Prepared by Elizabeth Schwartz and Maxwell Osborne, November, 2000
Updated and prepared for the web by Nancy Birk, December, 2001
Updated by Shelley Morris, August , 2004
21 record storage boxes, 21 cubic feet, 11th floor
Biographical Note (Written by Barbara Unger)
A longer and fuller biography,
also written by Barbara Unger is available.
Author, poet and professor Barbara Unger, a native New Yorker, has most
recently published BRONX ACCENT: A Literary and Pictorial History of the
Borough, an award-winning compilation from Rutgers University Press, with
Lloyd Ultan. As of 2001, the book went into its second printing. The book has
won a J.M. Kaplan Furthermore grant as well as The New York Society Library Book
Award for Borough History, 2000, and was reviewed in The New York Times Book
Review in February, 2001, among many other places.
Barbara Unger's poetry and fiction have also been widely recognized. Her most
recent collection, Blue Depression Glass (Thorntree Press, 1991), won a
Goodman Award and poems from the book subsequently won an Anna Davidson
Rosenberg Award. Unger has received poetry grants and awards from New York State
Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, the Edna St. Vincent
Millay Colony for the Arts, Djerassi Foundation, John Williams Narrative Poetry
competition, Chester H. Jones National Poetry Awards, The Roberts Award and many
others. Her poetry has twice been nominated for the Pushcart Prize in Poetry.
Her poetry books also include Learning to Foxtrot (The Bellevue Press,
1989); Inside the Wind (Linwood Publishers, 1986); The Man Who Burned
Money (Isthmus Press, 1976). Her fiction collection, Dying for Uncle Ray
and Other Stories was published by Kendall/Hunt in 1990.
Her poetry, fiction and essays have been published in The Nation, American
Fiction, Midstream, The Literary Review, The Massachusetts Review, Beloit
Fiction Journal, Southern Humanities Review, New York Quarterly, Carolina
Quarterly, Denver Quarterly and nearly a hundred other journals.
Widely-anthologized, Unger's work appears in collections from University Press
of New England, New Rivers Press, Milkweed Editions and many others. She has
given presentations for BRONX ACCENT as well as poetry readings of her
own work all over the New York City metropolitan area, New York State and
elsewhere, including Indiana State University and the Poetry Festival in Las
Cruces, New Mexico. A few of the hundreds of sites at which she has read include
Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Cafe La Moma, State University of New York at
Farmingdale, Lehman College of The City University of New York, New York
University, The Poetry Society of America and Writers' Community. Of her work,
poet Alicia Ostriker says, "I love her toughness, resilience and plain joy with
language."
As a teacher, Barbara Unger is a retired Professor of English and creative
writing at Rockland Community College of The State University of New York, where
she continues to teach as an adjunct professor. Her special courses there
include women's literature and creative writing. She has also led workshops and
seminars on these topics at colleges and conferences all over the country. This
collection provides a unique insight into her life and work.
