Summary
| Creator: |
Delany, Samuel R.
|
| Date(s): |
1967-1999 |
| Call Number: |
MSS 0618 |
| Language: |
Materials in
English and
French.
|
| Abstract: |
The Samuel R. Delany collection includes Delany's letters to publisher Bill Bamberger (Bamberger Books), manuscript drafts
of novels in progress, comic books, science fiction anthologies, and journals of fantasy and science fiction to which Delany
contributed or served as editor.
|
| Physical Description: |
2 linear feet
(2 boxes)
|
| Source: |
Purchase, September 2006. |
| Processing: |
Processed and encoded by Christopher La Casse, April 2010. Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard |
Biographical and Historical Notes
Samuel R. Delany, born April 1, 1942, in New York City, is an author, editor, professor, and literary critic, noted for his
work in the science fiction genre. Delaney's writing is often characterized by his interest in gender, sexual orientation,
race, and social issues.
Delany identified as a gay black male, but for twelve years, he remained married to the poet Marilyn Hacker, whom he met in
high school. During their marriage, the couple raised a daughter and co-edited a short-lived magazine Quark , which had a print-run of four issues in the early 1970s. Delany has also edited Nebula Winners Thirteen , and many of his shorter pieces have circulated through numerous science fiction periodicals, anthologies, and collections.
Delany’s literary career began at the age of 20 with the publication of his first novel, The Jewels of Aptor . Shortly thereafter, he published several more successful novels of science fiction that gained both literary acclaim as
well as praise from writers of the sci-fi genre. Delany's science fiction, widely regarded as literary, carried many themes
that raised questions of identity for individuals within the conventions of society. Specific lines of inquiry dealt with
social and sexual politics as many of Delany’s characters were seen as representing women’s rights, gay rights, and racial
equality. Established as an innovator in science fiction of the 1960s, Delany’s work has appeared in various forms of print
media, and his talent and interests moved him beyond the boundaries of genre where he published non-fiction, literary criticism,
film and book reviews, comic books, and transgressive literature.
Delany’s works of non-fiction explored a variety of subjects related to social causes and conditions. In his 1979 memoir,
Heavenly Breakfast , he related his own particular "summer of love" in 1967 while living at the time in a New York City commune. His award-winning
1988 memoir, The Motion of Light in Water , was based on the author’s reflections as a gay science fiction writer. Times Square Red, Times Square Blue (1999) described New York City's pornographic movie theaters and the eventual displacement of this sexual landscape in Time’s
Square. Delany’s autobiographical work also took the form of a comic book in Bread & Wine: An Erotic Tale of New York .
Delany’s writing not only addressed social themes but raised questions about language, which is to say, how language "connects
and constrains" the thought patterns of individuals within society, how myth and archetype influence reality, and how reality
shifts depending on perceived experience through language. The depth and complexity of Delany's novels have attracted numerous
scholars who have written book-length studies about Delany and his work. Delany's critical studies have peered into the language
of science fiction through the lens of post-structuralism and semiotics, which has resulted in his work being well-received
by the literary world. Since the late 1990s, Delany has taught at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, SUNY Buffalo,
and Temple University.
Sources
"Samuel R. Delany." Contemporary Authors Online reproduced in Literature Resource Center. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/LitRC (accessed April 2010).
Scope and Content Note
The Samuel R. Delany collection includes correspondence to publisher Bill Bamberger (Bamberger Books in Flint, Michigan),
manuscript drafts of novels in progress, comic books, science fiction anthologies, and journals of fantasy and science fiction
in which Delany provided contributions or served as editor.
Delany’s fourteen letters to Bamberger covered subjects that were both professional and personal. After permitting the reprinting
of his book, Heavenly Breakfast , Delany mentioned possible changes. The letters continued to discuss other writing projects while also delving into other
topics, such as social politics, sexuality, and writing. Delany offered personal information about his past, described a fire
that occurred in his apartment building, and discussed a conference he attended in Boston on gay writers.
The working titles of Delany’s manuscripts are American Shore 1 , International Short Story , Heavenly Breakfast , The Politics of Paraliterary Criticism , Shadow and Ash , Notes on the Star-Pit , Tale of Gorgik , Tale of Norema , and Three, Two, One, Contact: Times Square Red, 1997 . The manuscripts cover all stages of the writing process and include many original typescripts that contain extensive holographic
corrections, penned by both Delany and fellow science fiction writer Joanna Russ.
