Frederick Buechner Papers, 1926-2006 | Wheaton College Archives & Special Collections

By The Wheaton College Archives & Special Collections Staff

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Collection Overview

Title: Frederick Buechner Papers, 1926-2006

ID: SC/005

Primary Creator: Buechner, Frederick (1926-)

Extent: 128.0 boxes. More info below.

Arrangement: The collection is arranged by series with folder level control.

Date Acquired: 00/00/1982

Subjects: Bebb, Leo (Fictitious character) -- Fiction, Brendan, Saint, the Voyager, ca. 483-577 -- Fiction, Buechner, Frederick, 1926- -- Adaptations, Buechner, Frederick, 1926- -- Characters -- Saints, Buechner, Frederick, 1926- -- Interviews, Buechner, Frederick, 1926- -- Manuscripts, Buechner, Frederick, 1926- -- Religion, Buechner, Frederick, 1926- -- Sermons, Christianity and literature, Christian saints -- Fiction, Fathers and sons -- Fiction, Lawrenceville School, Merrill, James ingram -- Manuscripts, Muilenburg, James -- Correspondence, Novelists, American -- 20th century -- Biography, Presbyterian Church -- Clergy -- Biography, Presbyterian Church -- Sermons, Princeton University, Theologians -- United States -- Biography, Theology in literature, Union Theological Seminary (New York, N.Y.)

Forms of Material: Articles, Audiotapes, Correspondence, Faculty Papers, Interviews, Lectures, Legal Documents, Memorabilia, Photographs, School Records, Scrapbooks, Serials, Sermons, Speeches, Videotapes

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Biographical material is divided into the categories of general biographical, memorabilia, notebooks and "schools." The latter section includes papers and items produced by Buechner during his school days. The general biographical section encompasses the categories of photographs, awards, family history and information on Buechner's friends. Memorabilia includes non written items nature or written matter not directly relating to Buechner (e.g. sympathy letters written to Buechner's mother following the death of Carl Frederick Buechner, Sr.). The series description (found later in this guide) gives further information on the contents and arrangement of this portion of the collection. Correspondence is divided into the categories of 1928 1958, 1959 1984, and 1984 to the present. 1958 was selected as a cut off date due to the fact that in that year Buechner completed his educational training at Union Theological Seminary and entered the ministry. The second cut off was selected in order to facilitate collection update. Correspondence, after being placed in its proper chronological series, is separated into the categories "General" and "Business" and then arranged alphabetically. Letters were placed under "General" or "Business" on the criterion of content, rather than correspondent, i.e. a personal letter to a business associate would be placed under "General." General correspondence includes all non business correspondence that was written by or to Buechner. Business correspondence is categorized into "General Business," and "Invitations to Lecture." All business correspondence exclusive of invitations to lecture is placed under "General Business." The majority of the General Correspondence consists of letters written by, rather than to Buechner. Extensive correspondence exists with Gerrish Thurber, James Merrill, Hellen Merrill, and Katherine Kuhn (Buechner's mother).

The section of manuscripts includes drafts of books, poems, short stories, plays, teaching and speaking engagements, sermons and chapel talks. Not only holograph and typed manuscripts, but galley and page proofs are found under the manuscript category. There is also a series Secondary papers, sermons and interviews in unpublished format form another series under this category. Published items are divided into primary and secondary sources. Buechner's writings include articles, interviews, short stories, poems and newspaper clippings. Items on newsprint were photocopied and the original discarded for preservation purposes. Books are kept separately from the papers and are available for researcher use. The items found in oversize magazines are placed separately at the end of the collection. Secondary items include book announcements, book reviews and excerpts.

Biographical Note

Frederick Buechner was born Carl Frederick Buechner on July 11, 1926, the oldest of two children of Katherine Kuhn and Carl Frederick Buechner, Sr. He was named after his father, who died when Frederick was 10. As a child, the younger Buechner was particularly fond of the Oz fantasies by L. Frank Baum; much later he would retell the journey to the Emerald City in his novel, Entrance to Porlock (1970).

In 1941, during their stay in North Carolina, Frederick attended boarding school in Lawrenceville, NJ, there deciding that he wanted to write professionally. Here, also, he met the poet James Merrill, with whom he established a lifelong friendship. "Together," writes Buechner, "we were a match for the world." After Lawrenceville, Buechner pursued studies at Princeton University until WW II interrupted. He served two years in the military (1944-46), then returned to Princeton where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1947.

