Kenneth Koch papers

ca. 1939-1995

Kenneth Koch was an American poet, playwright, essayist, screenwriter, novelist, and short-story writer. The Kenneth Koch papers document the personal and professional activities of the writer, Kenneth Koch. Holograph and typescript drafts comprise the bulk of the collection. The papers contain holograph manuscripts and typescripts of the author's published and unpublished work (in every genre, including plays, "comics," and games), notes and other material related to the works, Koch's correspondence, photographs, collaborations, material related to his work with children, miscellaneous personal documents, printed material, ephemera, scrapbooks, press cuttings and photocopied reviews of his books, and holograph manuscripts and typescripts of works by other writers (especially Frank O'Hara and John Ashbery). Also included in the papers are 9 boxes of unsorted printed ephemera, and 3 boxes of journals, magazines, and newspapers. The correspondence in the collection is mostly made up of incoming material, of which there are three categories: personal, professional, and fan mail. The personal and professional correspondence is arranged alphabetically by author; within each author's folder letters are arranged by date. Of the personal correspondence and works by others, the most substantial holdings are by "New York School" artists such as Frank O'Hara, John Ashbery, James Schuyler, Larry Rivers, Harry Mathews, Fairfield Porter, and Jane Freilicher. Also noteworthy are letters and works by Koch's former students, Ron Padgett, Frank Lima, Tony Towle, David Shapiro, and Jordan Davis. Also present are publishing contracts and royalty statements for several of Koch's books.