The printed materials of this collection include many first editions, comic books, anthologies, five periodicals edited by
Delany, sixteen periodicals that include his contributions, and articles written about Delany.
Using these materials
Shelving Summary
- Boxes 1-2: Shelved in SPEC MSS record center cartons.
Access Information
The collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
MSS 0618, Samuel R. Delany collection, Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, Newark, Delaware.
Related Materials in this Repository
MSS 0504, Roland Bounds science fiction periodicals collection
MSS 0553, Roland E. Bounds science fiction paperback book collection
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the
U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce isrequired from the copyright holder. Please
contact Special Collections Department, University of Delaware Library, https://library.udel.edu/static/purl.php?askspec
Container List
Series I. Correspondence, 1993-1996
| Letters to Bill Bamberger, 1993-1999 |
16 items |
Box 1, F1 |
|
14 letters from Samuel Delany to publisher Bill Bamberger, of Bamberger Books in Flint, Michigan. Letters primarily concerned
the publication of Heavenly Breakfast , but also discuss other writing projects as well as detailed personal information about the Delany’s personal life and perspective
of politics and culture. Also includes "file copy" of letter from Bamberger to Delany and Bamberger's response to Scott McLemee's
review of Delany's Longer Views in The Nation .
|
|
| Clippings and articles, 1996 |
3 items |
Box 1, F2 |
|
Includes Scott McLemee's review of Delany's Longer Views .
|
|
Series II. Writing Projects, 1976-1999
Subseries II.A. Manuscript materials, 1976-1998
The manuscripts cover all stages of the writing process and include many original typescripts that contain extensive holographic
corrections, penned by both Delany’s and fellow science fiction writer, Joanna Russ.
| American Shore 1 , circa 1977
|
Box 1, F3 |
|
Original corrected typescript, early draft 4 to 253 pages. Extensive holographic corrections with type revision slips inserted.
|
|
| American Shore 2 , circa 1977
|
Box 1, F4 |
|
Original corrected typescript, early draft 4 to 319 pages to be used as a setting copy for Dragon Press.
|
|
| American Shore 3 , circa 1977
|
Box 1, F5 |
|
Photocopy of page proofs. Eighteen copies were made for his students at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee
|
|
| Tale of Gorgik , 1976-1977
|
Box 1, F6 |
|
One of two stories housed in custom-made, half-cloth slipcase box. Includes original corrected typescripts of Tale of Gorgik , pages 4 to 64. Typescript contains extensive holograph corrections with additional corrections written by Joanna Russ.
|
|
| Tale of Norema , circa 1977
|
Box 1, F6 |
|
One of two stories housed in custom-made, half-cloth slipcase box. Includes original corrected typescripts of Tale of Norema , pages 4 to 80. Typescript contains extensive holograph corrections with additional corrections written by Joanna Russ.
|
|
| Times Square Blue , 1979
|
Box 1, F7 |
|
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| Heavenly Breakfast , 1979
|
Box 1, F8 |
|
Author's corrected copy with minor ink and white-out markings. Used as the corrected text for the revised edition of the book.
Includes original mailing envelop.
|
|
| Shadow and Ash , 1992
|
Box 1, F9 |
|
Photocopy of publisher's page proofs including author's holograph corrections reproduced in facsimile. Also includes pages
4 to 30.
|
|
| The Politics of Paraliterary Criticism , 1996
|
Box 1, F10 |
|
Original laser-printed typescript including pages 1 to 56.
|
|
| … Three, Two, One, Contact: Times Square Red, 1997 , 1997
|
Box 1, F11 |
|
Original laser-printed typescript includes pages 1 to 72.
|
|
| Notes on the Star-Pit , 1998
|
Box 1, F12 |
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Original laser-printed typescript including pages 1 to 11. "The Star-Pit was first broadcast by The Mind's Eye Theater over
WBAI-FM in New York City, November 1967."
|
|
Subseries II.B. Teaching materials, 1999
| Language and the City: Art and Revolution: 1848 , circa 1999
|
Box 1, F13 |
|
Photocopy of syllabus taught at the University of Massachusetts.
|
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| International Short Story , 1999
|
Box 1, F14 |
|
Original syllabus for a course taught by Samuel R. Delany at the University of Massachusetts.
|
|
Series III. Printed materials, 1967-1990
Subseries III_A_ Magazines and periodicals, 1967-1990
The printed materials of this collection include many first editions, comic books, anthologies, 6 books edited by Delany,
16 periodicals that include Delany’s contributions, and two journals that include articles written about Delany.
| "Corona," The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction , Vol. 33, No. 4, October 1967
|
Box 1, F15 |
|
Story.
|
|
| "Gregory Corso in Athens," Riverside Quarterly , Vol. 3, No. 1, 1967
|
Box 1, F16 |
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Poem.
