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This collection has access restrictions. For details, please see the restrictions.
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 | About 31,400 items (38.0 linear feet) |
| Abstract | Papers of Louis Decimus Rubin Jr. of Chapel Hill, N.C., educator, literary critic, scholar, novelist, journalist, editor, and publisher. Rubin was professor of English at Hollins College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and founder of Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Included is correspondence with poets, novelists, critics, colleagues, friends, family, and students, including John Barth (1930- ), Cleanth Brooks (1906-1994), Allen Tate (1899-1979), Howard Nemerov (1920-1991), Lee Smith (1944- ), and C. Vann Woodward (1908- ); correspondence with or about various publishers, universities, books, boats, and periodicals; material concerning Rubin's involvement with the American Studies Association, the Modern Language Association, and the Society for the Study of Southern Literature; items relating to A Bibliographical Guide to the Study of Southern Literature and A History of Southern Literature; drafts of Rubin's writings, including The Golden Weather, Thomas Wolfe: The Weather of His Youth, Surfaces of a Diamond, The Edge of the Swamp, and copies of poetic, journalistic, and essay productions; material concerning Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill; items relating to youth and college baseball; drafts of writings by others, including Clyde Edgerton (1944- ), Howard Nemerov, Sylvia Wilkinson (1940- ), and Lee Smith; and miscellaneous material. There is also material relating to the 1956 Fugitives Reunion in Nashville. |
| Creator | Rubin, Louis Decimus, 1923- |
| 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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Biographical
Information
Louis Decimus Rubin Jr. was born 19 November 1923 in Charleston, S.C. He attended the College of Charleston, 1940-1942, received a B.A. from the University of Richmond in 1946, and a Ph.D. in Aesthetics of Literature from Johns Hopkins in 1954. He was an instructor at Johns Hopkins and editor of the Hopkins Review, 1950-1954; assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, 1954-1956; associate editor of the News-Leader of Richmond, Va., 1956-1957; associate professor and, later, professor and chairman of the English Department at Hollins College, 1957-1967; and professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1967-1989. Rubin founded Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill in 1982.
Rubin is the author or editor of almost forty books. His novels include The Golden Weather (1961) and Surfaces of a Diamond (1981), but it is as a scholar and critic that he is best known. His works of literary criticism include Thomas Wolfe: The Weather of His Youth (1955), The Faraway Country (1963), The Curious Death of the Novel: Essays in American Literature (1967), The Comic Imagination in American Literature (1973), and The Edge of the Swamp: A Study in the Literature and Society of the Old South (1989). Books for which he was editor include Southern Renascence (1953), A Bibliographical Guide to the Study of Southern Literature (1969) and A History of Southern Literature (1985). Rubin's non-fiction books include Virginia: A Bicentennial History (1977) and Small Craft Advisory: A Book About the Building of a Boat (1991).
Rubin is married to Eva Redfield Rubin, and he is the father of two sons, Robert and William.
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Scope and Content
Note that all materials of living persons other than Louis D. Rubin Jr. are closed to research until January 2018 (25 years) or until date of death of such persons, whichever occurs first, except with the written permission of the persons involved. This restriction chiefly affects materials in Series 1.1., 6.2., and 7.1. LDR material is without restriction.
Correspondence, literary manuscripts, and other material from Rubin's careers as critic, scholar, teacher, journalist, and publisher, as well as material from his involvement with youth-league and college baseball. Included is correspondence with major literary figures in Southern and American literary history, chiefly since 1950, as well as correspondence with lesser-known writers, critics, and scholars and with family members, friends, and students. Some manuscripts from Rubin's literary output are included, especially from his fiction, unpublished as well as published. Also included is material from Rubin's associations with professional organizations and his work on grants and seminars. Other manuscripts include typescripts of novels written by friends and colleagues of Rubin, as well as poetry by his students. Most series (the exceptions are 3 and 6) contain some correspondence related to their contents, although the vast majority of letters are filed in Series 1. There are also transcriptions of the proceedings at the 1956 Fugitive Reunion in Nashville and tapes of "The American South," a Voice of America program in which Rubin participated.
The collection (especially Series 1) has remained largely in the same order as received. As there is considerable overlap among series, researchers are advised to check all possible locations for materials of interest. Authors included in Series 1.1.1. were selected by Rubin.
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Correspondence and Related Material, ca. 1945-1992.
Correspondence with individuals, institutions, and organizations. The series is arranged into subseries as it was received from Rubin. Correspondence from individuals not representing organizations is included in Series 1.1. Correspondence with publishing companies, journals, universities, and other organizations, as well as correspondence about Rubin's boats, cars, and houses, is included in Series 1.2.
