Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Papers of John Kelly, Accession #4151, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

This collection was a gift from Mr. John Kelly of Cismont, Virginia, on 2 February 1953. The material was orignially part of an exhibit mounted by the University of Virginia Bibliographical Society, of which John Kelly was a charter member. It was later donated to the University.

Biographical/Historical Information

John Kelley worked at different times in his life as an editor, a market analyst, and a professor of literature and creative writing at Marymount College in New York and at the University of Maryland. During World War II he served as an economist on the United States Government Board of Economic Warfare. Kelly graduated from Yale University in 1934. He received a B.A. degree in 1937 and an M.A. degree in 1941 from Cambridge University (Kings College), and undertook special graduate studies at Harvard University in 1937-1938. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1913, Kelly lived for many years in Cismont, Virginia, and died in New York City in 1966. His other writings include a novel published in 1947 entitled All Souls' Night and articles and book reviews for various newspapers and journals.

Scope and Content Information

The papers of John Kelly are from various stages in the development of his novel Alexander's Feast which was published in 1949. Materials include the orignial holograph manuscript, typescript drafts, galley proofs, page proofs, signatures, dust wrappers, and other items related to the production of the novel.