Katharine Sergeant White Papers - Linda H. Davis Correspondence | Special Collections

Bryn Mawr College Library Special Collections

Katharine Sergeant White Papers

Part II: Box and Folder List - Linda H. Davis Correspondence

Special Collections Department, Bryn Mawr College Library
Collection Number: M 56

August 2006
Last Update: August 2006

Description of the Linda H. Davis Correspondence:

After finishing her studies at Simmons College, Linda H. Davis began research for a biography of Katharine Sergeant White, who had just died (in July of 1977). David wrote to E. B. White proposing and outlining her project; his reply (in October) said: "Ordinarily I don't attempt to help students... in your case I shall make an exception, as your subject is dear to me." For the remainder of his life, E. B. White regularly answered Davis' many queries about his wife, suggested people for her to interview, and otherwise acted as her mentor. Very shortly, "Dear Miss Davis" became "Dear Linda," and E.B.'s letters became friendly and informal. The letters to Davis contain a large amount of information about K.S. White and her years at The New Yorker, as well as E. B.'s own life and his work on compiling and publishing the Onward and Upward in the Garden articles in book form.

The Linda H. Davis Correspondence is organized into two groups: Linda H. Davis Correspondence with E. B. White and Linda H. Davis Correspondence with New Yorker Writers and Staff.

Linda H. Davis Correspondence with E. B. White, contains letters written by E. B. White to Davis in response to her inquiries. The correspondence between E. B. and Davis spans a period of seven years, between 1977 and 1984. The collection of 63 letters is organized chronologically.

Linda H. Davis Correspondence with New Yorker Writers and Staff, contains letters written to Davis by many prominent New Yorker writers and staff members who had a close relationship with K.S. White, including John Cheever, Elizabeth Lawrence, May Sarton, and John Updike, among others. This collection of letters is organized alphabetically by correspondent.

Linda H. Davis Correspondence with E. B. White

Box	Folder	Contents	Date
33	1-3	E. B. White to Linda H. Davis, 63 letters (1 xerox)	29 Aug 1977 - Sept 1984

Linda H. Davis Correspondence with New Yorker Writers & Staff (arranged alphabetically by correspondent)

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z

Box	Folder	Contents	Date
33	4	Cheever, John Cheever to LHD, 1 letter	13 Sept 1978
33	5	Connelly, Marc Connelly to LHD, 1 letter	10 July 1978
33	6	Cowley, Malcolm Cowley to LHD, 1 letter	5 Jan 1983
33	14	Daly, Edith Iglauer Daly to LHD, 1 letter	15 Dec 1977
33	15	De Vries, Peter De Vries to LHD, 1 letter	15 June 1978
33	15	Gallant, Mavis Gallant to LHD, 1 letter	15 Feb 1983
3	15	Gill, Brendan Gill to LHD, 2 letters	30 June 1978 - 16 Nov 1978
33	14	Gilliatt, Penelope Gilliatt to LHD, 1 letter	10 July 1984
33	7	Gordimer, Nadine Gordimer to LHD, 2 letters	22 Feb 1983 - 5 Dec 1983
33	8	Hale, Nancy (Mrs. Fredson Bowers) Hale to LHD, 3 letters	14 Nov 1977 - 18 Dec 1977
33	15	Harris, Mark Harris to LHD, 1 letter	23 June 1983
33	15	Hazzard, Shirley Hazzard to LHD, 1 letter	9 Feb 1983
33	15	Lawrence, Elizabeth Lawrence to LHD, 1 letter	n.d.
33	9	Maxwell, William Maxwell to LHD, 9 letters	9 July 1978 - 11 Oct 1985
33	10	McCarthy, Mary McCarthy to LHD, 7 letters	29 Sept 1978 - 4 June 1986
33	14	McNulty, Faith McNulty to LHD, 2 letters	18 Nov 1977 - 28 Dec 1977
33	15	Mitchell, Joe Mitchell to LHD, 1 letter	9 Feb 1978
33	11	Nabokov, Vera (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov) Nabokov to LHD, 3 letters	29 July 1978 - 7 Oct 1978
33	14	Panter-Downes, Mollie (Mrs. Clare Robinson) Panter-Downes to LHD, 1 letter	17 July 1978
33	15	Ross, Lillian Ross to LHD, 2 letters	14 Feb 1983 - 22 Feb 1983
33	14	Sarton, May Sarton to LHD, 1 letter	18 Jan 1983
33	15	Shawn, William Shawn to LHD, 1 letter	8 Mar 1982
33	12	Steegmuller, Francis Steegmuller to LHD, 3 letters	6 Aug 1983 - 24 Nov 1985
33	15	Tucci, Niccolo Tucci to LHD, 2 letters	n.d.
33	13	Updike, John Updike to LHD, 3 postcards	Dec9 - Feb 25 [n.y.]
33	15	Wilson, Elena Wilson to LHD, 3 letters	23 Feb 1978 - 15 June 1978

PART I: Description
PART II: Box and Folder Content

Correspondence

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