MS 5715
Papers of John Tranter
Scope and Content Note
Papers
1964-1993
3.69 m (26 boxes + 1 folio item)
Restricted until Tranter's death
Papers of John Tranter were first purchased by the Library in August
1977. Further instalments were purchased in December 1988 and February 1989,
and donated under the Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme in May 1993, May
1994, and April 1995. The collection comprises drafts, correspondence, and
publishing material (such as galley proofs, typescripts, and publicity
material) relating to research for and publication of a number of
Tranters works.
There are also drafts of various poems (1983-1993), including
Ariadne on Lesbos, The Subtitles, Condensed Soup
- Four Diversions and a Prose Poem on the Road to a Poetics, and
Yoo-Hoo Fugaces; a script of his play The Man on the Landing
(1968); articles, interviews, and reviews; copies of various magazines that he
has edited, including Poetry Australia, Free Grass and
Transit; and papers relating to his role as poetry editor of The
Bulletin.
Tranter kept his papers in good order, and this arrangement has been
maintained by the Library. The following list of series and additions to the
collection is based on lists received from Tranter.
Biographical Note
John Tranter was born in Cooma, New South Wales, in 1943. He is married
to the literary agent Lyn Tranter, and has two children. Tranter took his
Bachelor of Arts in 1970, majoring in psychology and literature. His career has
spanned printing, publishing, teaching and radio production. Tranter published
Transit magazine in 1968-1969, worked in Singapore as the Asian editor
for Angus & Robertson in 1971-1973, produced ABC Radios national arts
program Helicon in 1987-1988, and was poetry editor for The
Bulletin 1990-1993. He is the founding editor and publisher of
Jacket, a quarterly Internet literary magazine.
Tranters books of poetry include:
- Parallax (1970)
- Red Movie and Other Poems (1972)
- The Blast Area (1974)
- The Alphabet Murders (1975)
- Crying in Early Infancy: 100 sonnets (1977)
- Dazed in the Ladies Lounge (1979)
- Selected Poems (1982)
- Gloria (1986)
- Under Berlin: new poems (1988)
- The Floor of Heaven (1992)
- Days in the Capital (1992)
- At the Florida (1993)
- Gasoline Kisses (1997)
- Late Night Radio (1998)
- Different Hands (1998)
He has also edited:
- The New Australian Poetry (1979)
- Tin Wash Dish: poems from todays Australians (1989)
- The Penguin Book of Modern Australian Poetry (1991, with
Philip Mead)
- Martin Johnston - Selected Poems and Prose (1993)
Tranter has been awarded a number of fellowships from the Literature
Board of the Australia Council, and has been a visiting scholar at various
institutions, including the Faculty of Arts at the Australian National
University, and Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. He won the Grace Leven
Poetry Prize for Under Berlin in 1988, and the Melbourne Age
Poetry Book of the Year award for At the Florida in 1993. A selection of
Tranters poems appears in the Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry
(1988).
Series Description
Original Instalment
15 August 1977
|
Correspondence from writers,
1965-1977 |
| Folder |
|
| 1 |
Correspondence from writers including Robert Adamson, Bruce Beaver,
Robert Bertholf, Walter Billeter, Earle Birney, John Blay, Michael Dransfield,
Margaret Dresendorf, Laurie Duggan, Martin Duwell, John Forbes, Rodney Hall,
and Alison Hill, 1965-1976. |
| 2 |
Correspondence from writers including Kris Hemensley, Jurgis
Janavicius, Alex Josey, Carmel Kelly, Robert Kenny, Rudi Krausmann, Patricia
Laird, Roger McDonald, and Jennifer Maiden, 1969-1976. |
| 3 |
Correspondence from writers including Mike Parr, David Rankin,
Philip Roberts, Graham Rowlands, John A. Scott, Tom Shapcott, R. A. Simpson,
South Head Press, Max Suich, Tim Thorne, Alan Wearne, Lee White, Michael
Wilding, and Edna Wilson, 1965-1977. |
| 4 |
Correspondence from writers, miscellaneous, 1965-1976 |
|
