Jane Hamilton Papers, 1983-2000

By Jane Hamilton & Tom Lamb

Collection Overview

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Biographical Note

Administrative Information

Box and Folder Listing

Series 1: The Book of Ruth

Folder 1: “The Fruit Cakes and the Cane”, 1983

From Hamilton: First Drafts of The Fruit Cakes and the Cane, the story that became The Book of Ruth. Written in approx. 1983.

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 2: Correspondence with Ticknor & Fields editor, 1987-1988

From Hamilton: Correspondence with Katrina Kenison, editor at Ticknor & Fields, editor of The Book of Ruth. 1987-8. And 2 letters from the Ticknor Copy copy-editing department.

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 3: Racine Journal Times article, 1983

From Hamilton: Racine Journal Times article, 1983, reporting of the murder in Town of Dover, Wisconsin, that inspired The Book of Ruth.

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 4: Correspondence and press involving Oprah Book Club for The Book of Ruth

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 5: Rejection letters; correspondence from David Shields

From Hamilton: Two rejections from Abigail Thomas, who worked for the Liz Darhansoff Literary Agency and other rejections from agents. Also a letter about the book from the writer David Shields.

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 6: Correspondence from Elizabeth Weinstein

From Hamilton: Two Letters from Elizabeth Weinstein, (Betsy), about the Book of Ruth. List of agents that Betsy sent to me after doing a workshop. I worked down the list, got rejected by all until the last name, Amanda Urban.

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 7: Outline

From Hamilton: Spiral notebook, looks to be an outline ...

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 8: Early character explorations

From Hamilton: Bundle of Three Files. Early character explorations. Bits from the point of view of May, Jem (later called Ruby), Matt, Daisy.

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 9: Scribbles, notes, and corrections

From Hamilton: Scribbles, notes, made during the process. And sheet of corrections from Bob Willard.

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 10: Screenplay

From Hamilton: Screenplay by Suzette Couture for The Book of Ruth, with letter in back by JH with suggestions. (Made for TV movie, 2004.)

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 11: Contracts & Correspondence

From Hamilton: Contracts, The Book of Ruth. Correspondence with Amanda Urban in relation to The Book of Ruth.

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 12: Reviews of The Book of Ruth

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 13: Draft of the first chapter submitted for Wisconsin Arts Board Grant

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 14: Correspondence

From Hamilton: Correspondence with writers Joan Chase and Louise Eldritch. Also, a letter from bookseller and later friend, Susan Mayall.

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 15: Chapter 2, draft 1

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 16: Chapter 2, draft 2

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 17: Draft 2 - incomplete

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 18: Draft 3

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Folder 19: Draft 3

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Folder 20: Draft 4 - incomplete

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Folder 21: Draft 5 - incomplete

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Folder 22: Draft 6 - incomplete

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Folder 23: Draft 7 - incomplete

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Folder 24: Draft 8 - incomplete

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Folder 25: Draft with copyeditor's notes

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Folder 26: Draft with copyeditor's notes

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Folder 27: Draft with copyeditor's notes

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Folder 28: Draft odds and ends, stray bits

Container ID: Box 1

Folder 29: Royalty statements

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Folder 30: Draft 9 - incomplete

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Folder 31: Draft 9 - incomplete

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Folder 32: Draft 10 - incomplete

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Folder 33: Draft 10 - incomplete

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Folder 34: Draft 11 - incomplete

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Folder 35: Draft 11 - incomplete

Container ID: Box 2

Item 1: Medallion from Wisconsin Library Association - Banta Award, 1989

Container ID: Box 1

Item 2: Bound draft - The Book of Ruth

Container ID: Box 2

Item 3: Bound draft - Ruth Grey Dahl

Container ID: Box 2

Item 4: Bound draft - Come Riddle Me, Riddle Me

Container ID: Box 2

Series 2: A Map of the World

Folder 1: Clipping and brochure

Page from the United Mine Workers Journal, 1976, including an image of The Gem of Egypt important to the character "Howard." Brochure entitled "The Dedication of Racine County's" Law Enforcement Center" 1980.