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Subseries 1.1. Individual Correspondence, ca. 1945-1992.
Arrangement: alphabetical by correspondent.
NOTE: All materials of living persons other than Louis D. Rubin Jr. are closed to research until January 2018 (25 years) or until date of death of such persons, whichever occurs first, except with the written permission of the persons involved. LDR material is without restriction.
The following subseries are organized according to the categories determined by Rubin. Selected literary and critical figures are included in Series 1.1.1. Other literary figures, Rubin's professional colleagues, and family members are included in Series 1.1.2. Miscellaneous letters and letters from former students are included in Series 1.1.3.
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Subseries 1.1.1. Selected Author Correspondence, ca. 1945-1992.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Correspondence with writers and critics of major import, as designated by Rubin (note that there are several major writers and critics whose correspondence is filed in Series 1.1.2). Material in each of these folders has been counted, dated (where possible), and arranged in chronological order. The majority of the letters are about professional and practical subjects, such as visits to Hollins College and the publishing of articles in critical journals.
Some of the more personal correspondence is found in the Barth, Styron, Tate (both Allen and Caroline Gordon), Nemerov, Percy, Davidson, Warren, and Smith files. These letters discuss works in progress, personal activities, and other individuals in some depth. Also included are a few manuscripts of stories and poems that came as enclosures in letters (e.g., poems by Julia Randall and stories by Kaye Gibbons and Sylvia Wilkinson).
Perhaps the longest and thickest thematic thread in this series is that of Southern literature, the Fugitive Poets and Agrarians in particular. Most of the members of these two groups are represented in the correspondence (e.g., John Crowe Ransom, Allen Tate, and Donald Davidson). There is much discussion in these letters of the group as a whole; Allen Tate discusses Ransom and Davidson extensively, Andrew Lytle agrarianism in general, Davidson the Fugitive reunion, etc. The work of Robert Penn Warren is a common topic, as is that of William Styron.
Ralph Ellison is a minor correspondent except for his emendations to the transcripts of "The Uses of History in Fiction" session at the annual meeting of the Southern Historical Association in November 1968. In this session, William Styron and Ellison (among others) discussed historical novels, especially Styron's The Confessions of Nat Turner, which was criticized as a racist novel. Ellison's remarks are heavily revised in this copy, with his handwriting in the margins. The edited copy of the transcript is included in The Southern Literary Journal (Spring 1969) in series 7.2, folder 1625. A reel-to-reel audio tape of the proceedings is listed as T-3899/3.
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Subseries 1.1.2. Other Correspondence, circa 1948-1992.
Arrangement: alphabetical by correspondent.
Correspondence with individuals not selected by Rubin for inclusion above. Writers, critics, and political figures are included, as are professional colleagues, family, and friends. Most of the correspondence with well-known people is slight. Included are a postcard from Anais Nin about a book, and a letter from R. W. B. Lewis about a trip to Europe. There is also a series of letters between Rubin and Leon Edel about Henry James's The Turn of the Screw.
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Subseries 1.2. Organizational and Subject Correspondence, ca. 1944-1992.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Correspondence organized according to subject matter and organization. Included is correspondence with and about educational institutions, publishing houses, and journals. Subjects include the publishing of Rubin's articles, essays, stories, and novels; his participation in the academic community; the purchasing and selling of his private property; and some records of his involvement with professional organizations in which he was not a principal actor (see also Series 2.1. for materials related to the Modern Language Association and the Society for the Study of Southern Literature). Note that Rubin's folder labels have been retained.
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Series 2. Scholarly Activities, ca. 1950-1990.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Material relating to scholarly activities, publications, and professional organizations.
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Subseries 2.1. Scholarly Publications, ca. 1950-1990.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Rubin's critical and scholarly writings, as well as editing projects that culminated in publication. The latter consist mostly of correspondence and written material about the project.
An example of the latter is A Bibliographical Guide to the Study of Southern Literature. This project was edited by Rubin and, because it is a bibliography, did not generate a traditional manuscript. The material in folders relating to this project is chiefly organizational material concerning the publication of the book. There is correspondence with contributors, publishers, and other editors, along with notes and lists of contributions. The Edge of the Swamp: A Study in the Literature and Society of the Old South is an example of a scholarly book written by Rubin for which manuscripts of the book are included. There are two series of folders under the title History of Southern Literature. The difference is that "The History of Southern Literature" is a project begun by Rubin in the early 1970s and never finished, although chapters of it are complete and have been published individually. A History of Southern Literature, on the other hand, is a collaborative project involving Rubin as editor and many of his colleagues. The essays are divided by subject determined by the quantity of material on a given subject. Thus, there is a folder dedicated to an essay entitled "Joyce, Proust and Literary Structure," while there are five folders labeled "Southern Lit" containing materials on miscellaneous subjects relating to southern literature. Note that Rubin's folder labels have been retained.
