Finding Aid to the Pete Winslow Papers
1934-1994
BASC 8
Finding aid prepared by Susanne Mari Sakai
Book Arts & Special Collections
January 2020
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco 94102
bookarts@sfpl.org
Title: Pete Winslow Papers
Date (inclusive): 1934-1994
Identifier/Call Number: BASC 8
Creator:
Winslow, Pete
Physical Description:
5 cartons, 3 document cases
(6.5 cubic feet)
Contributing Institution:
Book Arts & Special Collections
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 557-4567
info@sfpl.org
Abstract: The collection contains the personal records, correspondence, manuscripts, published works, photographs, and audio recordings
of Pete Winslow, a surrealist poet associated with the Beat Generation. The collection also contains publications about him
as well as the works of other writers who influenced or befriended him.
Physical Location: Collection is stored onsite.
Language of Materials: Collection materials are in
English.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research and is available for use during Book Arts & Special Collections hours, with photographs available
during Photo Desk hours. Researchers may listen to the CD copies of audio recordings.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the San Francisco Public Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from
materials must be submitted in writing to Book Arts & Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of
the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item/Title of folder], Pete Winslow Papers (BASC 8), Book Arts & Special Collections, San Francisco Public
Library.
Provenance
The Pete Winslow Papers were donated to San Francisco Public Library by Jane Winslow in March 1994
Biographical Note
Dean H. (Pete) Winslow, Jr. (1934-1972) was a journalist and surrealist poet associated with the Beat Generation. Best known
for his poetry, he also wrote essays, short stories, and novels. A Seattle native, he graduated from the University of Washington
with a degree in journalism in 1956 and then another in English in 1958. He wrote for various newspapers in Washington and
California from 1956 up until his death in 1972, starting at the
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
and ending at the
Livermore Independent
. He had also served in the U.S. Army reserve from 1956 to 1966 and worked for the Parks Job Corps Center from 1965 to 1967.
Inspired by writers such as Allen Ginsberg and Philip Lamantia, Winslow turned to surrealism and produced many poems. He first
lived in San Francisco from December 1958 to March 1959 and then moved again to the Bay Area shortly after, where he became
involved with the literary scene of San Francisco's North Beach. He did readings and published several books of poetry:
Whatever Happened to Pete Winslow?
(1960),
The Rapist and Other Poems
(1962),
Monster Cookies
(1967),
Mummy Tapes
(1971), and
A Daisy in the Memory of a Shark
(1973). In 1967, he received a grant for a novel from the National Endowment for the Arts. He died at the age of 38 from complications
following surgery. He was married to Jane Winslow and had a son, Peter Winslow, who died in a car accident in 1993.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of Pete Winslow's writings including letters, notes, manuscripts, and published works as well as photographs
and audio recordings. The collection additionally contains articles written about him and his works as well as the works of
other writers who influenced or befriended him. Also included are his widow Jane Winslow's correspondence and poetry-related
publications produced after his death.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into the following 8 series: Series 1. Personal papers, Series 2. Correspondence, Series 3. Manuscripts,
Series 4. Published works, Series 5. Publications about Pete Winslow and his work, Series 6. Writings by others (friends and
influences), Series 7. Photographs, and Series 8. Audio recordings.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
American poetry -- 20th century.
American poetry -- California -- San Francisco
Beats (Persons) -- Poetry
Beats (Persons) -- California -- San Francisco
North Beach (San Francisco, Calif.)
