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This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the FAQ section for more information.
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Collection Overview
| Size | 7.5 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 4200 items) |
| Abstract | Amon George Liner, Jr. (1940-1976), North Carolina poet. Chiefly writings and notes of North Carolina poet Amon George Liner, Jr. Materials include drafts of published works as well as an extensive set of notebooks containing unpublished poetry, prose, and dramatic works, and notes made in drama and writing courses at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1960s, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1970s. Also included is a small amount of correspondence, chiefly with poet and journalist, Virginia Long Rudder (1941- ). |
| Creator | Liner, Amon. |
| Language | English |
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Information For Users
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Subject Headings
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
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Related Collections
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Biographical Information
Amon George Liner, Jr., was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1940. Although a congenital heart defect severely limited his physical activities, Liner was active in the intellectual sphere, enjoying moderate popularity among young North Carolina poets in the 1970s.
Except for his undergraduate years at Kenyon College in Ohio (B.A. English, 1963), Liner lived his whole life in central North Carolina. He attended Catawba College, Salisbury, N.C., from 1958 through the fall of 1960, finishing his undergraduate education at Kenyon College, 1961-1963, with a Bachelor's degree in English. His graduate education included an M.A. in Dramatic Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1965 and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1976. While Liner supported himself by working as a cataloger at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill library from 1968 to 1974, he kept active in the North Carolina literary scene by serving as poetry editor for the Red Clay Reader and writing book reviews for the Charlotte Observer.
Liner was a prolific writer of verse, and his poetry appeared in many literary journals. His first major work was Marstower (Red Clay Press, 1972). His second book, Chrome Glass (Carolina Wren Press, 1976), was in publication at the time of his sudden death in July 1976. Rose, A Color of Darkness (Carolina Wren Press, 1980) and the two-volume The Far Journey and Final End of Dr. Faustwitz, Spaceman (Carolina Wren Press, 1983, 1988) appeared posthumously. Chrome Glass and Dr. Faustwitz are written in "four-ply form," a verse form of Liner's own creation wherein "each ply carries part or an aspect of the total theme [of the poem]. Facing pages (each four plies), or columns are meant to be seen as whole single pages." (Judy Hogan in her introductory remarks to Dr. Faustwitz).
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Scope and Content
The collection is divided into three series: writings, college and graduate school materials, and correspondence and other papers. The writings series includes collected and loose poetry and poetry notebooks; plays; and short stories and fiction notebooks. The college materials include class notes, exams, and term papers and projects from Liner's studies at Catawba College, Kenyon College, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Correspondence and other papers consists primarily of letters to Liner from friend and fellow poet Virginia Long Rudder; issues of underground literary magazines; and clippings of interest to Liner or about his work.
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Writings, 1958-1976.
Arrangement: By type, then chronological or alphabetical by title, where appropriate.
Liner was a prolific writer of poetry, plays, and short stories. Three themes are common to all genres: the Nazi death camps of World War II, especially Auschwitz; the post-Nuclear Holocaust; and the future systematic destruction of the human race.
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Subseries 1.1. Poetry, 1958-1976.
Arrangement: By format.
Liner's first love was poetry. He kept extensive chronological notebooks containing drafts, revisions, and notes showing the evolution of many of his poems. Subseries 1.1.1 contains "Named collections," most likely meant for publication as a unit ( Marstower, Chrome Grass, Rose, A Color of Darkness, and Dr. Faustwitz were published in this way). Subseries 1.1.2 contains his roughly chronological poetry notebooks. The last volume ends in July 1976, with his death. Subseries 1.1.3 contains loose poems arranged alphabetically by title. Many of these poems are included in the named collections and are reflected in the poetry notebooks. Subseries 1.1.4 consists of fragments and notes, especially "catalog card poems" typed on the back of discarded library catalog cards.
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Subseries 1.1.1. Named Collections, circa 1970-1976.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by title.
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Subseries 1.1.2. Poetry Notebooks, 1958-1976.
Arrangement: Chronological.
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Subseries 1.1.3. Loose Poems, circa 1965-1976.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by title.
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Subseries 1.1.4. Fragments, etc., Undated.
| Folder 64 |
Fragments, notes, etc. #04165, Subseries: "1.1.4. Fragments, etc., Undated." Folder 64 |
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Subseries 1.2. Plays., Date span.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by title.
