MS 433 07
Reference code
MS 433 07
Title
Wilfred P. Thesiger's literary papers: Published works
Level
Series
Date
1939-1996
Extent & medium
21 boxes
Content description
Thesiger was a self-taught travel writer and his various manuscripts, typescripts and proofs show his working methods and his development as a writer. The collection includes selected corrected autograph manuscripts and typescripts for most of his major works. The files do not contain every draft of his published works and it is unclear how many drafts were destroyed. Notably absent are drafts of ‘The Marsh Arabs’, ‘Among the Mountains’, ‘Crossing the Sands’, ‘A Vanished World’ and ‘My Life My Travels’. Thesiger did not keep drafts of his articles.
Despite having written about his travels in a number of articles, he had not considered publishing a book based on his experiences until 1956 when he was approached by Graham Watson, a literary agent from Curtis Brown, and Mark Longman, the publisher, about writing what would become ‘Arabian Sands’. A great deal of time often passed between the journey and the published book and Thesiger would use his photographs, diaries and letters to his mother as a reminder.
Thesiger preferred to handwrite his books, and then giving them to a typist to produce a typescript for him to correct. As a result the files often contain a mix of manuscripts and typescripts as he would write the first draft of a new chapter as he was still correcting earlier ones.
As his eyesight deteriorated in later years he would write his last books by dictation and therefore the drafts only exist in typescript form.
Despite having written about his travels in a number of articles, he had not considered publishing a book based on his experiences until 1956 when he was approached by Graham Watson, a literary agent from Curtis Brown, and Mark Longman, the publisher, about writing what would become ‘Arabian Sands’. A great deal of time often passed between the journey and the published book and Thesiger would use his photographs, diaries and letters to his mother as a reminder.
Thesiger preferred to handwrite his books, and then giving them to a typist to produce a typescript for him to correct. As a result the files often contain a mix of manuscripts and typescripts as he would write the first draft of a new chapter as he was still correcting earlier ones.
As his eyesight deteriorated in later years he would write his last books by dictation and therefore the drafts only exist in typescript form.
Arrangement
The literary papers have been grouped into separate sub-series according to the published work and ordered according to publication date. This reflects the order of the collection when it was received by the library and appears to reflect the original order maintained by Thesiger.
Note of physical arrangement:
The majority of the papers are held in specially made boxes. The remaining material that was loose at the time of cataloguing has been housed together in a separate box.
This includes:
MS 433 07 02: ‘The Marsh Arabs’ correspondence
MS 433 07 03 05-10: ‘Desert, Marsh and Mountain’: Photographs
MS 433 07 07 01: ‘The Danakil Diary’ Original typescripts
MS 433 07 08: Article: ‘Galloping Lion’
Note of physical arrangement:
The majority of the papers are held in specially made boxes. The remaining material that was loose at the time of cataloguing has been housed together in a separate box.
This includes:
MS 433 07 02: ‘The Marsh Arabs’ correspondence
MS 433 07 03 05-10: ‘Desert, Marsh and Mountain’: Photographs
MS 433 07 07 01: ‘The Danakil Diary’ Original typescripts
MS 433 07 08: Article: ‘Galloping Lion’
Location of this record in the archive hierarchy
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Number 7 of 9 at this Level
Beneath this record in the archive hierarchy
- Papers relating to ‘Arabian Sands’ by Wilfred P. Thesiger, MS 433 07 01, (1956-1958)
- Papers relating to ‘The Marsh Arabs’ by Wilfred P. Thesiger, MS 433 07 02, (1961-1965)
- Papers relating to ‘Desert, Marsh and Mountain’ by Wilfred P. Thesiger, MS 433 07 03, (1979)
- Papers relating to ‘The Life of My Choice’ by Wilfred P. Thesiger, MS 433 07 04, (1985-1986)
- Papers relating to ‘Visions of a Nomad’ by Wilfred P. Thesiger, MS 433 07 05, (1987)
- Papers relating to ‘My Kenya Days’ by Wilfred P. Thesiger, MS 433 07 06, (1992-1994)
- Paper relating to ‘The Danakil Diary’ by Wilfred P. Thesiger, MS 433 07 07, (1995-1996)
- Papers relating to ‘Among the Mountains’ by Wilfred P. Thesiger, MS 433 07 08, (1998)
- Article: ‘Galloping Lion’ written by Wilfred P. Thesiger, MS 433 07 09, (1939)