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Opus Pistorum (by Henry Miller) Collection

An inventory of the collection at Syracuse University

Finding aid created by: MRC
Date: 26 Feb 2015

Revision history:

Biographical History

Henry Miller (1891-1980) was an American author. He was known for his experimental, surrealist novels, such as Tropic of Cancer, which mixed fiction and autobiography. His writing was controversial for its graphic depictions of sexuality, leading to a 1964 obscenity trial in the United States, Grove Press, Inc. v. Gerstein.

Opus Pistorum is a collection of short pieces written on commission for Hollywood bookseller Milton Luboviski in the 1940s before Miller became well-known as a novelist. Like his other works, but even more so, it contains numerous explicit sexual passages including several rapes. The book was finally published in 1983, after Luboviski's death, as Opus Pistorum and then in 1985 as Under the Roofs of Paris.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Opus Pistorum Collection consists of a number of items relating to Henry Miller's Opus Pistorum. The majority are photocopies, but there are a few original items (clippings, letters). Included in the collection are original letters from Ken Du Main to Jack Hagstrom concerning Hollywood bookseller Milton Luboviski and his connection to the book, along with copies of a letter from Luboviski to "Philippe" and a signed and notarized statement from Luboviski about his involvement with the book. There are also copies of letters from the files of Grove Press relating to the book as well as a copy of a typescript by Gershon Legman entitled "Faking Henry Miller."

Arrangement of the Collection

Chronological.

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

See also the Grove Press Records for more material on Henry Miller.

Subject Headings

Persons

Du Main, Kenneth.
Hagstrom, Jack W. C.
Luboviski, Milton.
Miller, Henry, 1891-1980.

Corporate Bodies

Grove Press.

Associated Titles

Opus pistorum.

Subjects

American literature -- 20th century.
Pornography -- Fiction.
Pornography in literature.

Genres and Forms

Book reviews.
Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Typescripts.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Opus Pistorum Collection,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Jack W. C. Hagstrom, 1986.

Table of Contents

Subject file

Inventory