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Guide to the Mark O'Brien Papers, 1968-1999, n.d.
BANC MSS 99/247 c
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Table of contents
Collection Title: Mark O'Brien Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1968-1999, n.d.
Collection Number: BANC MSS 99/247 c
Creator:
O'Brien, Mark,
1949-1999
Extent:
Number of containers: 6 boxes, 1 oversize folder
Linear feet: 2.5 2 digital objects
Linear feet: 2.5 2 digital objects
Repository: The
Bancroft Library.
Berkeley, California 94720-6000
Abstract: Consists of the body of O'Brien's professional work as a poet and journalist. The papers include unpublished and published
poems, books, articles, short stories, and speeches, as well as O'Brien's undergraduate and graduate school assignments.
Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Languages Represented:
English
Collection is open for research.
Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts
must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft
Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which
must also be obtained by the reader.
[Identification of item], Mark O'Brien Papers, BANC MSS 99/247 c, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
"Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien," VIDEO/C 4841 in Moffitt Library Media Center, U.C. Berkeley.
Additional related collections may be found under the corporate author heading, "Disabled Persons' Independence Movement,"
in U.C. Berkeley's online catalog.
Photographs have been transferred to the Pictorial Collections of The Bancroft Library.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Poliomyelitis.
Iron lung.
Euthanasia.
People with disabilities.
Authors, American--California--Berkeley.
Journalists--California--Berkeley.
Poets, American--California--Berkeley.
People with disabilities--Sexual behavior.
College students with disabilities--California--Berkeley.
People with disabilities in literature.
People with disabilities and the arts.
Poems.
Autobiographies.
Eulogies.
Erotica.
Manuscripts for publication.
Index Terms Related to this Collection
Online Archive of California.
Disability Rights and Independent Living Movement collection.
The Mark O'Brien Papers were given to The Bancroft Library by Mark O'Brien in increments over the period of April 1998 through
March 1999. Additional materials were received in March 2000.
| 1949 | Born to Helen Agnes Kelly and Walter O'Brien, Boston, Mass. |
| 1951 | Brother Kenneth born. |
| 1953 | Sister Karen born. |
| 1955 | Contracts poliomyelitis and is comatose for thirty days. Spends the next two years in Children's Hospital and Wellesley Convalescent Hospital. |
| 1961 | Karen dies of pneumonia. |
| 1963 | Has spinal fusion surgery. Sister Rachel born. |
| 1966 | O'Brien family moves to Sacramento, Calif. |
| 1968 | Receives high school diploma. |
| 1976 | Moves to Kaiser Hospital, Vallejo, Calif., for physical therapy in preparation for attending the University of California at Berkeley as part of the Disabled Students Program. Transfers to Fairmont Hospital in San Leandro, Calif. |
| 1977 | Begins course work at California State University, Hayward in January. |
| 1978 | Accepted to U.C. Berkeley in June. Moves into Davidson Hall, a campus dormitory. |
| 1979 | Moves to an apartment off-campus. |
| 1980 | Acquires first electric wheelchair. |
| 1982 | Graduates from U.C. Berkeley with a B.A. in English literature in June. Begins graduate studies at U.C. Berkeley's School of Journalism. Publishes first article, "How I Became A Human Being," in CoEvolution Quarterly. |
| 1983 | Leaves graduate school. Begins professional career as a journalist and poet. O'Brien writes for the Pacific News Service and contributes to CoEvolution Quarterly (which later becomes Whole Earth Review), The Disability Rag, The Fessenden Review, Frisko, Margin, Mouth: the voice of disability, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, and The Sun, among others. |
| 1988-1993 | Receives grants from the Ingram Merrill Foundation; concentrates on writing poetry. |
| 1990 | Publishes first edition of Breathing: Poems by Mark O'Brien. |
| 1994 | Cover story of the July 31 Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine is devoted to O'Brien. Helen O'Brien dies in September. |
| 1995 | Works with documentary film maker Jessica Yu. The film, "Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien," premieres in December. |
| 1996 | Berkeley City Council declares Mark O'Brien Day on August 3. |
| 1997 | "Breathing Lessons" wins an Oscar from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Best Documentary Short Subject in March. O'Brien delivers commencement speech for U.C. Berkeley's Department of English in May. |
| 1999 | Dies in his home in Berkeley on July 4, from complications of bronchitis. |
The Mark O'Brien Papers, 1968-1999, consist of the body of O'Brien's professional work as a poet and journalist. The papers
include unpublished and published poems, books, articles, short stories, and speeches, as well as O'Brien's undergraduate
and graduate school assignments.