Miscellaneous items of general literary
interest |
| 5 |
Miscellaneous items of general literary interest including copies
of printed Tranter poems, and a copy of The Man on The Landing |
|
Magazines edited by Tranter,
1967-1977 |
| 6-11 |
Magazines, originals, 1967-1977. |
|
The Blast Area (1974) |
| 12 |
Final manuscript, proofs, copy of published book |
| 13 |
Various versions of poems, many not included in the book. |
|
Instalment 19 December 1988 |
|
The New Australian Poetry
(1979) |
| Folder |
|
| 1 |
Drafts of an Australia Council grant application by Martin Duwell,
as well as the response, and a preliminary list of poets and poems in order,
1978. |
| 2 |
Publishing material including papers relating to the launch, drafts
and typescripts of poems included in the anthology, and correspondence between
Clive Faust and Tranter, 1978-1979. |
| 3 |
Correspondence, mainly between Tranter, Clive Faust, Martin Duwell
and various poets included in the anthology, 1977-1984. |
| 3a |
Correspondence with Kris Hemensley, 1977-1979. |
| 4 |
Correspondence between Tranter, Martin Duwell and University of
Queensland Press regarding the book design, 1980. |
| 5 |
Permissions, and records of payments made, 1979. |
| 6 |
Publishing material including proofs, publicity material, and
correspondence between Tranter, Martin Duwell, and the various poets included
in the anthology, 1978-1980. |
|
Instalment 17 February 1989 |
|
Selected Poems (1982) |
| Folder |
|
| 1-2 |
Typescripts and galleys. |
| 3 |
Galley proofs of Crying in Early Infancy: 100 sonnets |
| 4 |
Photocopies of galley proofs, and copies of poems for reading at
Biennale Sunday, 16 May 1982. |
| 5-6 |
Galley proofs. |
| 7 |
Various papers including annotated typescripts, suggested artwork
and book layouts, reviews, and plans for the launch, 1982. |
| Folio |
Typescripts |
|
Under Berlin: New Poems
(1988) |
| 8-10 |
Galley proofs and other publishing material. |
| 11 |
Annotated typescript, correspondence and other publishing material,
1988-1989. |
(A cassette tape of Tranter reading poems from Selected Poems and
Under Berlin has been transferred to the Oral History collection).
|
Instalment 10 May 1993 |
|
The Floor of Heaven
(1992) |
| Folder |
|
| 1 |
Photocopy of the story George by Christina Stead,
featured in the Paris Review, Winter-Spring 1967. |
| 2 |
Correspondence with Angus & Robertson (publishers) and others,
1989-1992 |
| 3 |
Typescript of the original five poems, including
Jealousy. Authors annotations in red ink. 110 pages. Marked
as Finalised Jan 92. |
| 4 |
Typescript of the final four poems included in the anthology, 40
page version. |
| 5 |
Editor's copy of original manuscript, marked in pencil and
ink. |
| 6 |
Author's copy of original manuscript, unmarked. |
| 7 |
Editor's galleys in Goudy Old Style typeface (the typeface was
changed to Bembo at Tranter's suggestion). |
| 8 |
Author's galleys in Goudy Old Style typeface. |
| 9 |
Galleys in Bembo typeface, marked as Master 3.6.92.
|
| 10 |
Galleys in Bembo typeface, marked as Author Pages Inhouse
3.6.92. |
| 11 |
Book reviews and a signed copy of the published work. |
| 12 |
Gloria First main draft of 4-5 June 1986, 10 pages
plus cover sheet. Author's minor annotations in various inks. Draft retyped
27 July 1986, 11 pages plus cover sheet. Author's minor annotations in blue
biro and brown ink. A copy of Gloria, as published by Nicholas
Pounder (1986); includes a signed copy of the pamphlet, 11 pages; unused covers
(in the published edition covers were coloured by John Tranter and his daughter
Kirsten using oil crayons), 4 pages; and photocopies of publishing
correspondence, 8 pages. Draft, subsequent to and much longer than the
version published by Nicholas Pounder. 20 pages. |
| 13 |
Gloria, draft dated 13 July 1990, 18 pages; draft dated
17 July 1990, 19 pages. |
| 14 |
Stella (then titled Betty) Draft marked
as Second draft typed up Monday 26 January, 1987. Extensive
interpolations and annotations on various pages. 49 pages. Draft, undated.
