The papers of Isaac Bashevis Singer primarily date from his immigration to the U.S. in 1935 until his death in 1991, although a few manuscripts from as early as 1923 and as late as 1995 are present. The collection has been organized in seven series: I. Works (1926-94, nd, 103 boxes), II. Correspondence (1923, 1930-94, nd, 28 boxes), III. Financial and Legal Papers (1940-95, nd, 11 boxes), IV. Photographs and Works of Art (1930-95, nd, 7.5 boxes), V. Personal Files (1935-94, 11 boxes), VI. Works about Singer and His Work (1951-94, 6 boxes), and VII. Works by Other Authors (1775, 1929-91, 9.5 boxes).
Most of Singer's fictional works and many of his nonfiction essays and reviews are represented in the papers. The Works series includes Singer's short stories, novels, radio scripts, stage and screenplays, articles, reviews, poems, introductions to books by other authors, and lectures. Most of Singer's translated novels and short stories appeared originally in Yiddish in the Jewish Daily Forward (Forverts) and so exist in both Yiddish and English, as well as other languages. For any given work, there may be handwritten and typescript drafts, including printer's copies; proofs; layout material; dust jackets; tearsheets; clippings of the printed text; translations; advertisements; or reviews. Many works were adapted for radio, the stage, or the screen, and these may also be represented by programs, production photographs, or posters. Numerous unidentified works and fragments, many of which are probably unpublished, are filed at the end of the series.
Correspondence primarily consists of letters to Singer (although his outgoing letters to Alma Singer and a few others are present) and dates mostly from the 1940s until Singer's death in 1991, with a few exceptions. The majority of the letters are from fans, friends, family members, agents, publishers, periodicals, translators, and colleges or organizations arranging lecture appearances. Languages represented in the correspondence include English, Yiddish, Hebrew, Polish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Russian. Among notable correspondents are family members Israel Joshua Singer, Ester Kreytman, Runia Pontsch, Israel Zamir, and Batsheve Zylberman; friends and fellow authors Melech Ravitch, Abraham Sutzkever, and Itzhak Yanazowicz; literary agents at Lescher & Lescher; and publisher Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
Financial and legal papers provide information about Singer's publishing income; among these are contracts and agreements, royalty and earnings statements, checking and savings account information, and tax files. Passports, copyrights, and estate papers are also present.
Numerous photographs and snapshots of Singer, his family, and friends are present, as are portraits of Singer by various artists and other artwork by well-known artists and admirers.
Notebooks and notes, various clippings and ephemera, and appointment books are among Singer's personal files in the archive. Singer's many awards and honors are represented by diplomas, certificates, programs, and correspondence. Materials relating to Singer's memberships in various organizations include identification cards, receipts, and newsletters. Programs, correspondence, and other items concerning his lecture appearances conclude the personal files.
Works about Singer consist of clippings, interviews, and bibliographies, as well as articles, theses, poems, and books.
Works by other authors include published and unpublished works which for the most part were sent to Singer by their authors, either in admiration of his work, or for his advice or approval. Although Singer's sister, Ester Kreytman, and his brother Israel Joshua Singer were both novelists, their manuscripts are not present.
Books, personal effects, and sound and video recordings have been removed from the archive and cataloged separately. They are listed at the end of this finding aid.
Other manuscripts relating to I. B. Singer at the Ransom Center may be found in the Singer Collection as well as the Joann Biondi, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Paul Kresh, Elizabeth Shub, and Dvorah Telushkin papers. Artwork by Sylvia Ary, including a portrait of Singer and her illustrations for some of his short stories, are housed in the Center's Art Collection.
A Note about Translation:
Translations of titles and information about contents of Yiddish and Hebrew manuscripts was provided by Joseph Sherman, Stephen Naron, Sarah Ponichtera, and Ilana Krygier. Their translation notes are written on yellow paper and are scattered throughout the manuscripts. Spellings of Yiddish titles of Singer's works, and their English equivalents, are primarily taken from bibliographies by Roberta Saltzman (Isaac Bashevis Singer: A Bibliography of His Works in Yiddish and English, 1960-1991, Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 2002) and David Neal Miller (Bibliography of Isaac Bashevis Singer, 1924-1949, New York: P. Lang, 1983 ). Sarah Ponichtera also transcribed the names of many Yiddish and Hebrew correspondents.
| Isaac Bashevis Singer Papers Finding Aid | ||||||
| Title Page | Biographical Sketch |
Scope and Contents |
Series Descriptions |
Folder List | Index of Correspondents |
Associated Materials |
Reference queries to: reference@hrc.utexas.edu
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