Biographical & Historical Information: International Women's Writing
Guild - materials and course notes for workshop - "Funny Ladies: Women Writing
Humor and Satire"
Biographical & Historical Information: International Women's Writing
Guild - materials concerning the Big Apple writing workshop and meet the Authors
and Agents, October 28, 2001 -April 20-21, 2002
Biographical& Historical Information: Awards and Recognition - papers
regarding the Arts Council of Rockland awards January 16,2001-January 19,
2004
Biographical & Historical Information: Awards and Recognition - papers
regarding the New York Society Library Book Award, February 15, 2001-May 10,
2001
Biographical & Historical Information: Awards and Recognition - papers
regarding Furthermore Grants in Publishing, Fall 2002
Biographical & Historical Information: Correspondence concerning PEN
American Center [Unger is a member], September 11, 2001-June 3, 2003
Biographical& Historic Information: Folio, Summer 1963 [A publication
created by campers at Buck's Rock. Unger was the literary advisor, 1961-1965]
Biographical and Historical Information: Elmwood Community Playhouse - bulletins
[Unger is mentioned in the publicity section of the bulletin]
Biographical & Historical Information: Literary articles by Dr. Jerry
Schuchalter
Biographical & Historical Information: Miscellaneous - related to Colette
Inez
Biographical & Historical Information: Tapes of interviews between Unger
and John Fitzpatrick [28 Tapes], April 16, 1998-May 6, 1998
Biographical & Historical information: Tape Transcript of interviews
between Unger and John Fitzpatrick
Biographical & Historical Information: Doctoral Dissertation for John
Fitzpatrick New York University - in progress
Biographical & Historical Information: Papers regarding John Fitzpatrick
Doctoral Dissertation
Biographical & Historic Information: New York University Doctoral Convocation
and Commencement programs for John Fitzpatrick, May 4, 2000- May 11, 2000
Biographical & Historical Information: Final Copy of Doctoral Dissertation
by John Fitzpatrick[2 volumes]
Biographical & Historic Information: Correspondence between Unger and
John Fitzpatrick
Box 4
Folder -- Contents
Series 2 -- Correspondence (arranged by correspondent)
Correspondence: between Ethel Auskern and John Schulter, 1985
Correspondence: Collette Inez, 2000-2004
Correspondence: Al Ramrus, 1993
Correspondence: Al Ramrus, 1994
Correspondence: Al Ramrus, 1995
Correspondence: Al Ramrus, 1996
Correspondence: Al Ramrus, 1997-1998
Correspondence: Al Ramrus, 1999-2001
Correspondence : Suzanne Unger-Hicks 1993-1998
Correspondence: Barbara Unger [all correspondence in this folder are from
Unger]: 1992-2002
Correspondence: Jim Williams, 1970s
Correspondence: Various literary agents, 1990-1994
Correspondence: The Bellevue Press, 1977-1986
Correspondence: The Bellevue Press, 1987-1988
Correspondence: The Bellevue Press, 1989-1990
Correspondence: The Bellevue Press, contract, no date
Correspondence: The Bellevue Press, quarrel over publication delays, no
date
Correspondence: The Bellevue Press, miscellaneous, no date
Correspondence: Kendall and Hunt publishers, 1988-89
Correspondence: Kendall and Hunt publishers, 1990-94
Correspondence: Kendall and Hunt publishers, miscellaneous, no date
Manuscripts & Typescripts: "Tantrums" (short story, with revisions published)
Manuscripts & Typescripts: Twelve Characters in Search of Self (play
essay, unpublished)
Manuscripts & Typescripts: Twelve Characters in Search of Self (final
draft)
Manuscripts & Typescripts: "Two Gold Stars" (short story published)
Manuscripts & Typescripts: "White Sequins and Other Short Stories" collected
by Barbara Unger)
Manuscripts & Typescripts: "White Sequins" (short story, with revisions)
Manuscripts & Typescripts: "White Sequins" (short story, new unpublished)
Manuscripts & Typescripts: "Wild Nights" (screenplay draft by Al Ramrus
and Barbara Unger
Box 10
Folder -- Contents
Series 6 -- Published Reviews of Unger's Work (arranged chronologically)
Review: Basement: Poems 1959-1961 by Virginia Scott, Motherout
Journal, Vol. 1, No. 3, pg. 6: Summer 1979
Review: The Revelation, True Life Adventure Stories, by Sara
Mandelbaum, Ms. Magazine, pg. 75: June 1980
Review: The Man who Burned Money, by John Pyrds, Contact/II,
Vol. 7, No. 36/37, pg. 74-75: Fall 1985
Review: Inside the Wind, by Matthew Brennan, Wind Magazine,
Vol. 17, No. 60, pg. 113-114: 1987
Review: Inside the Wind, by Patti Tana, Esprit: a Humanities Magazine,
Vol. 3, No. 1, pg. 116-119: Spring 1987
Review: Inside the Wind, by Elizabeth Sargent, Contact II,
pg. 92-93: Spring 1990
Review: Learning to Foxtrot, by J. Overmyer, Choice: March
1990
Review: Learning to Foxtrot, by Cheryl Fish, Home Planet News,
Vol. 7, No. 2, Issue 28, pg. 6-21: April 1990
Review: Learning to Foxtrot, by Shirley Powell, Onall, Vol.
