sorcery" genres.

Born and educated in Cleveland, Ohio, she began writing and editing at a young age. She attended Western Reserve University, although she never graduated due to finances. She was assistant librarian and children's librarian at the Cleveland Public Libraries from 1932-1950, working in 38 of their 40 branches, with a brief interruption during World War II to work at the Library of Congress. She left the Cleveland Public Libraries in 1950 to be a reader for Gnome Press, a science fiction publishing house in Hicksville, Long Island.

Her first fantasy novel, Huon of the Horn, was published by Harcourt Brace in 1951; Star Man's Son, 2250 A.D., her first science fiction novel, was published the following year. By 1958 she had published 23 novels and several short stories, and felt confident enough to devote her full time to freelance writing. Although best known for her science fiction novels (including the "Witch World" series) written under the name Andre Norton, she also wrote mystery, fantasy, historical romances, and westerns. Norton wrote more than 130 novels, nearly one hundred short stories, and edited numerous anthologies in the science-fiction, fantasy, mystery, and western genres, and her work has been translated into eight languages, including Arabic. Norton was also an active letter-writer, often answering fan letters personally and engaging in lengthy correspondence with friends, fans, and fellow writers.

She was the first woman to be a Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) Grand Master and to be inducted in the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame, and was a founding member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America (SAGA). She received Skylark, Balrog, and World Fantasy awards, and was the first woman to win the Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy award. She was a member of the Women's National Book Association, Theta Sigma Phi, and encouraged beginning writers with "High Hallack," a retreat and research library for writers which she opened and ran from 1999-2004. The SFWA named an award in her honor, the Andre Norton Award for young adult novels, first given in 2006.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Alice Mary Norton Papers consists of correspondence, fanzines, memorabilia, and writings.

Correspondence, which comprises about half the collection, consists of letters to Norton from collaborators, fellow authors, editors, publishers, friends, and readers of her work (fans). Many women authors are represented, including Marion Zimmer Bradley, C.J. Cherryh, A.C. (Ann) Crispin, P.M. (Pauline) Griffin, Ursula Le Guin, Grace Hogarth, Alice Hopf, Ardath Mayhar, Anne McCaffrey, Sandra Miesel, Mary Ann Mogus, Hendry Peart, Mary Schaub, Rosemary Sutcliff, and Grace Warren. There is also substantial correspondence with authors Robert Adams, L. Sprague de Camp, John Jakes, David Kyle, Sterling Lanier, Eil Petaja, and illustrator Michael Gilbert and his wife Sheila, an editor at New American Library. Much of the fan mail was received in rubber-banded bundles labeled with a post-it "Interesting fan mail"; notable fans in the collection (many of whom later became authors or editors) include Rich Benyo, Rick Brooks, Bill Crawford, Gerry de la Ree, Marsha Elkin/Marsha Jones, Marj Krueger, Brad Linaweaver, Roger Schlobin, Linda Shadle, and Robbie Sturm. Although Norton's replies are not in the collection, the evidence suggests that she responded to letters from readers personally and at length.

Fanzines contains scattered issues of fanzines, a few of which contain pieces by Norton.

Memorabila contains two diaries, covering the last year or so of Norton's life. She was increasingly unwell, and the final few entries were written by Sue Stewart, Norton's caregiver and executor of her estate.

Writings, which represents just under half of the collection, consists of drafts, notes, galleys, page proofs, and a few cover layouts for anthologies, articles, books, and short stories. A few titles are collaborations with A.C. (Ann) Crispin or Ernestine Donaldy. Included in this series is substantial material related to Quag Keep, a fantasy novel set in the Dungeons & Dragons world of Greyhawk.

Arrangement of the Collection

Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by sender. Fanzines are arranged alphabetically by title. Writings are subdivided by type (anthologies, articles, books, short stories) and within each subseries are arranged akphabetically by title. Within each title, material is arranged in order of production with early drafts coming first, followed by later drafts, final drafts, galleys, and page proofs.

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.

Related Material

The collection originally included several books by Norton, mostly British and German editions. To locate these, please refer to Libraries Search

See also the Arnold Gates Collection of Andre Norton Correspondence and the Gnome Press Records (1948-1952).

Special Collections Research Center has the papers of a number of science fiction authors as well as numerous books, periodicals, fanzines, and other published material. For other manuscript collections, please see the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing. For books and other published items, please see Libraries Search .

Texas A&M holds several collections related to Norton.

Subject Headings

Persons

Adams, Robert, 1933-1990.
Bell, Clare, 1952-
Benyo, Richard.
Bradley, Marion Zimmer.
Brooks, Rick, 1941-2014.
Cherryh, C. J.
Crawford, William L., 1911-1984.
Crispin, A. C.
De Camp, L. Sprague (Lyon Sprague), 1907-2000.
De la Ree, Gerry.
Del Rey, Judy-Lynn.
Dickson, Gordon R.
Donaldy, Ernestine.
Duane, Diane.
Effinger, George Alec.
Estes, Rose.
Fancher, Jane, 1952-
Gilbert, Michael, 1947-2000.
Griffin, P. M. (Pauline M.)
Gunnarsson, Thorarinn, 1957-
Hogarth, Grace Allen, 1905-
Hoover, H. M.
Hopf, Alice L. (Alice Lightner), 1904-1988.
Jakes, John, 1932-2023.
Jones, Diana Wynne.
Jones, Marsha, 1943-
Kyle, David, 1919-2016.
Lanier, Sterling E.
Le Guin, Ursula K., 1929-2018.
Lichtenberg, Jacqueline.
Linaweaver, Brad, 1952-
Lynn, Elizabeth A.
Mayhar, Ardath.
McCaffrey, Anne.
Miesel, Sandra, 1941-
Mogus, Mary Ann.
Munn, H. Warner.
Norton, Andre.
Offutt, George.
Peart, Hendry.
Petaja, Emil, 1915-2000.
Ruse, Gary Alan, 1946-
Russ, Joanna, 1937-2011.
Salmonson, Jessica Amanda.
Schaub, Mary.
Schlobin, Roger C.
Shwartz, Susan, 1949-
Springer, Nancy.
Sutcliff, Rosemary.
Townsend, John Rowe.
Vinge, Joan D.
Waters, Elisabeth.
Wollheim, Donald A.
Wrede, Patricia C., 1953-
Wurts, Janny.
Yep, Laurence, 1948-

Corporate Bodies

Science Fiction Writers of America.

Subjects

Animals in literarure.
Fantasy fiction -- Women authors.
Fantasy fiction, American.
Magic in literarure.
Science fiction -- Women authors.
Science fiction, American.
Witch World (Imaginary place)
Women authors, American.
Women novelists, American.

Genres and Forms

Correspondence.
Diaries.
Drafts (documents)
Fanzines.
Galley proofs.
Layouts (printed matter)
Manuscripts for publication.

Occupations

Authors.
Novelists.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Andre (Alice Mary) Norton Papers
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Bulk of collection, gift of Alice Mary Norton 1969-1985.

Rodney Lesher correspondence, purchased 2009.

One letter, gift of Robert R. Hawkins 2018.

Diaries and three manuscripts, purchased 2022.

One manuscript, purchased 2023.

Table of Contents

Correspondence

Fanzines

Memorabilia

Writings

Inventory