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History of the Collection | Biographical Sketch | Series Descriptions | Inventory | Additional Resources

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History of the Collection

The Robert Taylor Papers were a gift of Robert Taylor to Oberlin College Special Collection in 2016.

Biographical Sketch

Biographical Sketch of Robert Taylor [PDF]

Series Descriptions

Series I. Writings by Robert Taylor, 1964-1967, 1988-2006 (6.2 l.f.)

This series contains the writings of Robert Taylor, and is organized into four sections: Novels and Collected Short Stories, Nonfiction Essays and Short Pieces, Unpublished Writings, and Remarks Given at Readings. The writings include manuscript and typescript drafts of all five of Taylor’s published novels and collected short stories. The drafts often contain edits and revisions, which showcase the editing processes of both Taylor and his publishers. Some drafts contain working titles. All We Have Is Now was originally titled, Our Revels Now Are Ended, and A Few Hints and Clews was initially called Then and Now: Creating a Life and Do You Take This Man?

Also included are the research materials Taylor consulted when preparing to write. The materials for Taylor’s first novel, The Innocent, contain Taylor’s wartime correspondence from Vietnam. These letters are not organized with other correspondence in Series II due to their significant relationship to the topic of the novel.

The nonfiction essays and short pieces are included in the volumes or books in which they were published, except for “The Story of an Almost Marriage,” which is a typescript copy of the story that was published in I Do/I Don’t: Queers on Marriage, an anthology published by Suspect Thoughts Press in San Francisco, California, in 2004.

Series II. Correspondence, 1991-2007 (0.75 l.f.)

The correspondence is primarily related to Taylor’s work as a writer. It includes both letters and emails, which Taylor printed out. The series is organized into four sections: Correspondence with Agents and Publicists, Correspondence with Publishers, Correspondence Regarding Readings, Awards, and Literary Festivals, and Personal Correspondence. The letters and emails provide significant information about the process of becoming a published writer, and document his work with agents, publicists, and publishers. There is a small amount of personal correspondence, which contains letters and emails from Taylor’s friends and fans.

Series III. Printed Materials, 1981-1986, 1997-2008 (0.75 l.f.)

These materials include booklets and magazines, promotional materials, newspaper clippings, and reviews of Taylor’s work. Also included are several reviews of other authors, written by Taylor.

Series IV. Financial and Legal Documents, 2001-2008 (0.1 l.f.)

This small series includes a selection of royalty statements and contracts. The royalty statements provide information about the sales of Taylor’s books. Also included are Taylor’s contract with Puckerbrush Press for Revelation and Other Stories, with The Haworth Press for Whose Eye Is On Which Sparrow?, with St. Martin’s Press for All We Have Is Now, and with the Greenwood Publishing Group for his entry in the Encyclopedia of Contemporary LGBTQ Literature of the United States.

Inventory

Inventory of the Robert Taylor Papers [PDF]

Additional Resources

Novels and Collected Short Stories by Robert Taylor

(listed chronologically)

Nonfiction Essays and Short Pieces by Robert Taylor

(listed chronologically)

Robert Taylor’s website:

http://roberttaylor-author.com/

Email Robert Taylor:

rtaylor@oberlin.edu