San Francisco (Calif.) -- Literary collections
Surrealism -- Poetry
Series 1
Personal papers
Scope and Content
This series contains materials pertaining to Pete Winslow's personal life such as his birth certificate, family history, academic
records, Army papers, calendars, notebooks, awards, race ribbons, and a baseball card game that he invented. Pete was a longtime
runner and an avid baseball fan.
box 1, folder 4
Latin class assignment "Common Latin Phrases," 1950
box 1, folder 5
Academic records, 1952-1958
box 1, folder 6
Military service records, 1956-1966
box 1, folder 8
Parks Job Corps Center, 1965
box 1, folder 10
Marked calendars, 1966-1971
box 1, folder 13
Financial statements, 1958, 1971
box 1, folder 14
Drawings, [probably 1970-1971]
box 1, folder 15
Race ribbons and certificates, 1967-1972
box 1, folder 16
Playing cards and instructions for invented baseball game
box 1, folder 17
Reading list for class on Magic/Alternative Structures, [probably 1969]
Series 2
Correspondence
Scope and Content
This series contains Pete Winslow's personal and professional correspondence, including those to his wife Jane and those between
various members of the literary world. Correspondence is organized alphabetically by the correspondent and then by subject
matter such as arranging poetry readings, publishing his poetry, fan mail, rejection letters, and ordering copies of his work.
Also included are Jane Winslow's correspondence with various individuals following Pete's death. After Pete passed away, Jane,
with the help of poet Carolyn Kizer who served as co-executer of Pete's literary estate, sent out a call for letters to a
number of individuals with whom Pete had corresponded.
box 1, folder 22
Bayes, Ronald (St. Andrews Review), 1970
box 1, folder 23
Bender, Eleanor (Open Places), 1969-1973
box 1, folder 28
Buhle, Paul (Radical America), undated
box 1, folder 30
Cole, William (Viking Press), 1968-1972
box 1, folder 31
Collin, Frances, 1968-1973
box 1, folder 32
Congdon, Kirby (Interim Books, Cycle Press), 1965-1971
box 1, folder 34
Deahl, James E., 1970-1971
box 1, folder 35
Ferlinghetti, Lawrence, 1970
box 1, folder 36
Hershon, Robert, 1971-1972
box 1, folder 37
Hitchcock, George (Kayak), 1965-1973
box 1, folder 38
Kizer, Carolyn (Poetry Northeast, National Endowment for the Arts), 1965-1973
box 1, folder 39
Matthews, William (Lillabulero), 1969-1973
box 1, folder 40
Meehan, Patricia (Follet Publishing), 1969-1970
box 1, folder 42
Moore, Jim (Lamp in the Spine), 1971-1972
box 1, folder 43
Potts, Charlie (Litmus), 1968-1971
box 1, folder 44
Rosemont, Franklin (Arsenal), 1968-1971
box 1, folder 45
Silverton, Mike, 1969-1970
box 1, folder 48
Wyndham, Harold, 1969-1971
box 1, folder 50
Zavarian, Suzanne (Extensions, Simon & Schuster), 1968-1970
box 1, folder 52
Arranging poetry readings, 1968-1969
box 1, folder 53
Publishing his poetry, 1965-1972
box 1, folder 54
Requests for copies of his poetry, 1969
box 1, folder 56
Rejection letters, 1969-1971
box 1, folder 59
Jane Winslow's correspondence, 1973-1994
Series 3
Manuscripts
Scope and Content
This series contains manuscripts of Pete Winslow's vast work of poetry, both published and unpublished. The series also contains
unpublished manuscripts of his novel
Mount Gogo
, for which he received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and of a collection of essays on contemporary poets
titled
Unwinding the Stones
. Additionally of note are a series of typed scrolls in which he reflects back on his journey as a poet.
box 1, box-folder 60
Five (5) typewritten scrolls
General
Retrospective essay in which Pete Winslow reflects back on his beginnings as a poet in San Francisco.
