Vogan (Sara) papers, 1965-1991

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Summary

Title:
Sara Vogan papers
Dates:
1965-1991
Abstract:
The papers cover the life and career of American author Sara Vogan (1947-1991). Professional materials include her publications and short stories; her work teaching creative writing around the Bay Area; and her work as a book reviewer. Personal materials include extensive correspondence and journals.
Extent:
12 Linear Feet (31 manuscript boxes)
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[identification of item], Sara Vogan papers (M1033). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Background

Scope and content:

The Sara Vogan papers include materials from her professional career as a writer and teacher, as well as her personal life. The materials about her professional career span her writing, teaching, editing, and reviewing work. Series 1 includes drafts, typescripts, and edits from her four main publications (In Shelly's Leg, Scenes from the Homefront, Loss of Flight, and Blueprints), as well as short stories, drafts of screenplays, and opinion pieces. Series 2 covers some of the professional work she undertook outside of her own writing, including reviewing books and doing freelance editing work. Series 3 covers Vogan's education at West Virginia University and the University of Iowa, as well as her positions teaching creative writing and correspondence with various programs seeking employment. Series 4 is the largest series in the collection, containing professional and personal correspondence. The professional correspondence includes letters from her editor Lee Goerner at Alfred Knopf and her literary agent Gail Hochman at Brandt and Brandt, as well as correspondence with various other publishers. Her personal correspondence includes extensive letters from writers and poets, including Ted Kooser, Raymond Carver, and Brenda Peterson. Series 5 includes Vogan's notebooks and journals, spanning from the 1970s to 1990. Series 6 includes miscellaneous personal materials, photographs, and born-digital files.

Biographical / historical:

Sara Vogan (1947-1991) was an American author, book reviewer, and creative writing teacher. She attended West Virginia University, earned an MFA from the University of Iowa, and was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. Her debut novel, In Shelly's Leg (1981) was well received by critics and optioned for a potential film adaptation by screenwriter Ron Nyswaner and actress Diane Keaton. She later published two short story collections, Scenes from the Homefront (1987) and Loss of Flight (1989), as well as a final novel called Blueprints (1990). During the 1980s, Vogan also regularly contributed to The New York Times Book Review. Vogan also taught creative writing at San Francisco State University throughout the 1980s, and held visiting professorships at UC Davis and University of Oregon.

Acquisition information:
This collection was given by James Vogan, Bette Vogan, and Adrianne Marcus to Stanford University, Special Collections in June 1991.
Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in six series:

  • 1. Publications and Manuscripts
  • 2. Professional Activities
  • 3. Academia
  • 4. Correspondence
  • 5. Notebooks and Journals
  • 6. Assorted Personal Materials

Physical location:
Special Collections and University Archives materials are stored offsite and must be paged 36 hours in advance.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-02-12 13:33:40 -0800 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use. Born-digital material is not available in original format, and must be reformatted to a digital use copy.

Terms of access:

While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns.

Preferred citation:

[identification of item], Sara Vogan papers (M1033). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Location of this collection:
Department of Special Collections, Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford, CA 94305-6004, US
Contact:
(650) 725-1022
specialcollections@stanford.edu
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