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Finding Aid for the Collection of Material about the Processes of Publishing and Self-Publishing, Including Samizdat, 1925-1974
1398  
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Collection Overview
 
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Description
Collection consists of examples of Famous Writers School publications, typescript galley proofs, and Russian samizdat.
Background
Founded by publisher Bennett Cerf with Gordon Carroll and Albert Dorne in 1961, the Famous Writers School is a correspondence-based instructional program designed to provide amateur writers with the techniques and skills needed to develop a successful career as professional writer. The school prospered for close to a decade as its enrollment steadily rose, causing a notable increase in tuition revenues during the late 1960s. However, both the quality and the effectiveness of the original school were scrutinized by Jessica Mitford in a 1970 exposé piece published in the Atlantic Monthly that portrayed the school's business practices as scandalous. Subsequent to the publication of the Mitford article, the school's previously rising stock rapidly plummeted until it filed for bankruptcy in 1972.
Extent
4 boxes (2 linear ft.)
Restrictions
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UC Regents. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Availability
Open for research. STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections for paging information.