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| "Driftglass," Worlds of IF: Science Fiction , Vol. 17, No. 6, 1967
|
Box 1, F17 |
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Story.
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| "The Star-Pit," Worlds of Tomorrow , Vol. 4, No. 3, 1967
|
Box 1, F18 |
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Short novel.
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| "Power of the Nail," Amazing Stories , Vol. 42, No. 4, 1968
|
Box 1, F19 |
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Story co-authored with Harlan Ellison. Issue also includes Delany's review of Black Easter by James Blish.
|
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| Review, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction , Vol. 34, No. 1, January 1968
|
Box 1, F20 |
|
Review of "I have no mouth & I must scream," by Harlan Ellison.
|
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| "Lines of Power," The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction , Vol. 34, No. 5, May 1968
|
Box 1, F21 |
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Story.
|
|
| "2001: A Space Odyssey," The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction , Vol. 35, No. 2, August 1968
|
Box 1, F22 |
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Film review.
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| "Cage of Brass," Worlds of IF: Science Fiction , Vol. 18, No. 6, June 1968
|
Box 1, F23 |
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Story.
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| "High Weir," Worlds of IF: Science Fiction , Vol. 18, No. 10, October 1968
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Box 1, F24 |
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Novelette.
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| "The Illustrated Man," The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction , Vol. 37, No. 2, August 1969
|
Box 1, F25 |
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Film review.
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| "Barbarella," The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction , Vol. 36, No. 2, February 1969
|
Box 2, F26 |
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Film review.
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| "They Fly at Ciron," The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction , Vol. 40, No. 6, June 1971
|
Box 2, F27 |
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Novelette, with James Sallis.
|
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| "Fangs of Fire," Wonder Woman , Vol. 31, No 202, 1972
|
Box 2, F28 |
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Comic book, story by Samuel R. Delany.
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| "The Grandee Caper," Wonder Woman , Vol. 31, No 203, 1972
|
Box 2, F29 |
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Comic book, script by Samuel R. Delany.
|
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| "Prismatica," The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction , Vol. 53, No. 4, October 1977
|
Box 2, F30 |
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Novelette.
|
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| "Teaching Science Fiction: Unique Challenges," Science-Fiction Studies , Vol. 6, No. 19, 1979
|
Box 2, F31 |
|
Proceedings of the MLA Special Session, New York, December 1978. Participants: Gregory Benford, Samuel R. Delany, Robert Scholes,
Alan J. Friedman, and John Woodcock.
|
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| Starlog's Science Fiction Yearbook , Vol. 1, 1979
|
Box 2, F32 |
|
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| "The Tale of Gorgik," Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine , Vol. 1, No. 3, 1979
|
Box 2, F33 |
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Story.
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| "Seven Moon's Light Casts Complex Shadows," Epic Illustrated , Vol. 1, No. 2, 1980
|
Box 2, F34 |
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Story.
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| "Reflections on Historical Models of Modern English Language Science Fiction," Science-Fiction Studies , Vol. 7, No. 21, 1980
|
Box 2, F35 |
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Article.
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| "In the Once Upon a Time City," Locus , Vol. 18, No. 2, 1985
|
Box 2, F36 |
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Article.
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| "Film/ Pigs (or, at any rate, grunts) in space" Night Cry , Vol. 2, No. 3, 1987
|
Box 2, F37 |
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Film review of Aliens .
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| "The Semiology of Silence," Science-Fiction Studies , Vol. 14, No. 42, 1987
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Box 2, F38 |
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Article.
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| "Flow, My Tears…Theater and Science Fiction," New York Review of Science Fiction , No. 1, September 1988
|
Box 2, F39 |
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Article.