Container ID: Box 2

Folder 2: Partial drafts of early versions

Container ID: Box 2

Folder 3: Partial drafts of early versions

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Folder 4: Partial drafts of early versions

Container ID: Box 2

Folder 5: Partial draft of early versions

Container ID: Box 2

Folder 6: Draft of another plotline version

Container ID: Box 2

Folder 7: Early draft of Alice section 1

Container ID: Box 2

Folder 8: Early draft of Alice section 3

Container ID: Box 3

Folder 9: Early draft of Alice section 3

Container ID: Box 3

Folder 10: Early draft of Alice sections

Container ID: Box 3

Folder 11-13: "Various fumblings"

From Hamilton: Miscellaneous sections that are impossibly mixed up. It's a big file called Various Fumblings.

Container ID: Box 3

Folder 14: Notes

loose and bound

Container ID: Box 3

Folder 15: Howard sections - early drafts

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Folder 16: Howard sections - early drafts

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Folder 17: Howard sections - early drafts

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Folder 18: Howard sections - early drafts

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Folder 19: Howard sections - early drafts

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Folder 20: Howard sections - early drafts

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Folder 21: Howard section

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Folder 22-24: Draft - mostly complete

Container ID: Box 3

Folder 25-27: Draft

Container ID: Box 4

Folder 28-30: Edited manuscript

From Hamilton: Pencil markings by editor Deb Futter, red pencil style editor or copy editor. They who go unnamed. Or unheralded, more like.

Container ID: Box 4

Folder 31-33: Copy of Hamilton's corrections to typeset draft

Container ID: Box 4

Folder 34-36: Proofs from Doubleday

Container ID: Box 4

Folder 37-39: Proofs from Doubleday

Container ID: Box 4

Folder 40: Black dialect instructional

Container ID: Box 4

Folder 41-42: Reviews

Container ID: Box 4

Folder 43-44: Letters from readers

From Hamilton: Including large envelope from Carol Samson, teacher at Columbine High School in Colorado-one of my favorites.

Container ID: Box 4

Folder 45: Outline

From Hamilton: Written at the point that I realized Howard had to have a voice in the book, and that there would be three sections.

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 46: Letters by Hamilton explaining why she wrote A Map of the World

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 47: Correspondence regarding permission to use quotes

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 48: First draft of screenplay by Janet Dulin Jones

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 49: First draft of screenplay by Peter Hedges

From Hamilton: The ultimate write of the screenplay

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 50: The Oprah Winfrey Show bookclub for A Map of the World

From Hamilton: Materials relating to Oprah Show book club for Map of The World, 2000. Including letters from "guests"-readers who were hoping to be on the show, or already were accepted. I'm not sure. Notes to myself in preparation for the taping of the show. A stab, first draft, of my thank you note to Oprah.

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 51: Correspondence with Oprah Winfrey, 1996

From Hamilton: My Letter to Oprah and the reply from Oprah, 1996, following her being honored at the National Book Award ceremony in New York City.

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 52: Contract with Doubleday, 1993

Container ID: Box 5

Series 3: The Short History of a Prince

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 1: Hand-written notes

From Hamilton: Crumpled up notes that look to me like the first ideas for the book, organization-alternating time with every chapter. And for some reason some figures about money and best seller bonus -- ??

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 2: Letter to Uncle Howard re: Glen Carrie

From Hamilton: Letter to my Uncle Howard, Uncle Noh, I call him, 1992, hoping to persuade him not to sell the lake house, Glen Carrie, or not to demand an exchange of money from his family members. This is a plot point in the Short History.

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 3: Three short stories

From Hamilton: Three short stories, very rough/unfinished, that served as springboards into the book one way or another. "The Fall of the Holy Roman Empire", "Prince", "Health Valley, 1968."