box 2, folder 2
"American Pre-Surrealism, Para-Surrealism and Surrealism"
box 2, folder 5
"Bonjour Ennui" by Francois Sagan-Lautrec (translation)
box 2, folder 8
"A Cause for Celebration"
box 2, folder 9
A Daisy in the Memory of a Shark
(2 drafts)
box 2, folder 10
Notes for
A Daisy in the Memory of a Shark
box 2, folder 12
"Editorial: Why This Is the Last Issue of the "Epicure's Gazette"'
box 2, folder 14
"The First Time For Things"
box 2, folder 15
"A Fable, as Told by a Pair of Dissatisfied Eyes"
box 2, folder 17
"Jazz, Justice, and the Webster F. Street Lay-away Plan"
box 2, folder 22
Monster Cookies
book design and layout
box 2, folder 23
Mount Gogo
annotated draft
box 2, folder 24
Mount Gogo
summary of action and character list
box 2, folder 25
Mount Gogo
chapter 1 rewrite
box 2, folder 26
Mount Gogo
chapter 2 rewrite
box 2, folder 27
Mount Gogo
chapter 3 rewrite
box 2, folder 28
Mount Gogo
chapter 4 rewrite
box 2, folder 29
Mount Gogo
chapter 5 rewrite
box 2, folder 30
Mount Gogo
chapter 6 rewrite
box 2, folder 33
Mummy Tape
with handwritten notes
box 2, folder 34
Poems originally considered for
Mummy Tapes
box 2, folder 37
"Poems at the Yakima Firing Center, July 7-15, 1960"
box 2, folder 38
"Poems by Pete Winslow, 1958-1970"
box 2, folder 39
"Poems for the Rainy Season"
box 2, folder 40
"The Poems of Raymond Del Rio"
box 2, folder 41
"Poems! Poems!" (enclosed in black binder, accompanied by drawings by Ken Brandon)
box 2, folder 42
"Poems! Poems!" (enclosed in red binder)
box 2, folder 47
"Second String Poems, 1959-1962"
box 2, folder 51
"The Surrealist Image in American Poetry"
box 2, folder 52
"The Tendency Toward Conforming in Opening Beer Cans"
box 2, folder 53
"things which piss me off: summary"
box 2, folder 55
"The 20th Century Will Continue After a Word From Our Sponsor"
box 2, folder 56
"The Universe of Mondrian"
box 2, folder 57
"Unpublished Poems 1958-1966""
box 2, folder 59
"What is WITH Pete Winslow?"
box 2, folder 60
Whatever Happened to Pete Winslow?
box 2, folder 61
Caricature (cover illustration for
Whatever Happened to Pete Winslow?
)
box 2, folder 63
Table of contents for books
box 2, folder 64
Poems for Pop
1939, 1953 or 1954
box 2, folder 65
Poems for Jane and Peter
1966-1971
box 2, folder 66
Poems written with Bill Berg
box 2, folder 67
Paper on Paul Eluard's "You Rise Up"
box 2, folder 71
Untitled poetry collection 1
box 2, folder 72
Untitled poetry collection 2
box 2, folder 73
Untitled poetry collection 3
box 2, folder 74
Untitled poetry collection 4
box 3, folder 1
Untitled poetry collection 5
box 3, folder 2
Untitled poetry collection 6
box 3, folder 6
Essay on Richard Brautigan
box 3, folder 11
Essay on W.S. Merwin (1 of 2)
box 3, folder 12
Essay on W.S. Merwin (2 of 2)
box 3, folder 14
Essay on Philip Whalen (1 of 2)
box 3, folder 15
Essay on Philip Whalen (2 of 2)
box 3, folder 18
Poets' responses to essays written about them
Series 4
Published Works
Scope and Content
This series contains copies of monographs, anthologies, and periodicals in which Pete Winslow's poems were published. Also
included are articles he wrote for various newspapers.
box 4, folder 1
A Daisy in the Memory of a Shark
1973
box 4, folder 2
Monster Cookies
(3 copies)
1967
box 4, folder 3
Mummy Tapes
(3 copies)
1971
box 4, folder 4
The Rapist and other poems
(3 copies)
1962
box 4, folder 5
Whatever Happened to Pete Winslow?