In four parts, extensive rewritings. 47 pages. Draft, dated 9 April 1988.
In four parts, with annotations. 50 pages. |
| 15 |
Stella Draft marked as Revised at 20 June
1988 (original title Betty is crossed out, with At
Florenzinis written in). Arranged in one part only. Annotations in
pencil and brown ink. 30 pages. Draft, undated. Arranged in one part only.
Annotations in black ink and brown ink. 31 pages. Photocopy of a clean
typed version, undated, no annotations. Filed away October 1991, 31 pages.
|
| 16 |
Breathless (then titled Sandra) Draft
dated 8 December 1986. Authors annotations in various inks. 7 pages.
Draft dated 15 December 1986. Authors annotations in various inks. 9
pages. Draft retyped 8 June 1989. Authors annotations in various
inks. 9 pages. Draft dated 2 July 1989. Authors annotations in brown
ink. 21 pages. |
| 17 |
Breathless (then titled Sandra) Draft
8, dated 4 July 1989. Authors annotations in ink. 20 pages. Drafts 10
and 11, dated 7 July 1989. Shows change from Sandra to
Breathless in page headings, with author's annotations in brown
ink. 23 pages. Draft fragments, undated. Author's annotations in brown ink.
13 pages. Draft fragment, sequential up to page 12, undated. Author's
annotations in black ink. 12 pages. Draft, undated, typed copy. Filed away
23 October 1991, 12 pages. |
| 18 |
Rain Draft (then titled Smith) dated
28 February 1990, author's annotations in red ink. 19 pages. Draft (then
with various other titles Kathy1, Smith1a,
Smith2, Kathy2), dated 28 February 1990, author's
annotations in blue biro. 45 pages. |
| 19 |
Rain Draft, marked as Typed up 26 July
90. Very brief author's annotations in black ink. 42 pages. Draft,
marked as Retyped 30 July 1990. 40 pages. |
| 20 |
Jealousy, prose draft dated 1 October 1991, 12 pages;
and verse draft, dated 22 October 1991, 19 pages. |
|
The Penguin Book of Modern Australian
Poetry (1991) |
| 21 |
Various correspondence, mainly between Tranter and Philip Mead, 76
pages, 1990. |
| 22 |
Various correspondence, mainly between Tranter and Philip Mead, 165
pages, 1990 to 1992. |
| 23 |
Various correspondence, mainly between Tranter and Philip Mead, 80
pages, 1990-1992. |
| 24 |
Miscellaneous editorial files, mainly early editorial
correspondence, 80 pages, 1986-1989. |
| 25 |
Miscellaneous editorial files, mainly early editorial
correspondence, 65 pages, 1988-1990. |
| 26 |
Various lists of proposed poets and poems, 170 pages,
1989-1990. |
| 27 |
Draft contents lists dated from 21 February 1990 to 15 April 1990.
71 pages. |
| 28 |
Draft contents lists dated from 19 April 1990 to 8 May 1990. 51
pages. |
| 29 |
Draft contents lists dated from 13 May 1990 to 9 December 1990. 99
pages. |
| 30 |
Photocopies of various poems considered for inclusion. 100
pages. |
| 31 |
Permission forms for use of work by poets, typed out for Penguin by
Philip Mead. Covering letter from Mead to Tranter, dated 5 March 1991. 50
pages. |
| 32 |
Material relating to the launch of the anthology at the Sydney
Festival Writers Week, January 1992, including flyers and advertisements. 40
pages. |
| 33 |
Various drafts of the much-rewritten introduction to the anthology.
