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Chuck Kinder Papers, 1970 - 2017

Arrangement

Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Chuck Kinder Papers
Creator
Kinder, Chuck
Collection Number
SC.2014.07
Extent
12.5 Linear Feet (10 record center boxes)
Date
1970-2017
Abstract
Charles "Chuck" Alfonso Kinder II (October 8, 1942 – May 3, 2019) was an author and English professor at the University of Pittsburgh. These papers include drafts of his writing, correspondence, press clippings, photographs, personal realia, and some audio-visual recordings.
Language
English .
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman)
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Victoria Swindle in May 2022.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Chuck Kinder in October 2014.

Biographical / Historical

Charles "Chuck" Alfonso Kinder II (October 8, 1942– May 3, 2019) was an author and English professor at the University of Pittsburgh. Before arriving at Pitt, he taught at Stanford University and Waynesburg College (now University). Born in Montgomery, Fayette County, West Virginia, in 1946 to Charles A. and Eileen R. (Parsons) Kinder. His higher education began by attending a West Virginia Institute of Technology (Beckley, WV). Kinder married Janet S. McNeer in 1965, but would later end in divorce. He enrolled at West Virginia University, earning a B.A. in 1967 and a M.A. the next year. His master's thesis became his first novel, Snakehunter, published in 1973. It earned him a creative writing fellowship at Stanford University. While at Stanford, Kinder became close friends with fellow students Raymond Carver, Larry McMurtry, and Scott Turow. Kinder maintained relationships with many of his friends and colleagues throughout his life, including Diane (Blackmer) Cecily, whom he would marry in 1975. From 1980 until his retirement in 2014, he taught courses in composition at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was also the Director of the Writing Program. At Pitt, he mentored a number of students, including Pulitzer Prize winning author, Michael Chabon. His relationship with Carver inspired his 2001 novel titled, Honeymooners: A Cautionary Tale. Kinder struggled with the Honeymooners manuscript, where at one point it reached 3,000 pages. This inspired Michael Chabon to base the main character, Grady Tripp in his 1995 novel, Wonder Boys, on Kinder. In 2014, Kinder wrote two seprate collections of poetry, All That Yellow and Imagination Motel. Chuck Kinder died on May 3, 2019, at the age of 76 due to heart failure in South Miami, Florida. He is survived by his widow Diane Cecily, his brother David Kinder and sister Beth (Kinder) Kemper.

Arrangement

The arrangement reflects the original order of the bulk of the paper-based materials, which was by document type. The Collection is arranged into the following series:

I. Writing Projects by Chuck Kinder

II. Writing Projects by Other Authors

III. Correspondence

IV. Press Clippings

V. Electronic Media

VI. Photographs

VII. AV Material

VIII. Personal Papers

IX. Realia

Scope and Contents

The Chuck Kinder Papers include drafts and manuscripts for many of Kinder's published works, along with stories written by other authors. The correspondence is comprised of publisher correspondence, professional correspondence, and personal correspondence. The bulk of the press clippings are from Pittsburgh, with one folder with reviews in Italian. Photographs are of family, friends, events, and trips. Personal artifacts cover a range of belongings from report cards to college diplomas.

Preferred Citation

Chuck Kinder Papers, SC.2014.07, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Copyright

The University of Pittsburgh holds the property rights to the material in this collection, but the copyright may still be held by the original creator/author. Researchers are therefore advised to follow the regulations set forth in the U.S. Copyright Code when publishing, quoting, or reproducing material from this collection without the consent of the creator/author or that go beyond what is allowed by fair use.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • University of Pittsburgh. Department of English -- Faculty

    Personal Names

    • Kinder, Chuck

    Genres

    • Personal papers
    • Drafts (Documents)
    • Novels
    • Correspondence
    • Clippings (Information artifacts)
    • Sound recordings
    • Photographs
    • Periodicals
    • Scrapbooks
    • Realia

    Other Subjects

    • Authors, American -- 20th century
    • College teachers -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • American literature -- History and criticism -- 20th century
    • American literature -- History and criticism -- 21st century

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