1960
box 4, folder 8
Natives
(also
Quixote
)
[1973]
box 4, folder 11
The Independent
1968-1971
box 4, folder 12
The News Register
(nomination for the Golden Apple Award)
1963-1965
box 4, folder 14
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
1957
box 4, folder 16
Aldebaran Review
1968-1969
box 4, folder 17
Broadside Battery III
1968
box 4, folder 18
Brown Paper Bag
(duplicate copies)
1970
box 4, folder 19
Extensions
(duplicate copies)
1968
box 4, folder 21
Hanging Loose
11, 12, 16, 18 (duplicate copies)
1970-1972
box 4, folder 22
How I Learned Jujitsu in 30 Minutes
1967
box 4, folder 23
Journal 31
(duplicate copies)
1972
box 4, folder 26
The Lamp in the Spine
1972
box 4, folder 27
Laugh Literally and Man the Humping Guns
1969
box 4, folder 29
Litmus
(2 separate issues)
1957
box 4, folder 31
Magdalene Syndrome Gazette
1967
box 4, folder 32
The Nation
(2 separate issues)
1971
box 4, folder 33
New American & Canadian Poetry
16, 18
1971-1972
box 4, folder 36
Out of Sugar
11 (duplicate copies), 53
1971-1972
box 4, folder 37
Poetry Northwest
(2 separate issues)
1965, 1969-1970
box 4, folder 38
Poetry Review of Tampa University
1971
box 4, folder 42
St. Andrews Review
(3 separate issues)
1971-1972, 1974
Series 5
Publications about Pete Winslow and his work
Scope and Content
This series contains articles about Pete Winslow and reviews about his work. Also included are publicity materials for his
poetry readings as well as other poetry events - Kenneth Patchen's memorial, which Pete Winslow was a part of, and the Portland
Poetry Festival, which included a memorial set for Pete Winslow.
box 4, folder 47
Review of
The Rapist and other poems
and
Monster Cookies
in
Olé
1967
box 5, folder 1
Published reviews of
Daisy in the Memory of a Shark
1974
box 5, folder 2
Articles written about Pete Winslow
1963-1973
box 5, folder 3
Posters and announcement for Pete Winslow's poetry readings
1967, 1972
box 5, folder 4
Kenneth Patchen Memorial
1972
box 5, folder 5
Portland Poetry Festival
1973
Series 6
Writings by others (friends and influences)
Scope and Content
This series contains poems written by Pete Winslow's friends and by famous poets throughout history. The series also includes
various monographs and periodicals on surrealism and surrealist writers that Pete kept in his personal library.
box 5, folder 6
Poems by other poets
1968-1973
box 5, folder 8
Alquié, Ferdinand,
The Philosophy of Surrealism
1965
box 5, folder 9
Apollinaire, Guillaume,
The Depauched Hospodar
1967
box 5, folder 10
Bly, Robert,
The Light Around the Body
1967
box 5, folder 11
Brautigan, Richard,
The Pill Versus the Springhill Mine Disaster
1968
box 5, folder 12
Breton, André,
Manifestoes of Surrealism
1969
box 5, folder 13
Cardinal, Roger & Short, Robert Stuart,
Surrealism: Permanent Revelation
1970
box 5, folder 14
Coutts-Smith, Kenneth,
Dada
1970
box 5, folder 15
Desnos, Robert,
22 Poems
1971
box 5, folder 16
Duvall, Schlechter,
10 Dimensies
1970
box 5, folder 17
Jarry, Alfred,
King Turd
1953
box 5, folder 18
Jarry, Alfred,
Selected Works
1965
box 5, folder 19
Kaufman, Bob,
Solitudes Crowded with Loneliness
1965
box 5, folder 20
Kryss, T.L.,
New majiks: selected poems and rabbits
1971
box 5, folder 21
MacIntyre, C.F.,
French Symbolist Poetry
1958
box 5, folder 22
Matthews, J.H.,
André Breton
1961
box 5, folder 23
Merwin, W.S.,