83 pages. |
| 34-41 |
A complete set of marked-up galley proofs. Title for Bruce Beaver's
first poem in the sequence Letters to Live Poets, Frank
O'Hara, added by Tranter (poem was originally published in the late 1960s
and untitled until 1991). 150 pages. |
| 42 |
Photocopies of various reviews of the book. 50 pages. |
| 43 |
Copy of the London Review of Books, volume 16, number 22, 18
November 1993, featuring the poem Pantoum The Waiting Room
by Tranter. |
| See also Instalments 27 May 1994 and 11 April
1995. |
|
Martin Johnston Selected Poems and
Prose (1993) |
| 44-47 |
Typescript, with detailed notes on yellow post-it stickers from
Nadia Wheatley, used for checking proofs from the publisher. 300 pages. |
| 48 |
Photocopy of article Games With Infinity: the fictions of
Jorge Luis Borges from Cunning Exiles - Studies of Modern Prose
Writers, edited by Don Anderson and Stephen Knight, 1974, pp. 36-61. |
| 49 |
Photocopies of ten index cards from the Sydney Morning Herald's
files, listing some 97 articles written by Martin Johnston from 1968 to
1975. |
| 50 |
A bibliography of Martin Johnstons work, compiled by John
Tranter, listing some 186 items. |
| 51 |
Typed transcript of Late Night Live, ABC Radio National, 26
June 1990. Discussion concerning the late Martin Johnston, with Roseanne
Bonney, Nadia Wheatley, Tranter, and compere Virginia Bell. |
| 52 |
Correspondence between Roseanne Bonney (Johnston) and John and Lyn
Tranter, from when Roseanne and Martin Johnston were living in Europe, c.1988.
20 pages. |
| 53 |
Photocopies of book reviews written by Martin Johnston. 150
pages. |
| 54 |
Photocopies of three print interviews with Martin Johnston,
together with photocopies of reviews of several of his published books. 50
pages. |
| 55 |
Material gathered during Martin Johnston's employment at SBS TV. 50
pages. |
| 56 |
Typescript notes for the poem To the Innate Island,
reduced and photocopied. 20 pages. |
| 57 |
Original typescript for The Sea-Cucumber, reduced and
photocopied. 80 pages. |
| 58 |
Copy of Martin Johnstons article The Arts,
featured in This is Australia, edited by Rudolph Brash (1975). Martin's
contribution appears only in the first edition; in later editions the arts are
covered by Don Dunstan. 14 pages. |
| 59 |
Photocopy of typescript of an interview with Martin Johnston by
Hazel de Berg for the National Library of Australia, 23 June 1980. |
| 60 |
Typescripts of interviews with or concerning Martin Johnston,
including: Interview with Martin Johnston by Margaret Jones, A chance
to write - in a room of his own, Sydney Morning Herald, 11 August
1973. Interview by Tranter on 10 January 1989, and broadcast on
Helicon, ABC Radio National, 11 August 1991. Part of an interview by
Erica Travers, 17 June 1989. Interview by Tranter, Glebe, 23 March 1990.
Interview with George Johnston (Martin Johnstons father) by Hazel de
Berg, 13 March 1964, National Library of Australia, tape No 52. Interview
with Charmian Clift (Martin Johnstons mother) by Hazel de Berg, 8 June
1965, National Library of Australia, tape No 105. Excerpts from the ABC
Radio National program Late Night Live, 26 June 1990, concerning the late
Martin Johnston; Roseanne Bonney, Nadia Wheatley, Tranter, and compere Virginia
Bell. |
| 61 |
Notes by Roseanne Bonney (Johnston) concerning Martin Johnston. 10
pages, dated c.1992 |
| 62 |
Martin Johnstons curriculum vitae, with relevant notes and
clippings, prepared by Tranter. |
| 63 |
Tranter's editing notes. 39 pages. |
| 64 |
Literature Board application notes. 20 pages. |
| 65 |
Notes on the search for the correct spelling of
BarcaLounger, a chair mentioned in Martin Johnstons account
of his early novel Mr Mammoth. 12 pages. |
| 66 |
Photocopy of galley proofs for Martin Johnston - Selected Poems
and Prose (to page 97), with one page of editor's notes. |
| 67 |
Correspondence to and from Tranter, 100 pages, 1991-1993. |
| 68-69 |
Introduction, several drafts in various stages, 150 pages. |
| 70 |
Photocopy of cover, preliminary pages, photograph layout pages, and
photographs. 47 pages. |
| 71 |
Photocopy of Martin Johnstons short story Heady
featured in Prometheus (1970). Heady was later expanded into
the novel Cicada Gambit. |
| Pieces |
| 1-3 |
Three metal Type IV cassette tapes, no noise reduction:
- Both Sides: Martin Johnston interviewed by Tranter, 23 March
1990.