O'Brien contracted poliomyelitis when he was six years old and relied on an iron lung to help him breathe for much of the
rest of his life. He strove to live life on his own terms, attending the University of California, Berkeley and earning a
bachelor's degree in English. O'Brien attended U.C. Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism for a year but did not complete
a degree. After leaving the School of Journalism, O'Brien worked as a journalist and poet. Because O'Brien could not use his
hands, his drafts are typescripts (he could type using a mouth stick). Some of his work was dictated; some of his school assignments
were transcribed by note takers and attendants.
O'Brien's poetry demonstrates a wide range of subject matter, tone, and form. His poems range from explorations of the most
personal issues of his own life, to musings about baseball and spoofs of his favorite television shows. He also experimented
with a variety of poetic forms: sonnets, haiku, free verse, and limericks are represented in his work.
O'Brien's prose also covers a broad range of subject matter, tone, and form. Early in his career he experimented with writing
a political novel,
The Contender; in 1997, he finished his autobiography,
How I Became a Human Being. O'Brien's articles include some of his journalistic work, including his interview with Stephen Hawking and his ground breaking
account drawn from his own experience, "On Seeing a Sex Surrogate." His short stories range from fictionalized autobiography
to science fiction. O'Brien's speeches include the eulogy he wrote for his mother, the speech he gave for the English Department
commencement at U.C. Berkeley in 1997, and a speech he gave to the employees at the law firm of Littler, Mendelson (where
his brother Kenneth is an attorney) after "Breathing Lessons," the short documentary film about his life, won the Academy
Award in 1997. O'Brien also wrote reviews of books, journals, and products.
O'Brien's early beginnings as a writer can be traced through his work at California State University, Hayward and U.C. Berkeley.
Some of the themes he explored in his school assignments he continued to develop as a professional writer. O'Brien's life
and the meaning he held for others is amply demonstrated by the eulogies written by his brother, Kenneth, and film maker Jessica
Yu, director of "Breathing Lessons."
O'Brien's papers do not include records from his personal life, such as correspondence or records from his childhood and family,
although the autobiographical nature of some of his writings does give much information about his personal life. O'Brien is
remembered not only as a writer of great talent but also as an inspiration to disabled people seeking to lead independent
lives.
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Title Date The Accidental Death of Joan Burroughs 1984 Accidental Meter 1981 Accounting 101 1990 Afghandistan [sic] April 1982 After Karen's Party n.d. Almost a Boy n.d. America is Back, Standing Tall April 1988 American Ruins January 1992 Amnesia March 1988 An Amputated Childhood April 1982 and the radio goes February 1980 Another Poem for Jan August 1980 A.M. October 1981 The Archer on the Avenue June 1984 Asian Wisdom May 1998 At Midnight [and] Campus Musicians November 1983 The Attraction November 1984, August 1985 Auf Lederhosen May 1984 August October 1994
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Title Date Beautiful Women December 1991 Becoming Her December 1992 Being Lifted November 1985 Bete-noires [sic] April 1988 Betrayed July 1988 Beyond Words n.d. Bionic Man n.d. A Birthday Poem for a Midsummer Night's Dream Queen 1995 The Blue Ink Hassle March 1982 Boston and Vicinities April 1987 Boucher n.d. Breathing September 1988 Buffaloes September 1997 Bulletins February 1988 The Bunny on the Warner Brothers Shield April 1989
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Title Date Campus at Night n.d. Can Poetry Matter? March 1994 Carla March 1984 Cats February 1998 The Child of Debby and Brian April 1986 Child's Song February, April, June 1985 Christina February 1982 The Closing of the West February 1982 Cockroaches December 1987, February 1988 Colors of the Day April 1988 The Commercials are Frightening December 1993 Communism in the Rain October 1991 Computer Poem January 1989 "Concerned Catholics" n.d. Country of Origin May 1986 Creations July 1995 Cronkite September 1988 Crossing the Wall May 1995
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Title Date Danielle October 1981, January 1982 The Day After I Go Out June 1992 The Days December 1985 Death of Kong December 1987 A Dialogue with Judy September 1980 Didja Hear About . . .? April 1992 The Dirty Little Secret of Western Civ November 1996 The Disappearance July 1987 Disappointment 1983 Division 1991 Dos Equis April 1988 A Dream of Lesbians December 1992 Dreamother March 1997 The Drifter n.d.