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Subseries 2.2. Organizations and Seminars, ca. 1967-1982.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Material concerning Rubin's participation in scholarly organizations, conferences, and seminars. Included is material concerning the Modern Language Association and its American Literature section, the Society for the Study of Southern Literature, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The contents are mostly grant proposals, organizational correspondence, and memos. Audio tapes of "The American South," a Voice of America program featuring Robert Penn Warren, William Styron, and Rubin, are included as T-3899/1 and T-3899/2. Transcripts from the 1956Fugitive Reunion at Vanderbilt are also included.
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Series 3. Other Writings, ca. 1929-1990.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Nonscholarly writings by Rubin. Included is fiction, poetry, journalism, juvenilia, and general non-fiction.
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Subseries 3.1. Fiction, ca. 1948-1980.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Rubin's fiction, including typescripts and proofs of novels and short stories. For each work there are several different manuscripts that have been individually numbered in chronological order of composition where possible. The Golden Weather and Surfaces of a Diamond are the only novels that have been published. Many of the short stories have been published.
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Subseries 3.2. Poetry, ca. 1948-1980.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Rubin's poetry, consisting of holographs and typescripts. Much of this poetry has been published. folder 1482 contains limericks written by Rubin and others, but the authorship of most of the individual poems is unknown.
| Folder 1482 |
Limericks #03899, Subseries: "3.2. Poetry, ca. 1948-1980." Folder 1482 |
| Folder 1483-1487 |
Poetry #03899, Subseries: "3.2. Poetry, ca. 1948-1980." Folder 1483-1487Folder 1483Folder 1484Folder 1485Folder 1486Folder 1487 |
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Subseries 3.3. Journalism, ca. 1940-1980.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Journalistic works, including newspaper clippings from Rubin's years as a high school journalist. Material is organized according to the newspaper for which it is written and then according to subject matter where appropriate.
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Subseries 3.4. Juvenilia, ca. 1929-1938.
Rubin's childhood journalism, poetry, fiction, and drama. Included are copies of a play entitled "A Detective Mystery" and poems, stories, and artwork. As a child, Rubin published (on a typewriter) regular newspapers, alternately titled The Daily Telagram, The Bulliten, The San Souci Bulliten, and The River Side News. These newspapers are included.
| Folder 1512A-1512B |
Juvenilia #03899, Subseries: "3.4. Juvenilia, ca. 1929-1938." Folder 1512A-1512B |
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Subseries 3.5. Nonfiction, ca. 1980-1990.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Longer nonfiction works by Rubin. Included is a memoir ghost-written for a former major league baseball player, a book about boats, and a biography of a real-estate magnate.
| Folder 1513-1514 |
Diamond Dust #03899, Subseries: "3.5. Nonfiction, ca. 1980-1990." Folder 1513-1514Folder 1513Folder 1514 |
| Folder 1515-1516 |
Small Craft Advisory - 1 #03899, Subseries: "3.5. Nonfiction, ca. 1980-1990." Folder 1515-1516Folder 1515Folder 1516 |
| Folder 1517-1518 |
Small Craft Advisory - 2 #03899, Subseries: "3.5. Nonfiction, ca. 1980-1990." Folder 1517-1518Folder 1517Folder 1518 |
| Folder 1519-1520 |
Small Craft Advisory - 3 #03899, Subseries: "3.5. Nonfiction, ca. 1980-1990." Folder 1519-1520Folder 1519Folder 1520 |
| Folder 1521-1522 |
Small Craft Advisory - 4 #03899, Subseries: "3.5. Nonfiction, ca. 1980-1990." Folder 1521-1522Folder 1521Folder 1522 |
| Folder 1523-1524 |
Trammell Crow #03899, Subseries: "3.5. Nonfiction, ca. 1980-1990." Folder 1523-1524Folder 1523Folder 1524 |
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Series 4. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, ca. 1983-1992.