- Side A - poet Laurie Duggan remembers Martin Johnston. Side B -
Late Night Live segment concerning Martin Johnston, ABC Radio National,
26 June 1990. Compere Virginia Bell with Roseanne Bonney, Nadia Wheatley, and
Tranter.
- Both sides: program devoted to Martin Johnston on
Helicon, ABC Radio National, Sunday 11 August 1991, recorded off air,
fair quality.
|
| 4 |
Cassette tape recording of The Ern Malley Story, a radio
documentary by poet/radio producer John Thompson (d.1968) concerning the hoax
poet Ern Malley. Ern Malley was a persona and a body of work
concocted in 1943 by the young poets James McAuley and Harold Stewart, and
published in Angry Penguins in 1944. The documentary was first broadcast
on ABC radio in 1959. Recording features Max Harris, Geoffrey Dutton, Barrett
Reid, Harold Stewart, James McAuley and others, and includes the reading of a
letter from Ethel Malley. (The Penguin Book of Modern Australian
Poetry is the first anthology to feature the complete poetic works of Ern
Malley). |
| 5 |
Computer diskette, 720 kilobyte, IBM MS-DOS format, containing the
four poems featured in The Floor of Heaven, plus two readme
files with other matter. |
|
Instalment 27 May 1994 |
|
Martin Johnston Selected Poems and
Prose (1993) |
| Folder |
|
| 1-5 |
Typescript. 400 pages. |
| 6-9 |
Page proofs, marked up by Tranter and the University
of Queensland Press editor. 300 pages |
| 10-12 |
Page proofs marked up by Tranter and the University of
Queensland Press editor. 300 pages. |
|
The Penguin Book of Modern Australian
Poetry (1991) |
| 13-16 |
Photocopy of the typescript of the book as marked up
by the Penguin editor and sent to the printer. 600 pages. |
| 17-18 |
Page proofs marked up by Tranter. 150 pages. |
|
The Bulletin, September 1990 - June
1993 |
| 19-25 |
General correspondence, mainly with poets regarding
their submissions to The Bulletin. Includes Judith Wright, A. D.
Hope, John Blight, Robert Adamson, Chris Wallace-Crabbe, Andrea Sherwood, Lee
Cataldi, John Ashbury, Alison Clark, Dana Gioia, Rhyll McMaster, Jennifer
Maiden, Bruce Dawe, Rosemary Dobson, Bruce Beaver, Tom Shapcott, Les Murray,
and many more. 566 pages, 1990-1993. |
| 26 |
General correspondence and files, 35 pages, 1990-1992.
|
| 27 |
Office mail correspondence, 35 pages, 1990-1993 |
| 28 |
Correspondence of particular interest, 105 pages,
1990-1992. |
| 29 |
Copies of all the published poems, torn from copies of
the magazine. 141 pages, dated 4 September 1990 to 1 June 1993. |
|
Drafts of poems |
| 30-36 |
Drafts of poems, being roughly half the poetry work
done by Tranter between the publication of Under Berlin (1988) and the
publication of At The Florida (1993). Some holograph pages, but most are
typed, with revisions in ink or pencil. In most cases poems have undergone five
to ten draft stages, with ink corrections and reprinting of each page.Each
sheet bears a designation on the verso identifying it as by the author and
giving the approximate date. 500 pages. |
|
Instalment 11 April 1995 |
|
The Penguin Book of Modern Australian
Poetry (1991) |
| Folder |
|
| 1-4 |
Approximately 700 pages of photocopy material,
comprising copies of poems by various authors taken from books and anthologies,
and used as the basic manuscript for The Penguin Book of Modern Australian
Poetry |
|
Drafts of poems |
| 5-9 |
Drafts of poems, being the second half of poetry work
done between the publication of Under Berlin (1988) and the publication
of At The Florida (1993). Some holograph pages, but most pages are typed
or computer printout, with revisions by hand. Two and a half pages of holograph
critical notes by Lyn Tranter. In most cases poems have undergone numerous
draft stages, with ink corrections and reprinting of each stage. Each sheet
bears a designation on the verso identifying it as by the author and giving the
approximate date. |
| 10-12 |
Drafts of poems. 500 pages, dated from 26 July 1986 to
14 September 1992. |
| 13-15 |
Drafts of poems. 500 pages, dated from 28 August 1985
to late July 1986. |
| 16 |
John Tranter / New Poems 1986. Draft collection
of 55 poems, most of which ended up in the collection Under Berlin.