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Title Date Earth October 1997 The Ecstasy of Seeing Crowds 1984 Election Night, 1984 . . . November 1994 The Emergency December 1988 The End of Summer October 1986 The Enemy March 1986 Eschatology Rap March 1991 The Explorers February 1982
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Title Date February Blues February 1993 Femininity December 1992 For Clifford Bernel September 1980, January 1982 For John Berryman, 1913-1971 June 1998 fragment #1 April 1990 fragment #2 April 1990 fragment #3 April 1990 fragment #4 April 1990 A Free Hand February-April 1986 Free Man Liberates Paris July 1996 The French Attendant's Question November 1984
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Title Date good morning america July 1986 The Good Years March 1992 The Gospel According to a Confused Passerby June 1988 Graduation Day n.d. Gratitude July 1988 The Great War June 1988 Greg November 1981 Grey September 1990 The Guys in My Hospital Room November 1984
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Title Date Haiku, Group One November 1985 Haiku, Group Two April 1986 Hanging On By n.d. Hank Makes the Call n.d. Healing July 1986 Heisenberg's Dream January 1987 Hero n.d. The Hero's Journey September 1997 Hood July 1992 How I Survived Childhood October 1995 How to Operate Your Futon Frame [1996] Humble Ambitions December 1996
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Title Date I Love Ricky: A Television Revision November 1993 I Met a Man Who Tried to Sell Me; Ives's Second Symphony; I Think That I Shall Never Write; Prufrock Visits Yankee Stadium; Intelligence; Funeral Wishes May 1982 If June 1997 If Berkeley is a City by the Bay n.d. Imported Nobility November 1981 In Bishop Berkeley's Town July 1986 In December, the Fan Looks Forward to Spring December 1982 Information November 1993 In Saint Catherine's Home for the Hopelessly Crippled 1987 Iron Lung Blues May 1995
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Title Date Jingle June 1994 Joaquin March 1982 Journal October 1993 Journal Entry November 1996 Journey February 1993 Judy, 1977 November 1994
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Title Date Karen January 1984 KCBS August 1981 Kennedy October 1994 Kilgore Trout's Long Planned Revenge [and excerpts] 1990 Kira's Song October 1997
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Title Date Laboratory June 1986 laid back June 1981 The Last Request of Robert Kennedy September 1980 The Laughter of Death May 1995 Learning How to Drive Again October 1981 Leavetaking July 1993 Lennon 1982 Lessons March 1998 letter to a social worker 1991 Lifestyles of the Blind and Paralyzed April 1991 Limerick #1 June 1984 Limerick #2-6 November 1985 Limon November 1981 Linda, 1983 February 1993 Listening to KPFA on a Sunday Morning January 1992 Love Poem for No One in Particular July 1987 The Lovers July 1997, July 1994
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Title Date Magic Number December 1987 The Mail November 1986 The Man in the Iron Lung March 1988 Map November 1994 Marlene July 1993 Martha's Promise n.d. Mary Lea and the Sixteenth of July November 1981 Mary Lea, 1979 March 1994 Metromania November 1981 Mickey January 1994 Miguel March 1982 Mister Death December 1991 Mrs. Garcia January 1982 Mrs. Stephens 1983 Moon December 1997 The Morning Routine January 1990 Murder Will In September 1989 My Kitchen August 1980 My Last Jan Poem January 1987 My Mobile July 1980 My Mouthstick April 1992 My Other Life January 1995
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Title Date The News June 1997 Night Strike November 1985 Nina March 1984 Nixon: A Zombie Romance June 1989 No, We Weren't Lovers August 1995 November Twenty-third November 1986
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Title Date Object of Desire July 1995 The Oliver North Story, Starring Charlie Sheen February 1989 On My Pillow February 1994 on telegraph n.d. One Nation August 1995 The Orange County Tales January 1987 Out of Place October 1981
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Title Date The Package May 1992 A Panda's Universe November 1984 Passive Voice n.d. Patmos October 1990 Pearl December 1980 The Peasant's Poetry October 1981 Pegasus n.d. Peter Sellers was the Wrong Actor November 1983 Phonetic Frenetic Poetic April 1998 Photo Album April 1984 Picnic July 1988 A Poem for a Wedding December 1980 A Poem for Alicia February 1995 A Poem for Avril June 1982 A Poem for Debby June 1980 A Poem for Jan August 1980 A Poem for the Dream Queen Written Upon the Occasion of April Fool's Day n.d. A Poem for the Dream Queen Written Upon the Occasion of March n.d. A Poem for the Dream Queen Written Upon the Occasion of May ( see Rough Wind Do Shake the Darling Buds of May) 1995 A Poem for the Dream Queen Written Upon the Occasion of the Feast Day of Saint Valentine 1995 A Poem for the Dream Queen Written Upon the Occasion of the First Anniversary of Her Manifestation to Picasso Man n.d. Poetry's Progress November 1981 Por Enio y Becky January 1987 A Portrait of the Lady July 1995 The Punishment Lady May 1995
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Title Date Questions I Feared the Journalist Would Ask October 1994 Questions of a Descendant n.d.