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 4: Notes; miniature furniture

From Hamilton: Various notes taken along the way, a very small portion of a copy of a book on making furniture in miniature.

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 5: Draft 1, incomplete

From Hamilton: As best as I can tell first draft-ish materials.

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 6: Draft 2, incomplete

From Hamilton: I suspect I didn't actually get to the end before I went on to Draft Three.

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 7: Draft 3, part 1

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 8-9: Draft 3, part 2

Folder 10-12: Draft 4

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 13-15: Draft 5

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 16-19: Drafts 6 and 7

From Hamilton: Draft Six with a bit of Draft Seven. Don't know if the rest of Draft Seven ever existed.

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 20-22: Ragdale draft

From Hamilton: Do not know the sequence of this but it appears to be coming together to the final draft. (The Ragdale Foundation is the artist residency community in Lake Forest, Illinois.)

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 23-25: Setting copy

With edits by Deb Futter

Container ID: Box 5

Folder 26-27: Rough master

Container ID: Box 6

Folder 28: Edits for Deb Futter

Folder 29: Correspondence with Deb Futter

From Hamilton: Correspondence with Deb Futter about disclaimer, (and also concern by me that I've taken some of the edits in File Four too far); letter by JH to Leslie 0., lawyer for Random House; examples sent to me of disclaimers.

Container ID: Box 6

Folder 30: Covers

From Hamilton: Possible covers all of which I rejected.

Container ID: Box 6

Folder 31: Correspondence re: Random House and Doubleday

From Hamilton: Correspondence between Amanda Urban, Jack Hoeft, Marty Asher, Betsy Lerner RE: my getting out of my Doubleday contract to follow Deb Futter, who left her job at Doubleday to go to Random House. There was a shake up and many people left Doubleday.

Container ID: Box 6

Folder 32: Correspondence, contract, etc.

From Hamilton: Contract with Transworld Publishers (Doubleday UK); correspondence with Marianne Velmans, several reviews, and a new cover for The Book of Ruth

Container ID: Box 6

Folder 33: Questions and answers for the Dutch translation

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Folder 34: Foreign contracts

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Folder 35: Correspondence about the audio version

Container ID: Box 6

Folder 36: Contract for the movie

From Hamilton: It was never made

Container ID: Box 6

Folder 37: Letter from Betsy Weinstein

From Hamilton: With suggestions and approbation

Container ID: Box 6

Folder 38: Correspondence outlining the novel

From Hamilton: Letter I wrote to Amanda Urban and to Deb Futter outlining The Short History of a Prince for the purposes of getting an advance.

Container ID: Box 6

Folder 39: Book tour, 1998

Schedule and correspondence

Container ID: Box 6

Folder 40-41: Reviews and interviews

Container ID: Box 6

Item 1: La Brève Histoire d'un Prince (French version)

Container ID: Box 6

Item 2: De Kleine Geschiedenis van Een Prins (Dutch version)

Container ID: Box 6

Series 4: Disobedience

Container ID: Boxes 6 & 7

Folder 1: Short story attempt

From Hamilton: First idea of Disobedience called Reconstruction

Folder 2: Draft 1

Folder 3: Draft 1

Folder 4: Draft 2

Hamilton note: Bits and pieces.

Folder 5: Draft 2

Hamilton note: Bits and pieces.

Folder 6: Draft 3

Folder 7: Draft 3

Folder 8: Draft 3

Folder 9: Notes

From Hamilton: some correspondenc related to research and etc. in relation to research

Folder 10: Draft 4

Folder 11: Draft 4

Folder 12: Draft 5

Folder 13: Draft 5

Folder 14: Books, playing cards for research

Folder 15: Research Materials

Includes a map of Shiloh National Park to which Hamilton traveled in researching her novel.