A year later he returned to Lawrenceville as a teacher in the English Department. Two years later he published his first novel, A Long Day’s Dying, to great critical acclaim, and resigned from his teaching position in 1953. Secure in his new success, that same year he moved to New York City "…to be a full-time writer, only to discover that I could not write a word." He attended Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, pastored by George Buttrick, "…whose extraordinary sermons," recalls Buechner, "had played such a crucial part in my turning to Christianity…"

Following Buttrick’s suggestion, Buechner attended Union Theological Seminary where he studied under theologians Reinhold Neibuhr, Paul Tillich and James Muilenburg. Again his education was interrupted, this time willingly. He took a year sabbatical to travel, write The Return of Ansel Gibbs – and soon fell in love with Judith Fredericke Merck, whom he married.

He returned to Union Theological Seminary for the final two years to complete his Bachelor of Divinity Degree, which he received in 1958. After that, he was ordained as an evangelist in George Buttrick’s church. Although "evangelist" was his official designation, Buechner preferred the word apologist to describe his vocation, "My job…was to present the faith as appealingly, honestly, relevantly and skillfully as I could." And he would accomplish this through his writing.

Following ordination, Buechner accepted an offer to inaugurate a full-time religious program at Philips Exeter Academy of New Hampshire, the position expanding to duties as school minister. Several chapel sermons delivered at Exeter were published as The Magnificent Defeat and The Hungering Dark. Reading assigned on Buechner’s syllabus included Karl Barth and C.S. Lewis, Graham Greene’s The Power and the Glory, Shakespeare’s King Lear, James Joyce’s Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. Former student John Irving, author of The Cider House Rules and The World According to Garp, acknowledges his debt to Buechner in the preface to A Prayer for Owen Meany.

Buechner taught nine years at Exeter (1958-1967). His family, now including three daughters, often took their vacations in Vermont. He wrote The Final Beast while on leave during the 1963-64 school year. Departing Exeter, he moved to a farm in Vermont where he commenced his career as a full-time writer and speaker.

The Nobel lectures delivered at Harvard in 1969 were published as The Alphabet of Grace, and his Lyman Beecher Lectures of Yale became Telling the Truth (1977). Later non-fiction titles based upon his talks include: Wishful Thinking (1973); The Faces of Jesus (1974); and Peculiar Treasures (1979).

The publication of The Book of Bebb, four novels featuring the con man evangelist, Leo Bebb, marked the beginning of a new phase in his writing, displaying a lighter touch and a deepening spirituality. Thereafter came Godric (1980), and Brendan (1987), both utilizing Christian saints and ancient Celtic backdrops.

In 1985, Buechner accepted an invitation to teach a semester of literature at Wheaton College, his first full-on exposure to Evangelicalism. There he attended nearby St. Barnabas, "an extraordinary church," he writes in his memoirs, "…full of shadows, full of secrets." During this time he offered his manuscripts to the college, now archived among his literary favorites, C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton.

Recognized by Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Dillard as "one of our finest writers," Buechner received an O. Henry Award – Third Prize(1955) and the Critic’s Choice Books Award (1990). Additionally, he has received honorary doctorates from Virginia Theological Seminary (1982); Lehigh University (1987); Cornell College (1989); Yale University (1990); and Wake Forest University (2000). Godric, dedicated to his father, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1981.

Recent titles include The Longing for Home (1996), a meditation on the meaning of home and memory; On the Road With the Archangel (1997), drawn from the apocryphal Book of Tobit; and The Storm (1998), echoing Shakespeare’s The Tempest. In Speak What We Feel (2001) Buechner discusses Shakespeare, Gerard Manly Hopkins, Mark Twain and G.K. Chesterton, examining how each "wrote in his own blood about the darkness of life as he found it, and about how—for better or worse—he managed somehow to survive it, even to embrace it." Other influences and inspirations include Jane Austen, Anthony Trollope, William Blake, Agnes Sanford, Charles Williams, Friedrich Schleirmacher, Leo Tolstoy, E. Nesbitt, Herman Melville, Joan of Arc, T.S. Eliot, Louis Armstrong, W.H. Auden, Thornton Wilder, Robert Frost, J.R.R. Tolkien, Wagner’s operas, John Milton and Gertrude Stein.

Thus far, Frederick Buechner has composed four memoirs: The Sacred Journey (1982); Now and Then (1983); Telling Secrets (1991); and Eyes of the Heart (1999). Still writing and occasionally lecturing, he and his wife divide their time between Vermont and Florida.

