The collection includes 32 letters and one postal card from Hobson to Edward J. Nichols, an English professor at Pennsylvania State University. The letters date between 1938 and 1963, are both typescript and handwritten, and many have their original envelopes. The letters are long, detailed, single-spaced accounts of Hobson's life and his ideas about music and publishing with many mentions of people (James Agee, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Walker Evans, Scott Joplin, Irving Kolodin, John O'Hara, Theodore Roethke) and events in his contemporary world of music and the arts. The collection also contains two printed articles by Hobson, one called "Hits and misses, " detached from the Aug. 30, 1952 issue of Saturday review, the other called "Farewell to Fletcher, " detached from the Jan. 31, 1953 issue of Saturday review (missing p. 49). Also included is a letter to Hobson from Frederic Ramsey, Jr., 12 Nov. 1941, about plagiarism and buying hats, and a sheet of Time stationery, undated and typescript, saying "What gives?" and signed "Wilder, " possibly an internal memo.
In Rare Books and Manuscripts, University Libraries, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (#XXXX-0808R/VF 1-1).
Source of Acquisition:
Gift of Edward J. Nichols.
Administrative History:
Wilder Hobson was a critic, editor, and author of works on music, particularly jazz. He wrote American jazz (1939) and a novel, All summer long (1945). He served at various times as a music critic for Fortune, Time, and Newsweek.