Folder 16: Helpful periodicals

Folder 17: Permission to Quote from 'The Kiss'

Folder 18: Master Copy with Corrections

Folder 19: Master Copy with Corrections

Folder 20: Contracts

Folder 21: Copy Editing Notes

Folder 22: Reviews

Folder 23: Reviews

Folder 24: Reviews

Folder 25: Correspondence about Disobedience

Folder 26: Fall Tour 2000

Folder 27: Fall Tour 2001

From Hamilton: Fall tour, 2001 - which began and ended in Boston on 9/10 - September 11 happened, I was on my way to a radio interview, the streets of downtown Boston were closed off - what was happening? I could not get home for about a week, ending up renting a car when one became available, drove home, not an airplane in th sky. Comradery at rest stops. It was weird and wonderful in its way. Cousin Carleton Fyfe, father of Carleton grad Jim Fyfe, named for Carleton College, was killed on flight 11, Boston to LA.

Folder 28: Copy-edited Version

From Hamilton: Copy-edited version, of interest possibly because now all this happens online. This version occurs before the Master Copy, I'm pretty sure. There were many other passes which I did not include - for anyone interested in publishing at that time. First proofs, second proofs, final. With very minor adjustments.

Series 5: Essays, Reviews, and Talks

Container ID: Box 8

Folder 1: Aren't We A Pair

From Hamilton: Essay written for photogrpher Melissa Pinney's book of photos/essays called TWO

Folder 2: The Reading Circuit

From Hamilton: Unpublished essay, draft, about The Reading Circuit

Folder 3: Washington Post, 2006

From Hamilton: Review of Julia Glass novel which I pulled when I found I could not write positively about the book.

Folder 4: Hair, 2006

From Hamilton: Essay about Hair for Allure

Folder 5: Technology, 2006

From Hamilton: Essay about Technology for Speakeasy

Folder 6: Kirstin Valdes Quade, 2018

From Hamilton: Essay written about Kristin Valdez Quade's short story Jubilee for Jackson Bryer collection, Why I Like This Story

Folder 7: Review of After This, 2006

For Washington Post

Folder 8: Aerobics

Unpublished

Folder 9: National Kidney Foundation talk, 2003

San Francisco

Folder 10: American Library Association talk

Folder 11: Piano Recital

From Hamilton: Unpublished, given as a talk many times

Folder 12: Rejected Essay, 1987

Folder 13: Introduction to Allegra Goodman's Family Markowitz, 2012

Folder 14: Cardinal Stritch Commencement Speech, 2001

Folder 15: PBS Frontline's The Farmer's Wife, 1998

From Hamilton: Essay assigned by PBS to comment on Frontline's The Farmer's Wife. PBS was not happy with the piece. I found the portrait of the husband and wife unflattering, and the farmer's life untenable.

Folder 16: Essay

From Hamilton: Essay for Allure? Not sure. I THINK it was published.

Folder 17: The Summer Reading Was Banned, 2015

From Hamilton: Essay for Ann Hood, including finished anthology

Folder 18: On the Road to Material, 2016

In The Lonely Planet Travel Anthology

Folder 19: Rurburbia, 2007

In Wisconsin People & Ideas

Folder 20: Introduction to The Short History of a Prince, 1998

For Franklin Library Edition of The Short History of A Prince

Folder 21: Middles, 2017

In the anthology, Aging

Folder 22: The Zuki, 2009

From Hamilton: Essay on The Zuki coat for Elle, including email from Nora Ephron

Folder 23: NPR Three Books, 2009

Folder 24: Louisa May Alcott, 1997

For Salon magazine

Folder 25: Mud Dog Grows Up, 1988

From Hamilton: Unpublished essay Mother/Daughter, rejection by New York Times

Folder 26: Modern Love, 2009

Folder 27: How Reading Changed My Life

From Hamilton: Essay about reading for Deb Futter. Don;t know where it was used. Something I think for publicity.