The Lice
1967
box 5, folder 24
Nadeau, Maurice,
The History of Surrealism
1965
box 5, folder 25
Pratt, William, ed.,
The Imagist Poem
1963
box 5, folder 26
Rimbaud, Arthur,
Rimbaud : complete works, selected letters
1966
box 6, folder 1
Rosemont, Franklin, & Schlechter, Duvall,
The Apple of the Automatic Zebra's Eye
1971
box 6, folder 2
Rosemont, Franklin,
The Morning of a Machine Gun
1968
box 6, folder 3
Rosemont, Penelope,
Athanor
1971
box 6, folder 4
Schwartz, Stephen,
A Sleepwalker's Guide to San Francisco
1983
box 6, folder 5
Shattuck, Roger,
The Banquet Years
1961
box 6, folder 6
Snyder, Gary,
The Back Country
1968
box 6, folder 7
Torregian, Sotère,
The Wounded Mattress
1970
box 6, folder 8
Tzara, Tristan,
13 Poems
1969
box 6, folder 9
Valaoritis, Nanos,
Hired Hieroglyphs
1971
box 6, folder 10
Whalen, Philip,
On Bear's Head
1971
box 6, folder 11
Antinarcissus
Special Issue: Surrealist Conquest
1969
box 6, folder 12
Evergreen Review
Vol.4, No.13: What is 'Pataphysics?
1960
box 6, folder 13
Radical America
Special Issue: Surrealism in the Service of the Revolution
1970
Series 7
Photographs
Scope and Content
This series contains photographs of Pete Winslow throughout his life, with his family, and in professional settings.
box 7, folder 2
As a young man
circa 1951-1956
box 7, folder 3
Pete, Jane, and Peter
1962-1972
box 7, folder 4
Professional life and portraits
1964-1968
Series 8
Audio recordings
Physical Description: 11 reel-to-reel tapes, transferred onto 12 CDs
Scope and Content
This series contains audio recordings of Pete Winslow's poetry readings, both by himself and with other performers. Some of
the tapes also contain home recordings of his son Peter as a toddler as well as unrelated content as they were recorded over.
Conditions Governing Access
Researchers may listen to the CD copies of recordings.
box 8, reel 1
Pete's Poop Deck, Seattle, WA
25 October 1958
25 October 1958
General Note
Side 1 includes musical performance by Dennis Doyle and Pete Winslow interviewing 3 year old son Peter in their home on Chestnut
Street in San Francisco, CA with wife Jane in the background, 1971 March 10. Transferred onto two CDs.
box 8, reel 2
Jam session with Jerry Gran, Jim Blitt
1950s-1960s
General Note
Includes Pete Winslow's poetry reading accompanied by soft guitar strumming and coffee can percussion along with solo reading.
Transferred onto two CDs.
box 8, reel 3
Pamir House, Seattle, WA (side 1); No Place (side 2)
approximately 1959-1961
General Note
Side 1 includes Mort Sahl's comedy. Transferred onto two CDs.
box 8, reel 4
The Jabberwock, Berkeley, CA
1965 October-November
General Note
Transferred onto two CDs. Content of side 2 is the same as reel 5.
box 8, reel 5
Three (3) sets, The Jabberwock, Berkeley, CA
1965 November
General Note
Transferred onto one CD. Same content as side 2 of reel 4.
box 8, reel 6
With Robbie Basho, Joe McDonald, The Jabberwock, Berkeley, CA
1965 November
General Note
Side 1 includes poetry reading by Pete Winslow, guitar fingerpicking by Robbie Basho, and singing and guitar-playing by Joe
McDonald. Side 2 consists entirely of unrelated content. Transferred onto two CDs.
box 8, small-box 7
Five (5) small reels, mostly unlabeled
circa 1969
General Note
Includes Pete Winslow talking to his 1 year old son Peter on 1969 May 24. All transferred onto one CD.