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| "Neither the Beginning Nor the End of Structuralism, Post-Structuralism, Semiotics, or Deconstruction for SF Readers: An Introduction," New York Review of Science Fiction , No. 6, February 1989
|
Box 2, F40 |
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Article; part 1 of 3.
|
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| "Neither the Beginning Nor the End of Structuralism, Post-Structuralism, Semiotics, or Deconstruction for SF Readers: An Introduction," New York Review of Science Fiction , No. 7, March 1989
|
Box 2, F41 |
|
Article; part 2 of 3.
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| "Neither the Beginning Nor the End of Structuralism, Post-Structuralism, Semiotics, or Deconstruction for SF Readers: An Introduction," New York Review of Science Fiction , No. 8, April 1989
|
Box 2, F42 |
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Article; part 3 of 3.
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| "How Not to Teach Science Fiction," New York Review of Science Fiction , No. 13, September 1989
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Box 2, F43 |
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Article.
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| "Science and Literature," New York Review of Science Fiction , No. 23, July 1990
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Box 2, F44 |
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Article.
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| "Modernism, Postmodernism, Science Fiction," New York Review of Science Fiction , No. 24, August 1990
|
Box 2, F45 |
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Article.
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| "Life of/and Writing," New York Review of Science Fiction , No. 26, October 1990
|
Box 2, F46 |
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Article.
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Subseries III_B_ Anthologies and collections, 1968-1974
| "Corona," The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction , 17th Series. Ace Books, 1968
|
Box 2, F47 |
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Story.
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| "Driftglass," World's Best Science Fiction , 4th Series. An Ace Book, 1968
|
Box 2, F48 |
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Story.
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| "Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones," World's Best Science Fiction: an anthology of the year's best science fiction stories , 1969
|
Box 2, F49 |
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Story.
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| "The Unicorn Tapestry," New American Review 9 . A Signet Book, 1970
|
Box 2, F50 |
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Story.
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| "Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones," Best SF Stories from New Worlds 7 . Panther Science Fiction, 1971
|
Box 2, F51 |
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Story.
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| "Driftglass," World's Best S.F. 1: the Finest Stories of the Year . Sphere Books Limited, 1971
|
Box 2, F52 |
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Story.
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| "The Star-Pit," Alpha 5 . Ballantine Books, 1974
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Box 2, F53 |
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Story.
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| "High Weir," Wondermakers 2 . A Fawcett Premier Book, 1974
|
Box 2, F54 |
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Story.
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Subseries III_C_ Periodicals and articles about Samuel R. Delany, 1977-1987
| Gardiner, H. Jane, "Images of The Waste Land in Delany's The Einstein Intersection," Extrapolution , Vol. 18, No. 2, 1977
|
Box 2, F55 |
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| Morales, Robert, "Chip Shot (interview)," Heavy Metal , Vol. 6, No. 10, 1983
|
Box 2, F56 |
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| Vereshagin, David, "Words in Collision: Sex, Science Fiction and Samuel R Delany" Epicene: Canada's Gay News Magazine , Vol. 1, No. 1, 1987
|
Box 2, F57 |
|
Cover photograph of Delany.
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Subseries III_D_ Books edited by Delany, 1970-1981
| Quark / 1: a quarterly of speculative fiction . Paperback Library, 1970
|
Box 2, F58 |
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Edited by Samuel R. Delany and Marilyn Hacker.
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| Quark / 2 , 1971
|
Box 2, F58 |
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Edited by Samuel R. Delany and Marilyn Hacker.
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| Quark / 3 , 1971
|
Box 2, F59 |
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Edited by Samuel R. Delany and Marilyn Hacker.
|
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| Quark / 4 , 1971
|
Box 2, F59 |
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Edited by Samuel R. Delany and Marilyn Hacker.
|
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| Nebula Winners Thirteen . New York: Harper and Row, 1980
|
Box 2, F60 |
|
Review copy; published February 6, 1980. Edited by Samuel R. Delany.
|
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| Nebula Winners Thirteen . Bantam Books, 1981
|
Box 2, F61 |
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Paperback edition. Edited by Samuel R. Delany.
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Series IV. Book jackets, circa 1984, 1987, 1988
| Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand (Bantam), circa 1984
|
Box 2, F62 |
|
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| The Motion of Light in Water: Sex and Science Fiction Writing in the East Village, 1957-1965 , circa 1987
|
Box 2, F62 |
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| The Bridge of Lost Desire (Arbor House), circa 1988
|
Box 2, F62 |
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Names & Subjects
Names
Subjects
Formats