Folder 28: When Love Gets in the Way

From Hamilton: Essay about College admission for Jennifer Delahunty anthology

Folder 29: The Mother of Your Dreams, 2002

In Parenting Magazine

Folder 30: My Teacher Crush, 2008

In Hallmark magazine

Folder 31: Music Camp, 2009

From Hamilton: Essay for Oprah Magazine - which features my Carleton classmates

Folder 32: Peril, 1988

In the New York Times

Folder 33: Spending the Sparkle, 2019

For the essay collectin Apple, Tree

Folder 34: The Rainbow Bus to Camp, 1991

In The Milwaukee Journal

Folder 35: In the Matter of Cats and Chickens, 2010

In CLUCK: From Jungle Fowl to City Chicks

Folder 36: Two Short Essays, 2008-2009

From Hamilton: Two very short miscellaneous essyas, one about favorite books. One about Michelle and Barack.

Series 6: When Madeline Was Young

Container ID: Boxes 8 and 9

Folder 1-2: Draft 1, When Madeline Was Young

Folder 3-4: Draft 2

Folder 5-6: Draft 3

Folder 7-8: Completed draft

From Hamilton: First found printed out draft as a completed, thus far, book

Folder 9-10: Draft 5

From Hamilton: Draft Five (ish)

Folder 11-12: Draft ?

From Hamilton: At a certain point my editor, Deb Futter, having read an early draft said, "I think what Madeline needs is a boyfriend." Oh, yes! I knew exactly then what to do - I might have come to that idea in a few years but her saying so was the perfect time. Zing: boyfriend, Mikey O'Day. I've thrown out many intermediary drafts. This is the draft where Mikey appears - he had formerly been known as Donny and was not the boyfriend, I think, is how it goes.

Folder 13-14: Notes, Emails, Cover Trials, Font Trials

From Hamilton: Emails cover music of the time advice, medical info, Vietnam research, Army research

Folder 15-16: Editing Notes

From Hamilton: Deb Futter's editing notes in the manuscript.

Folder 17-18: Second Round of Editing

From Hamilton: Including a disk, a cd, what even are these? With copyediting marks, too.

Folder 19-20: First Reader's set

From Hamilton: First reader's set, just for the heck of it. Omitted second reader's set. It just goes on and on!

Folder 21: Letters about Madeline

Series 7: Laura Rider's Masterpiece

Container ID: Boxes 9 & 10

Folder 1-3: Draft 1, Chapters 1-7

Folder 4-6: Draft 1, Chapters 8-17

Folder 7: August 2007 Draft, 2007

From Hamilton: Draft which I call the First Draft. Which means the first draft that I would show anyone.

Folder 8-9: November 2007 Rewrite, 2007

Folder 10-11: December 2007 Rewrite, 2007

Folder 12: Notes

Folder 13-14: January 2008 Edit, 2008

Folder 15-16: Foul Matter

Folder 17: Study for Midwestern Literature Papers

From Hamilton: Papers given sometime after 2009. One about Ruth, one about Map, one about The Short History, one about Laura Rider. I particularly liked the Laura Rider essay. I haven't come upon any reviews or letters - there were some - but many of them at this point were online, and there were blogs about Laura Rider. Not everyone understood the humor, or realized it was a satire. One review is included in this file.

Item 1-2: Two Books

From Hamilton: Reading the Romance and Abducted used for research.

Series 8: The Excellent Lombards

Container ID: Boxes 10-11

Folder 1-2: Draft 1, September 2011, 2011

Folder 3-4: Draft 2-3

Folder 5-6: Draft 4

Folder 7-8: Draft 5

Folder 9-10: Draft 10, August 2012, 2012

Folder 11-13: December 2012 Draft, 2012

Folder 14-15: June 2013 Draft, 2013

Folder 16-18: November 2013 Draft, 2013

Folder 19-20: December 2014 Draft, 2014

Folder 21-22: March 2015 Draft, 2015

Folder 23: Adele Firth, 2009

From Hamilton: Messing around with the material, some of which becomes the Lombards

Folder 24: Adele Firth, 2009

From Hamilton: Messing around with the material, some of which becomes the Lombards

Folder 25: Adele Firth, 2009

From Hamilton: Messing around with the material, some of which becomes the Lombards

Folder 26: Correspondence About Drafts and Notes

Folder 27: Correspondence About Drafts and Notes

Folder 28: Copy-edited Manuscript

Folder 29: Copy-edited Manuscript

Folder 30: Tour Schedule

From Hamilton:  - my last tour? The end of touring as we know it? Except for big stars? Plus Nytimes review. Plus various Q & A for publicity. And notes for talks about the Lombards.

