Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Steinbeck, John, 1902-1968
- Abstract:
- This collection contains 74 proprietary SoundScriber audio discs featuring dictation of drafts of John Steinbeck's fiction and non-fiction writing composed in the late 1940s. The discs' audio content was recorded by the author between 1947 and 1950. Longer scripts featured in dictation include a full draft of The Wayward Bus (1947) (24 discs), significant portions of A Russian Journal (1948) (17 discs), segments of Cannery Row adapted into screenplay (4 discs), the unpublished stage/screenplay The Last Joan (7 discs), and both manuscript dictation and notes on historical background for the screenplay Viva Zapata! (13 discs). Smaller scripts featured in dictation include a story for Ladies' Home Journal (which heavily discusses material related to A Russian Journal) (1 disc), "The Witches of Salem (a short synopsis of an idea for a motion-picture)" (1 disc), and unpublished short story "The Bettencourt" (1 disc). The collection also includes 4 blank SoundScriber discs, a test record created by John Steinbeck (1 disc), and an audio memo sent to John Steinbeck from H. S. Ford of the SoundScriber company (1 undersize disc).
- Extent:
- .4 Linear Feet (1 document box, 74 audio discs)
- Language:
- English .
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of Item], John Steinbeck Soundscriber Discs papers, Mss 164. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Background
- Acquisition information:
- Gift of Mark B. Maxson and Mary M. Burchill, 2024.
- Arrangement:
-
This collection is arranged by titles of Steinbeck's works.
- Material specific details:
- Discs have been digitized. There are points of skipping and surface noise on most of the soundscriber discs.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
This collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
-
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of Item], John Steinbeck Soundscriber Discs papers, Mss 164. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
- Location of this collection:
-
UC Santa Barbara LibrarySanta Barbara, CA 93106-9010, US
- Contact:
- (805) 893-3062