Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research. However, Photocopying is restricted except by written permission of Mr. Casey.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

John Casey Papers, Accession 10973-a, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library

Acquisition Information

This collection was loaned to the Library by John Casey of Charlottesville, Virginia, on December 16, 1993.

Funding Note

Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Scope and Content

This literary collection consists of ca. 210 items, 1969-1993, pertaining to the writing and teaching career of John Casey . There are correspondence, manuscripts, a photograph, and printed material.

The correspondence contains letters from various contemporary authors or other letters of interest. On October 29, 1980, Janet Lembke writes about the Creative Righters at the Staunton prison, mentioning the interest of Casey and Mary Lee Settle and Breece D'J Pancake (d. 1979) as a former guest. On March 10, 1982, John Barth inquires about a particular phrase re the "sotweed factor." Letters of 1982 include ones from David Huddle (1942-) and Tobias Wolff (1945-) expressing an interest in becoming a writer at the University of Virginia . On October 7, 1982, Mary Ryan writes about the Western Division of the Creative Writing workshop , mentioning future guests Grace Paley , Wallace Earle Stegner (1909-), and [E. L.] Doctorow (1931-). Letters of 1983 from Mary Carter , Jonathan Penner (1940-), and Vance Nye Bourjaily concern the Henry Hoyns Chair of English at the University of Virginia . On August 27, 1984, Scott Donaldson writes concerning his biography on John Cheever . A letter, n.y. April 18, from Amy Cunningham , The Washingtonian , mentions several of Casey's former students, including Claude Williams (or, Mike High ), Lewis Jeffrey Zeldman , Edward P. Jones , and James Alan McPherson (1943-). A letter of October 30 n.y., from Frederick Bradlee concerns his solo performance "The Glory of Language." Three undated letters of Lewis Jeffery Zeldman discuss his current and future novels. A letter, December 11, 1986, from Amanda Vaill of Viking Penquin Inc. , refers to Casey's comment on Rebecca Brown 's The Haunted House . On December 28, 1989, Waller H. Horsley writes concerning the gift to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors members of an autographed copy of Casey's Spartina and his receipt of the National Book Award . On January 3, 1990 Austin E. Quigley (1942-) also writes about the National Book Award .

A letter, November 2, 1992, from Maureen Howard (1930-) mentions Eudora Welty (1909-) and being invited to read at the Williams Corner Bookstore . On November 11, 1992, Hugo Weisgall , of the American Academy of Arts and Letters , informs Casey of being chosen to receive the prestigious Mildred and Harold Strauss Living . A lengthy and social letter, November 29, 1992, from Richard [Jones] , discusses national politics, political figures, writers, and other social matters. Among the persons mentioned in Jones' letter are: William Jefferson Clinton (1946-), George Bush (1924-), Edward Moore Kennedy (1932-), H. Ross Perot (1930-), Constance [Casey Varmus] , Helen and Breece D'J Pancake , [James Alan] McPherson , Betty Howland , Saul Bellow (1915-), Bill [William] and Liz Shannon , Bertha Donahue , and Mark Scowcroft . On February 27, 1993, "Sandro" [ Alexander Stille ] writes about his work on a book on the Mafia in Italy [ Excellent Cadavers: The Mafia and the Death of the First Italian Republic ] and mentions Tod A. Marder .

There is a letter, March 14, 1993, from Casey's uncle, Charles M. Dudley , mentioning the movie rights to Spartina and family news. There is a lengthy letter, April 2, 1993, from "Tom" describing life in Paris , particularly rowing and racing in France . A letter, April 2, 1993, from the William Morris Agency, Inc. concerns the purchase of Spartina . On April 7, 1993, Jonathan Richardson Smith praises Casey's Testimonty and Demeanor and Spartina , and discusses the subject matter in his dissertation [ The Rise of the Novel Trilogy in the U. S., 1890-1940 ] and Pearl Buck 's House of Earth trilogy. There is a letter, April 14, 1993, from Casey's sister, Constance [Casey Varmus] concerning family matters. Letters of the spring of 1993 often refer to Casey's receipt of the Mildred and Harold Strauss Living and the Sewanee Writers' Conference . There are letters from authors Alexander Theroux (April 14, 1993) and Rita Mae Brown (April 20, 1993), and Susan Brownell (April 22, 1993).

A letter, April 17, 1993, from Jan C. Shapin , discusses the foundation of writing and what a writers conference should be. Marianna Wiggins writes on April 24, 1993, enclosing her short story, "Can You Smell My Sandwich?" A letter, May 27, 1993, from Alexandra [Kuczynski] mentions the American Academy of Arts and Letters ceremony, Dana Groseclose , Michael Carlisle , and Louis Theroux . On June 3, 1993, Jeff Pearson writes about finishing his novel The Luck of Dan Daniel . Letters of August 1993 mention the Sewanee Writers' Conference of that summer. There are two letters, August 5 & 27, from Reid Mitchell concerning his book The Vacant Chair , his novella Things Ruth Taught Me , and Listowel's Writers Week. There are letters from authors Wyatt Prunty (August 5, 1993), Brenda K. Marshall (August 6, 1993), and Lawrence C. Melton (August 6 & September 10, 1993), concerning Sewanee and some of their own writings. A letter, August 16, 1993, from Charles M. Dudley concerning an honorady degree in literature for Casey. Letters of August 1993 from Constance [Casey Varmus] reminisce over the Casey family during a move from one house to another. There is an undated letter from Casey's daughter "Nell" [ Eleanor Dudley Casey ], of the William Morris Agency, Inc. , concerning making the movie of Spartina and offering suggestions for director and/or producer, naming Joel Castleberg , Mike Steinberg , and Roger Hedden . There is also an undated note from Eugene J. McCarthy (1916-).

Other materials include works submitted to the committee for consideration for the Henry Hoyns Fellowship ; interviews with John Casey , one by Nancy Bunge ; and miscellaneous items, including [literary] annual reports, a "schematic plan for a paw-paw patch," and seating arrangement for a photograph (in oversize folder) and guest list for the American Academy of Arts and Letters awards ceremony.