Series 9: Various

From Hamilton: There is no particular rhyme or reason here-just incidental things. Interviews, invitations-I came upon a box and had to start. Therefore: A miscellaneous collection of talks, invitations, and thanks for the talks which I couldn't bring myself to throw out, still in the pandemic, still isolated in some ways. Also, the stage of life I'm in: did all that actually happen? But, also, there is the pleasure of currating the past. Throwing out everything that had to do with Cookies and Culture in Burlington, Wisconsin, which turned out to be a humiliating evening. For instance, the committee sent a LIMO to pick me up, which was completely unnecessary and sweet, but didn't shedule it for the return trip. What was clear at the event was how most guests would so have preferred to see Tony Romo-who grew up in Burlington, who was not invited, who was not in any way a consideration for a Burlington Arts event.

Folder 1: Invitations

Folder 2: Interviews

Folder 3: Interviews

Folder 4: Interviews

Folder 5: Map of the World Reviews

From Hamilton: Back in the day there was a clipping service and I would get the reviews in the mail.

Series 10: Unpublished

From Hamilton: God awful work. Feel free to toss all of this. From Archivist: We did not toss any of this.

Container ID: Box 11

Folder 1: The Once and Future Nicholas Plumly

I thought, I could write a not great middle grade reader, couldn't I? This project was misguided. The Once and Future Nicholas Plumly. When in 2014 I sent it to a retired children's book editor friend, she said simply. "NO." I include it because it is set in the Nutting House. And because it was a stupid move on my part. Arrogant. Writing children's books is an art and an entirely different skill, which I do not have. I haven't looked at it since 2014. I have no doubt that it is Not At All Any Good. I was working on it at the time I was reading Catherine The Great by Robert K. Massey. Libby Ester, Carleton class of 1979, teacher of 5th grade, read it and wrote notes for a 2012 draft .. Included. There's another letter about from I THINK Elizabeth Weinstein, also Class of '79, my first reader since the days of Crafts of Writing One and Two with Keith Harrison.

Folder 2: The Once and Future Nicholas Plumly

Folder 3: I Want the Girl in the Green Coat, 2012

From Hamilton: This is but one of many many iterations of this novel.

Folder 4: I Want the Girl in the Green Coat, 2012

Folder 5: The Confusion of Mr. and Mrs. Noble, 2008

From Hamilton: A screen play. What was I thinking? No doubt a complete embarrassment. The gatekeepers once again said: NO.

Folder 6: The Apple Farm, 2007

From Hamilton: Screen play by my nephew, Duncan Riddell. Our Wisconsin orchard has affected many people.  Dithered about whether to include.

Folder 7: The Devotion of Lilly Firth to Men, 2009

From Hamilton: A relative of the Adele Firth novel. So many versions of this.

Folder 8: The Devotion of Lilly Firth to Men, 2009

Folder 9: The Devotion of Lilly Firth to Men, 2009

Folder 10: First Novel

From Hamilton: My first attempt at a novel. It was a mess, as I recall, and had no real shape. The early 80's.

Folder 11: First Novel

Folder 12: First Novel

Series z: Jane Hamilton's Indexes and Guides to Papers

Folder 1: Hamilton's comprehensive index to papers donated 2018-06-14

Folder 2: Hamilton's index to papers donated 2019-06-21

Container ID: Box 6

Folder 3: Author's Guide to Series 4-10 - Disobedience; Essays, etc.; When Madeline was Young; Laura Rider's Masterpiece; The Excellent Lombards; Various; Unpublished.