-
Volcanic Holiday Cover page, title page and four sample pages from the limited edition chapbook of "Volcanic Holiday"--a "wary love poem" to Peter Hooten--with stanzas printed on separate sheets accompanied by etchings by Dorthea Tanning.
-
David Jackson: Scenes from His Life Cover of David Jackson: Scenes from His Life - a "lavish chapbook" James Merrill produced for Jackson's 70th birthday, containing fourteen of David's sketches and paintings from the 1950s to 70s - each image paired with a related passage from Jackson's or Merrill's writing.
-
For James Merrill: A Birthday Tribute Selections from For James Merrill: A Birthday Tribute, a 60th birthday present from J. D. McClatchy with tributes from friends, including Anthony Hecht, Robin Magowan, John Hollander, Mary McCarthy, Tony Parigory and Bernard de Zogheb. Scans feature pieces by Kimon Friar, Mona Van Duyn and Richard Wilbur.
-
The Metamorphosis of 741 A chapbook, set and printed by Claude Fredericks and David Beekin. Printed by Banyan Press in an edition of 440. This is the section of Mirabell: Books of Number when 741 reveals the hierarchy of the arts and the spiritual meaning of homosexuality, then turns into a peacock named Mirabell. Includes dialog with the spirit of W.H. Auden. The chapbook contains no author's name and was published in advance of Mirabell: Books of Number. Merrill credited Fredericks with convincing him years earlier that “The Book of Ephraim” needed to be written in verse, rather than prose, as Merrill had been theretofor attempting. Included here, along with a full scan of the chapbook, is an original envelope and inscriptions from two copies.
-
"The Poet: Private" "The Poet: Private" in Saturday Review, featuring the poem "Yannina" and an interview with literary critic and good friend, David Kalstone. They discuss "Yannina," a poem about coming to terms with the past, and dedicated to Stephen Yenser. In the interview Merrill reveals he would rather cultivate an ideal reader than appeal to a mass audience.
-
"Honorary Degree Citations" in the Amherst Alumni News "Honorary Degree Citations" in the Amherst Alumni News. James Merrill's honorary degree from Amherst was the third for the Merrill family (Charles had received two). Amherst asked James Merrill about collecting his literary papers, which were already going to Washington University.
-
"Violent Pastoral" broadside printed by Laurence Scott "Violent Pastoral," here in a broadside printed by Laurence Scott, is a poem "set in a Greece of the mind." It's unclear whether Strato Mouflouzelis is the eagle and James Merrill the lamb, or vice versa.
See also photograph of Strato Mouflouzelis, James Merrill's November 17, 1964 letter to Daryl Hine, and "Days of 1964" manuscript pages.
-
Short Stories A chapbook published by Claude Fredericks, a poet, printer, playwright and teacher who had a romantic relationship with Merrill in the early 1950s, and who remained a lifelong friend. All but one of the nine poems in this collection were later published in The Country of a Thousand Years of Peace. 250 copies were printed (60 for sale) in August 1954.
-
The Black Swan The Black Swan, Kimon Friar's privately printed book of James Merrill's college poetry, probably at least partially financed by Merrill, himself. This copy inscribed to "Jonnie."
-
North Star: A Book of Poems North Star: A Book of Poems, a privately printed book (first edition, with only 1 printed copy) containing poems by James Merrill and Frederick Buechner dedicated to and donated to this collection by Gerrish Thurber. Merrill and Buechner made the book at Lawrenceville, and the copy is signed by the authors. It contains 12 unpublished Merrill poems. Merrill and Buechner had established themselves as the school's top writers, and Thurber--school librarian and advisor to The Lit--took their work seriously.
-
Jim's Book full title page, table of contents, and "Miss Georgia Tinker" Jim's Book, Charles Merrill's surprise gift for James Merrill for the Christmas of 1942. The book was privately printed and contained James Merrill's poetry and prose written while at Lawrenceville School.
-
Death Mask The bronzed death mask was Peter Hooten's idea, "but the juvenile author of "Death Masks"...would have appreciated it" (see Merrill's poem "Death Masks" in Love and Money, Publications).
-
A Different Person Knopf promotional poster Promotional poster for James Merrill's memoir A Different Person. Merrill continued revising the memoir into the galleys stage and sent to friends chapters that included them, making changes accordingly.
-
Lawrentian, vol. 56 no. 1 This issue of the Lawrenceville alumni magazine features a cover story on poetry entitled "The Uncertain Future of Poetry" that contains an interview with James Merrill.
-
Program for the "Jimmy Merrill Marionettes" (performing "The Magic Fish-bone") Program for the "Jimmy Merrill Marionettes" during which he performed "The Magic Fish-bone" in an ambitious production of the Charles Dickens children's story, which Merrill staged at age 11. Puppets always fascinated Merrill, and he created his own puppet theater at the Orchard.
-
Voices from Sandover Flyer Flyer for a dramatic reading of Voices from Sandover at UCLA. This was a stage adaptation of Merrill's Ouija board epic, which Hooten and Merrill toured for one-night performances in New Jersey, Los Angeles and Detroit.
-
The Image Maker flyer Flyer advertising The Image Maker, a one-act verse play for two actors about Santeria, the syncretic art and religion of the Caribbean. The play featured Hooten, puppets, and a subtext about James Merrill's mother.
-
Semi-Colon vol. 1 no. 5 A mimeographed literary magazine published by John Bernard Myers, who printed the first books of John O'Hara, John Ashbery and others. It includes "Three Sketches for Europa" by James Merrill and the short story "Kritik K. and the Chateau" by David Jackson.
-
The Immortal Husband mailer A mailer advertising the opening of The Immortal Husband, including an order form and a laudatory statement by Tennessee Williams.
-
Program for "The Artists Theater," including "The Bait" Program for "The Artists Theater," including "The Bait," a one-act play in which James Merrill incorporates psychoanalysis. Merrill first met David Jackson after a performance.