3, No. 3, Pg. 62-63: Summer 1990
Review: Learning to Foxtrot, by Maurice Kilwein Guevara, Cream
City Review, Vol. 14, No. 2, Pg. 243-244: Winter 1991
Review: Blue Depression Glass, Learning to Foxtrot, The Man who Burned
Money, Dying for Uncle Ray and other stories, by Patrick Wilcon, Tar
River Poetry, Vol. 30, No. 2, pg. 52-57, spring 1991
Review: Inside the Wind, Learning to Foxtrot, by Virginia Scott,
Southern Humanities Review, Vol. 25, No. 3, Pg. 297-301: Summer 1991
Review: Inside the Wind, Learning to Foxtrot, by Elizabeth C Khare,
Broomstick, No. 43, Pg. 25-26: Summer 1991
Review: Learning to Foxtrot, by Karla Hammond, Calapooya College
15, pg. 35: August 1991
Review: Dying for Uncle Ray and other stories, by Susan Batter, Phoebe,
Vol. 4, No. 1, Pg. 119-122: Spring 1992
Review: Blue Depression Glass, by Art Redding, Cream City Review,
Vol. 16, No. 2, Pg. 297-301: Fall 1992
Review: Dying for Uncle Ray, by Rhina P. Espallait, Home Planet
News, Vol. 9, No. 1, Issue 35, Pg. 96: Winter and Spring 1993
Series 7 -- Unpublished Reviews (drafts) of Unger's
work
Review: Basement Poems, by Virginia Scott (manuscript): 1959-1961
Review: Inside the Wind and Learning to Foxtrot, by Virginia Scott
(manuscript): 1959-1961
Review: Inside the Wind and Learning to Foxtrot, by Elizabeth C.
Khare,(manuscript): 1959-1961
Review:Learning to Foxtrot, by Karla Hammond (manuscript): 1959-1961
Review: Dying for Uncle Ray, by Rhina P. Espallait (manuscript):
1959-1961
Series 8 -- Book Reviews Written by Barbara Unger
Review:The Country Between Us, by Carolyn Forche in Contact II,
Vol. 5, No. 27-28-29, Pg. 28-30: Fall and Winter 1982, Winter and Spring 1983
Review: Old World News Images, by Rose Drachler, in Contact II,
Vol. 6, No. 32/33, Pg. 52-54: Fall 1984
Reviews: Eight Minutes from the Sun, by Calette Ineg; Oblique
Prayers, by Denise Leverton; The White Wave, by Kate Daniels; Natural
Affinities, by Erica Funkhouser, Contract II, Vol. 8, Nos. 41-43:
Pg. 98: Fall 1986, 1987
Review: H.D Collected Poems 1912-1944, Contact II, Vol. 9,
Nos. 47-49, Pg. 70-72: Spring 1988
Reviews: Stealing the Language, by Alice Suskin Ostriker and Blood,
Bread, and Poetry, by Adrienne Rich, Contact II, Vol. 9, No. 56/57/58,
Pg. 70-72: Winter and Spring 1990
Review: Times Power: 1985/1988, by Adrienne Rich, South Florida
Review, Vol. 8, No. 1, Pg.57-59: Fall 1990
Reviews: Draft copies (Draft / Manuscript): no date
Reviews: no date
Box 11
Folder -- Contents
Series 9 -- Works of Fiction (arranged chronologically)
Works of Fiction: "The Revelation", True to Life Adventure Stories,
Vol. 2, pg. 63-71: 1981
Works of Fiction: "Sunday Painter", Redstart Plus, pg. 76-89: July
1989
Works of Fiction: "No Title", ¶ A Magazine of Paragraphs, Vol. 2,
No. 2, pg. 8: Winter 1989
Works of Fiction: "Sunday Painter", Espint, Vol. 4, No. 2, pg. 74:
Spring 1989
Works of Fiction: "Dying for Uncle Ray", Midstream, Vol. 35, No. 6,
pg. 53-56: August/September 1989
Works of Fiction: "Paying Respect", Cache Review, Vol. 5, No. 2,
pg. 32-37: Fall 1989
Works of Fiction: "Notes Giving Reasons for Shanna and Roxy Resnik's
Decision to Live With Their Father", Half Tones to Jubilee, No. 4, pg.