Includes the narrative poem Gloria and half a dozen uncollected
poems. 90 pages. |
| 17 |
John Tranter / Ten Haquiri, consisting
of ten poems later published in Under Berlin, and presented here as an
entry to the 1990 Michel Wesley Wright Prize in Poetry. 13 pages. |
| 18 |
John Tranter / A Selection of Recent Poems. An
early form of the manuscript that became At The Florida. 95 pages, dated
October 1991. |
| 19 |
At the Florida editorial copy (original title
Déjà vu crossed out). A photocopy of the prose poem
At Naxos is tipped in opposite the typed version of the
poem. 95 pages. |
| 20 |
At the Florida cover designers copy
(original title Déjà vu crossed out). A photocopy of a fax
from Tranter to Mark Tremlett at DNA Graphics is tipped in on the first page.
95 pages. |
| 21 |
Drafts of poems for Under Berlin, dated May
1987 to October 1987. 95 pages. |
| 22 |
Draft of narrative poem Stella. 31
pages. |
| 23 |
Laser printout of authors computer diskette of
poems in At The Florida, supplied by the University of Queensland Press.
44 pages, dated approximately 1991. |
| 24 |
Five sequential drafts of the four-page poem
Ariadne on Lesbos. Many and substantial holograph alterations. 19
pages, dated from December 1991 to 28 January 1992. |
| 25 |
Five sequential drafts of poetics essay
Condensed Soup - Four Diversions and a Prose Poem on the Road to a
Poetics (for Meanjin magazine). Extensive holograph
alterations throughout. 40 pages, dated from March to April 1988. |
| 26 |
Photocopies of poem Lufthansa, and copies
of the article announcing the poems winning of The
Australians 20th birthday poetry prize. 3 pages, dated
1984. |
| 27 |
Drafts of Yoo-Hoo Fugaces. Some seventeen
fugitive early poems and prose-poems, put together for John Kinsellas
Salt magazine, on the understanding that the material would be used. The
title is a joke at the expense of Horaces poem Alas!
Fleeting
(Eheu fugaces). 102 pages, dated late 1991. |
| 28 |
Drafts of a sequence of ten poems at the time
tentatively titled Flow, later incorporated in At The
Florida. 108 pages, dated October 1990. |
| 29 |
Invitation list for the launch of Under Berlin.
18 pages, dated May to June 1988. |
| 30 |
Drafts of poems. Approximately 40 pages, dated early
1985 to July 1985. |
| 31 |
Drafts of poems. 48 pages dated October 1984; and 83
pages dated late March 1984 to December 1984. |
| 32 |
Drafts of poems. 19 pages, dated 1983 to 1984. |
| 33 |
Three drafts of the prose-poem The
Subtitles. 30 pages, the last marked Revised and typed on W/P
16/10/84 JT. |
| 34 |
Drafts of Sex Chemistry sequence (25
poems), included in Under Berlin, 30 pages. |
Box List
|
Box |
Instalment |
Folder |
|
1 |
15 August 1977 |
1-7 |
|
2 |
|
8-13 |
|
3 |
19 December 1988 |
1-6 |
|
4 |
17 February 1989 |
1-7 |
|
5 |
|
8-11 |
| |
|
Folio items |
|
6 |
10 May 1993 |
1-6 |
|
7 |
|
7-13 |
|
8 |
|
14-20 |
|
9 |
|
21-26 |
|
10 |
|
27-33 |
|
11 |
|
34-38 |
|
12 |
|
39-43 |
|
13 |
|
44-50 |
|
14 |
|
51-57 |
|
15 |
|
58-66 |
|
16 |
|
67-71 |
| |
|
Pieces 1-5 |
|
17 |
27 May 1994 |
1-9 |
|
18 |
|
10-16 |
|
19 |
|
17-23 |
|
20 |
|
24-29 |
|
21 |
|
30-36 |
|
22 |
11 April 1995 |
1-6 |
|
23 |
|
7-12 |
|
24 |
|
13-18 |
|
25 |
|
19-26 |
|
26 |
|
27-34 |
July 1998 |