Subject/Index Terms

Bebb, Leo (Fictitious character) -- Fiction
Brendan, Saint, the Voyager, ca. 483-577 -- Fiction
Buechner, Frederick, 1926- -- Adaptations
Buechner, Frederick, 1926- -- Characters -- Saints
Buechner, Frederick, 1926- -- Interviews
Buechner, Frederick, 1926- -- Manuscripts
Buechner, Frederick, 1926- -- Religion
Buechner, Frederick, 1926- -- Sermons
Christianity and literature
Christian saints -- Fiction
Fathers and sons -- Fiction
Lawrenceville School
Merrill, James ingram -- Manuscripts
Muilenburg, James -- Correspondence
Novelists, American -- 20th century -- Biography
Presbyterian Church -- Clergy -- Biography
Presbyterian Church -- Sermons
Princeton University
Theologians -- United States -- Biography
Theology in literature
Union Theological Seminary (New York, N.Y.)

Administrative Information

Repository: Wheaton College Archives & Special Collections

Alternate Extent Statement: 53 linear feet

Access Restrictions:

Access to the Buechner papers are made based upon which category the respective materials reside.

Access to published books, essays and articles; business correspondence; newspaper and magazine clippings; published reviews and similar documents (the “Public Materials”) are guided by the general access policies of the Wheaton College Archives & Special Collections (e.g. those generally used by Wheaton in similar situations and govern any copying, reproduction or duplication of any Public Materials for personal use only and that any person accessing the Buechner Materials who wishes to copy, reproduce or duplicate materials for other than personal use must contact FBLA for such rights.)

Access to private correspondence, personal diaries, holographic manuscripts, audio, video or other recordings of any type, and personal memorabilia (the "Private Materials") shall not be disclosed, displayed or made available or accessible during Rev. Buechner’s lifetime without the prior written consent of FBLA. These materials will become available on the same conditions of the aforementioned "Public Materials" forty years after Rev. Buechner’s death. (Exception for Public or Commercial Recordings: if a public or commercial recording has been made involving Rev. Buechner or his writings (original or derivative works) (collectively, “Recordings”) and such Recordings are subject to a written release executed by Rev. Buechner or FBLA, then Wheaton shall be free to use and share such Recordings pursuant only to the requirements of the copyright holder. If the Recordings are not subject to such a written release executed by Rev. Buechner or FBLA, then such Recordings are subject to the terms of this paragraph.)

A subset of Private Materials (the “Special Private Materials”), such as Rev. Buechner’s copy of Gone with the Wind and other papers, so designated, are unavailable until seventy-five years after the death of Rev. Buechner and that time will retain the restrictions for those items classified "private materials."

A fourth category are those materials received from Princeton University. These retain the originally agreed upon restriction (manuscripts closed during Buechner’s lifetime with access available upon written permission from Buechner. The Held correspondence is closed until 25 years after Buechner’s death).

Researchers desiring access to those portions of the collection classified as Private Materials or Special Private Materials must obtain written permission from the Buechner Literary Trust.

Rights of publication must be secured from the Buechner Literary Trust, who holds the copyright to Buechner's material, or from the author or author's agent in the case of secondary works.

Use Restrictions: Duplication may be restricted if copying could cause damage to items.

Acquisition Source: Gift

Acquisition Method: The papers of Frederick Buechner were given, by personal donation, to the Wheaton College Special Collections beginning in 1982. Subsequent additions to the papers by Buechner have brought the collection to its present size of 40 linear feet, dating from 1928 to the present. Biographical information, correspondence, manuscripts, and published items form the main categories into which the material is organized. In late-2006 manuscripts held by Princeton University were deaccessioned and added to the Wheaton holdings. The manuscripts, amounting to roughly 35 inches of material, containted manuscripts, typescripts and proofs for A Long Day

Preferred Citation: Frederick Buechner Papers (SC-5), Wheaton College Special Collections, Wheaton, Illinois.

Other Note: The papers of Frederick Buechner, author, lecturer and ordained Presbyterian minister, occupies approximately 40 linear feet. Given to the Wheaton College Special Collections in several personal donations, the material includes personal papers, correspondence, manuscripts, articles, photographs, and published items, both primary and secondary.