30-32: Fall 1989
Works of Fiction: "Tantrums", Crazy Quilt Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 1,
pg. 7-17: 1990
Works of Fiction: "That Gambler's Daughter", American Fiction, Vol.
1, pg. 268-282: 1990
Works of Fiction: "That Gambler's Daughter", Savvy Women,: May 1990
Works of Fiction: "Chava, Lilly, and the Tin Can", Jewish Currents,
Vol. 44, No. 5, pg. 11: May 1990
Works of Fiction: "Grandma Rose", Reconstructionist, Vol. 56, No.
1, pg. 28: Autumn 1990
Works of Fiction: "White Sequins", Beloit Fiction Journal, Vol. 6,
No. 1, pg. 114-128: Fall 1990
Works of Fiction: "Do Blondes Have More Fun", Inprint, Vol. 3, pg.
32: Fall 1990
Works of Fiction: "Do Blondes Really Have More Fun or Ruminations on
Freshman Composition 101", Teaching English in Two Year College, pg. 7:
February 1991
Works of Fiction: "As American as Apple Pie", Sexual Harassment Women
Speak Out, pg. 280: 1992
Works of Fiction: "Avocado Nights", The Time of Our Lives, Women Write
on Sex After 40, pg. 47-54: 1993
Series 10 -- Poetry Published in Journals, Little Magazines, & Books
(arranged chronologically)
Poetry: "Requiem for a Lady" in Sparrow, No. 16, Pg. 16: December
1961
Poetry: "A Literary Letter" in Midwest, No. 5/6, Pg. 53: Spring
1963
Poetry: "Wash" in Peace and Pieces, Pg. 160: 1973
Poetry: "The Cloisters" in All-time Favorite Poetry: 1973
Poetry: "Flight" and "City" in Abbey, # 8: February 1973
Poetry: "Vignette Towards a Female Aesthetic" in Creative Movement,
Pg. 3: Fall 1973
Poetry: "Poems for an Upbeat Spring" in Abbey II: August 1973
Poetry: "Cold Wash" in Off Our Backs, Vol. 3, No. 10, Pg. 20:
September 1973
Poetry: "Study of Literature" in Aspect, Pg. 35: September-October
1973
Poetry: "To My Daughter" in Cottonwood Review, Pg. 28: Winter,
1973-74
Poetry: "1959" in Stoney Lonesome, No. 4, Pg. 92: 1974
Poetry: "American Graffiti or Where were you in 62?" in Abbey 15:
1974
Poetry: "Stylist" in Liberia: 1974
Poetry: "Green, Charcoal and Orange", "Beginnings", and "My Bears" in
Isthmus, No. 4, Pg. 88-90: 1994
Poetry: "After the 11 O'clock News" in The Antigonish Review No.
16, Pg. 15: Winter 1974
Poetry: "Upon Rereading Lolita" in Gravida, II: Spring 1974
Poetry: "Notes for a Now-and-Future Revolution", "Giddying", "She-Child
I", "Letter From Poland", "End of Correspondence" in Quixote, Vol. 9,
No. 12: June 1974
Poetry: "Victim" in Epos, Vol. 25, No. 4, Pg. 23: Fall 1974