Research Catalog

Title

John Updike file from the Lord John Press.

Author

Updike, John.

Publication

Beverly Farms, Mass. ; Northbridge, Calif. ; 1976-2003

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Roth, Arnold, 1929- .
• Updike, John.
• Yellin, Herb.
• Lord John Press. Publisher.

Description

10 manuscript boxes and one packet of oversize material.

Summary

• For almost 30 years, John Updike maintained a professional and personal relationship with Herb Yellin (1935-2014), proprietor and founder, in 1976, of the Lord John Press. Yellin published fine press editions of many of Updike’s stories and poems. Their professional relationship soon developed into a warm friendship, and Updike even asked Yellin, who was familiar with Los Angeles and Hollywood, to supply and clarify details about the city’s neighborhoods and their socio-economic characteristics and sub-cultures for a fictional work that Updike was writing. Updike’s letters combine the personal, literary, and professional, and reveal his appreciation of Yellin’s careful attention to typographic excellence and book design. Even Updike’s postcards are replete with substantive content, as are the letters. The galleys and proofs, as well as several typescripts, show Updike reworking his material and becoming deeply engaged in typographic and design decisions, as well as the commercial aspects of marketing fine press editions.
• For the website Words Without End, Yellin wrote the following of his press, its name, and its connection to Updike: “The most asked question over the years has been how did I come up with Lord John Press as a name. Well, it was relatively simple. I work with yellow legal pads as a best friend and make lists of names or ideas until something jells. I listed the authors that I wanted to work with: Updike, Barth, Fowles, Gardner, Cheever, Hawkes and they were all named John so that was easy and then I added “Lord” to marry Great Britain and America. It was like naming a child and now when I see Lord John Press in print, it is just like seeing my own name and I still get a rush when it appears in print or someone else's article. It was also a kind of homage to John Updike because one of the rooms in my home is devoted to his work.”

Subjects

• Updike, John > Manuscripts
• Authors and publishers > United States > 20th century > Correspondence

Note

• The finding aid is arranged in seven series: Series 1: Works by John Updike; Series 2: Correspondence by John Updike to Herb Yellin; Series 3: Checks issued and received by John Updike; Series 4: The John Updike Newsletters (edited by Herb Yellin) and Assorted Other Papers; Series 5: Photocopies of Correspondence of Herb Yellin to John Updike, With Related Material and Photographs; Series 6: Film Adaptations of Updike’s Works; Series 7: John Updike Broadsides, with Related Correspondence by Updike and Herb Yellin; Series 8: John Updike Oversize Broadsides, Poster, Drawing.
• Group of oversize items (see Series 8) separately housed in +++ Updike L67 1976.

Access (note)

• Restricted access;

Call Number

Berg Coll m.b. Updike L67 1976

OCLC

933565831

Author

Updike, John.

Title

John Updike file from the Lord John Press.

Imprint

Beverly Farms, Mass. ; Northbridge, Calif. ; 1976-2003

Access

Restricted access; request permission in holding division.

Connect to:

Request access to this item in the Berg Collection

Finding Aid

Added Author

Roth, Arnold, 1929- . Artist

Updike, John. Addressee

Yellin, Herb.

Yellin, Herb. Addressee

Lord John Press. Publisher.

Research Call Number

Berg Coll m.b. Updike L67 1976