Material consisting of general administrative correspondence and items relating to the potential merger of Algonquin with other publishers.
| Folder 1525-1527 |
Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill #03899, Series: "4. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, ca. 1983-1992." Folder 1525-1527Folder 1525Folder 1526Folder 1527 |
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Series 5. Baseball, ca. 1973-1981.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Material concerning Rubin's participation in youth league and college baseball.
| Folder 1528-1529 |
North Carolina Collegiate Summer Baseball League #03899, Series: "5. Baseball, ca. 1973-1981." Folder 1528-1529Folder 1528Folder 1529 |
| Folder 1530-1535 |
North State College Baseball #03899, Series: "5. Baseball, ca. 1973-1981." Folder 1530-1535Folder 1530Folder 1531Folder 1532Folder 1533Folder 1534Folder 1535 |
| Folder 1536-1564 |
Youth Baseball #03899, Series: "5. Baseball, ca. 1973-1981." Folder 1536-1564Folder 1536Folder 1537Folder 1538Folder 1539Folder 1540Folder 1541Folder 1542Folder 1543Folder 1544Folder 1545Folder 1546Folder 1547Folder 1548Folder 1549Folder 1550Folder 1551Folder 1552Folder 1553Folder 1554Folder 1555Folder 1556Folder 1557Folder 1558Folder 1559Folder 1560Folder 1561Folder 1562Folder 1563Folder 1564 |
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Series 6. Writings by Others, ca. 1933-1990.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Manuscripts written by others, including fiction, poetry, and criticism. There are also reviews and clippings about Rubin.
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Subseries 6.2. Literary Writings, ca. 1930-1990.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
NOTE: DRAFTS of materials by living persons other than Louis D. Rubin Jr. are closed to research until January 2018 (25 years) or until date of death of such persons, whichever occurs first, except with the written permission of the persons involved. LDR material is without restriction.
Literary and critical works by others, consisting of typescripts and proofs. Some of the works were published by Algonquin. The three different drafts of Clyde Edgerton's In Memory of Junior have been numbered in order of composition. In folders 1589-1592, which contain mostly mimeographed copies of writings by Rubin's creative writing students at Hollins College in the 1960s, there are many poems and stories by individuals such as Annie Dillard, Lee Smith, and Margaret F. Gibson.
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Series 7. Other Papers, ca. 1954-1990.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Miscellaneous items including those relating to Rubin's administrative duties at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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Subseries 7.1. Administrative Duties (UNC), ca. 1968-1981.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
NOTE: All materials of living persons other than Louis D. Rubin Jr. are closed to research until January 2018 (25 years) or until date of death of such persons, whichever occurs first, except with the written permission of the persons involved. LDR material is without restriction.
Included is material from Rubin's participation in dissertation, hiring, and tenure committees while at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
| Folder 1606-1609 |
Dissertation Prospecti - Students #03899, Subseries: "7.1. Administrative Duties (UNC), ca. 1968-1981." Folder 1606-1609Folder 1606Folder 1607Folder 1608Folder 1609 |
| Folder 1610 |
Jackson, Blyden #03899, Subseries: "7.1. Administrative Duties (UNC), ca. 1968-1981." Folder 1610 |
| Folder 1611-1613 |
Kasson, Joy #03899, Subseries: "7.1. Administrative Duties (UNC), ca. 1968-1981." Folder 1611-1613Folder 1611Folder 1612Folder 1613 |
| Folder 1614-1618 |
Stone, Sonja #03899, Subseries: "7.1. Administrative Duties (UNC), ca. 1968-1981." Folder 1614-1618Folder 1614Folder 1615Folder 1616Folder 1617Folder 1618 |
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Subseries 7.2. Miscellaneous, ca. 1954-1990.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Miscellaneous material, including copies of examinations Rubin gave over the years. Printed material--catalogs, brochures--some having to do with specific subjects, some just miscellaneous, are all included.
| Folder 1619 |
Examinations #03899, Subseries: "7.2. Miscellaneous, ca. 1954-1990." Folder 1619 |
| Folder 1620 |
Felder's Barber Shop #03899, Subseries: "7.2. Miscellaneous, ca. 1954-1990." Folder 1620 |
| Folder 1621-1622 |
Hollins College - Printed Material #03899, Subseries: "7.2. Miscellaneous, ca. 1954-1990." Folder 1621-1622Folder 1621Folder 1622 |
| Folder 1623 |
Miscellaneous #03899, Subseries: "7.2. Miscellaneous, ca. 1954-1990." Folder 1623 |
| Folder 1624-1628 |
Miscellaneous Printed Material #03899, Subseries: "7.2. Miscellaneous, ca. 1954-1990." Folder 1624-1628Folder 1624Folder 1625Folder 1626Folder 1627Folder 1628 |
Processed by: Christopher Ryland with the assistance of Julia Smith, 1994
Encoded by: Jackie Dean
Diacritics and other special characters have been omitted from this finding aid to facilitate keyword searching in web browsers.
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