Many of Liner's plays began as class projects during his time at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. [See also "Molly," his final project for his M.A. in Dramatic Arts, Series 2.3.] As with his poetry, the themes of genocide and post-Nuclear holocaust predominate.
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Subseries 1.3. Short Stories and Fiction, 1960s-1970s.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by title. General notebooks appear at the end.
Some of Liner's short stories are written almost as epic poems. The themes of genocide, the Nazi Holocaust, and the future destruction of the human race are evident.
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Subseries 1.4. Writing-related Materials., circa 1960s-1970s.
Arrangement: By type.
A miscellaneous assortment of book reviews by Amon Liner; meticulous publishing records showing works sent out, to whom they were sent, and the final outcome; and his reading lists.
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Series 2. School Papers, circa 1960-1975.
Arrangement: Grouped by institution, then by course identification number, where known.
Class notes, exams, term papers and projects documenting Liner's literary development during his years at Catawba College, Salisbury, N.C., 1958-1960; Kenyon College in Ohio, 1961-1963; the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1963-1965; and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1974-1976. The development of several of his key recurring themes, especially a continuing interest in the Nazi death camps of World War II, can be traced through his study and outside reading. However, contrasting to this are the more routine classes he took in Chaucer, Shakespeare, Modern Drama, etc. While this body of work is impressive, it cannot be all that was produced during his attendance at four colleges. It is likely that these notes were saved to be reference sources for future writing projects.
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Subseries 2.1. Catawba College Materials, circa 1958-1960.
Amon Liner attended Catawba College from the fall of 1958 until approximately December 1960. While no reference is made in this collection to the reason for his departure, correspondence from him in the Virginia Long Rudder Papers (#4164) indicates that he was dismissed from the College for some infraction of the rules.
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Subseries 2.2. Kenyon College Materials, 1961-1963.
After his departure from Catawba, Liner attended Kenyon College, fall 1961-spring 1963, graduating with a B.A. in English.
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Subseries 2.3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Materials, 1963-1965.
Liner attended Chapel Hill from the fall of 1963 through the spring of 1965, graduating with a M.A. in Dramatic Arts. His final project was a play entitled "Molly," set in a futuristic society where a father and son independently plot to the kill the main character.
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Subseries 2.4. University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 197[4]-1976.
Liner attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro from 1974 to 1975, receiving his Master's of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in May 1976.
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Subseries 2.5. Miscellaneous School-Related Materials, Various dates.
Included are term papers that could not be assigned to particular courses of study.
| Folder 131 |
Miscellaneous school-related materials #04165, Subseries: "2.5. Miscellaneous School-Related Materials, Various dates." Folder 131 |
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Series 3. Correspondence and Other Papers, circa 1958-1976.
Included in this series are letter to Liner from fellow poet Virginia Long Rudder of Hurdle Mills, N.C.; form letter responses from U.S. congressmen to Liner's inquiries about the ABM program, 1969; miscellaneous underground publications with which Liner was connected; and a few clippings about him and his work.
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Subseries 3.1. Virginia Long Rudder Correspondence, 1966-1976.
Arrangement: Chronological.
Virginia Long Rudder attended Catawba College with Amon Liner until his departure in the fall of 1960. She went on to a career as a journalist and poet. Her extensive correspondence documents her tumultuous personal life, including stays in mental health facilities, legal difficulties relating to her marriages, and her writing. Many of the letters are extremely revealing and make frequent references to Liner's recurring bouts of depression. To be truly useful, they should be read in conjunction with Amon Liner's letters to in the Virginia Rudder Long Papers (#4164).
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Subseries 3.2. Other Papers, circa 1958-1976.
Arrangement: Grouped roughly by type.
Included is correspondence concerning the ABM program, 1969; issues of underground literary magazines; and miscellaneous clippings on Liner and his work. The magazines include "Chaos," apparently a Catawba College publication; "My Word," which originated at Myers Park High School, Charlotte, N.C.; and "Hemlock," a production of the Department of Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Processed by: L. Eileen Parris, December 1992; Roslyn Holdzkom, November 1989
Encoded by: ByteManagers Inc., 2008
Processed under a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, 1990-1992.
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