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Title Date Rachel's Patient n.d. Rainy Day November 1981 Randomness December 1984 rant 1/14/90 January 1990 rant 3/16/90 March 1990 rant 1.9.91 January 1991 Reactions February 1986 Red Sox June 1997 Remembering Her June 1998 Reruns April 1998 Reverie March 1982 Rob's Song November 1997 The Rockefeller Loop n.d. Rough Winds Do Shake the Darling Buds of May: A Poem for the Dream Queen Written Upon the Occasion of May 1995 The Rower March 1987 Rules December 1988 Running May 1995
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Title Date Saint Patrick's Day 1984 Ste. Anne de Beaupré; The Boston and Nevada Sandwich Trading Company, Inc. January 1982 SF to Crack Down on People September 1988 Scene of the Accident n.d. Serial Killer July 1986 Shattuck Avenue in Time of War January 1991 Shreds and Threads June 1985 Sidewalk Cafe at Night August 1985 Single Helix and WimWam Go to the Movies May 1997 Sir: n.d. Snake October 1991 Social Security Becomes User Friendly April 1998 A Song for the Child of Brenduchka and Avico 1983 A Song of Joy December 1980 Sonnet #1 March 1993 Sonnet #2 March 1993 Sonnet #3 n.d. Sonnet #4 n.d. Stalker April 1986 Star-Gazer April 1982 Steve and Harry Do the Game December 1996 Stir February 1992 Streetperson December 1989 Strike Out May 1997 Success December 1996 Suggestions for My Obituary April 1998 Sunlight February 1987 The Supreme Soviet Views "Coming Home" September 1988 Surfaces April 1984
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Title Date Talents February 1992 A Test of Nerve n.d. They Take Paradise November 1989 This is the Poem You Are Now Reading March 1992 This must be '47, there she is! April 1984 Three Reasons to Live May 1995 The Three Stooges Meet Ronald Reagan and Learn Arabic July 1987 A Time for Cursing July 1988 Tongue June 1991 Travels with Jo June 1991 The Trees June 1981 The Trees; The Infinite Improbability Device June 1981 Trio n.d. Trixie January 1981 Two Cats February 1988 Two Sisters June 1997
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Title Date Unexpected Visitors July 1986 Unreconstructed November 1994
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Title Date A Valentine for Susan n.d. Variations on I Wish I Could Kill Myself February 1992 Victim April 1992 Victory Chant September [1991?] Visions of the Nation-State in Decline February 1994
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Title Date Walkers March 1992 Wall Street Week October 1987 Walled In December 1983 Wally Shows the Beaver How To Jerk Off January 1989 Waltz September 1993 Watching Television November 1986 WELL Renga #1 December 1986 WELL Renga #2 n.d Wesley November 1996 What can you do with a pain in the gut
[and other poems]September 1982 What's This Noise Inside My Head? May 1985 What Plato Thought February 1984 Wheelchair May 1998 When He's Out of the Tank, He's Out of His Mind April 1998 When I Saw You on the Today Show December 1997 When You Enter September 1996 Whistling April 1993 Who Rules America? March 1995 Why I Love Classical Music July 1995 Why is It? June 1997 WimWam and Single Helix Discuss the Old Days March 1998 WimWam and Single Helix Talk Dirty November 1997 A Word Collage for Mary Lea n.d. Words Frequently Seen in Poems April 1987 Writing Poetry 1982
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Title Date Your Absence November 1981
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Title Date Zeno's Paradox Denied February 1984