Other URL: http://library.wheaton.edu

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Biographical],
[Series 2: Media],
[Series 3: Correspondence],
[Series 4: Manuscripts],
[Series 5: Published Material],
[Series 6: Book Announcements, Reviews, and Excerpts],
[Series 7: Secondary Material],
[Series 8: Artwork],
[All]

Series 2: Media

Sub-Series 1: Photographs

Box 11

Item 1: Buechner with His Mother and Father at the beach [probably Quoque, Long Island], 1928

Item 2: Buechner with his father at the beach [probably Quoque, Long Island], 1928

Item 3: Buechner in the Army, 1944 - 1945

"Can this be me?"

Item 4: Buechner in the Army, 1944 - 1945

"My feet hurt!"

Item 5: Buechner on Porch, 1949 - 1950

(used in announcements for A Long Day's Dying; 2 additional copies)

Item 6: Buechner with Tree in Background, 1957 -1958

(from dust jacket of The Return Of Ansel Gibbs)

Item 7: Buechner & Daughter Katherine, 1960

(1 original and 4 copies)

Item 8: Buechner's Daughter, Katherine Ann, in Crib, 1960

(March 1960; 1 orig. and 3 copies)

Item 9: Buechner's Daughters, Katherine & Dinah, on a horse, 1964

(plus 3 copies)

Item 10: Buechner & Dog, 1964 - 1965

(from dust jacket of The Final Beast; 1 orig. plus 6 copies; )

Item 11: Buechner Wearing Raincoat in Front of House, 1974

(from jacket of The Book of Bebb and Love Feast; 1 orig. plus 6 copies; credit: Alan Fortney)

Item 12: Buechner in Front of Fence, 1983-1984

(from dust jacket of A Room Called Remember; 6 additional copies)

Item 13: Negatives for 1-13

Item 14: Buechner, Joe & Barbara McClatchey, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 15: Buechner, Dr. Barbara Reynolds, Oct 1984, 1984

Dr. Reynolds was a speaker at the Lit. Conference; at the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984

Item 16: Buechner, Bill Favata & Dan Bowell, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984

Item 17: Alan Jacobs, Mary Ryken, Buechner, Lee Ryken, Mary Dorsett, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984

Item 18: Lee Ryken, Mary Ryken, Mary Dorsett, Buechner, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984

Item 19: Ed Hollatz, Ward Kriegbaum, Lyle Dorsett, Bill Henning, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedicatio of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 20: Joe McClatchey, Paul Snezek, Barbara McClatchey, Buechner, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedicatio of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 21: Joe McClatchey, Paul Snezek, Barbara McClatchey, Buechner, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedicatio of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 22: Paul Snezek, Dr. Alan Jones, Buechner, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 23: Dr. Alan Jones and Buechner, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 24: Dr. Alan Jones, Buechner, Roger Lundin, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 25: Terry Lindvall Talking with Lee Ryken, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 26: Paul Snezek, Janet Snezek, Mary Ryken, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 27: Roger Lundin and Paul Snezek, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 28: Roger Lundin and Paul Snezek, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 29: Terry Lindvall, Lee Ryken, Paul Snezek, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 30: Dr. Barbara Reynolds, Dr. Alan Jones, William Leslie, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 31: Dr. Alan Jones and Dr. Barbara Reynolds, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 32: Dr. Alan Jones and Dr. Barbara Reynolds, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 33: Vic Gordon, Sue Gordon, Rev. Paul Stavrakos, Mrs. Stavrakos, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 34: David Malone, Terry Lindvall, Em Griffin, Jean Griffin, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 35: Em Griffin Presenting a Tribute to Buechner, Oct 1984, 1984

At the dinner for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 36: Paul Snezek Presenting Gift Plate to Buechner, Oct 1984, 1984

At the dinner for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 37: Paul Snezek Presenting Gift Plate to Buechner, Oct 1984, 1984

At the dinner for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 38: Em Griffin Presenting a Tribute to Buechner, Oct 1984, 1984

At the dinner for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 39: Em Griffin Presenting a Tribute to Buechner, Oct 1984, 1984

At the dinner for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 40: Ward Kriegbaum Accepting Collection from Buechner, Oct 1984, 1984

At the dinner for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 41: Paul Snezek, Janet Snezek, Terri Jacobs, Alan Jacobs, Mary Ryken, Buechner, Lee Ryken, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 42: Lyle Dorsett, Mary Dorsett, Ward Kriegbaum, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 43: Mary Ryken, Lee Ryken, Buechner, Mary Dorsett, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 44: David Malone, Terry Lindvall, Em Griffin, Jean Griffin, Oct 1984, 1984

At the reception for the Dedication of the Buechner Collection, 10-10-1984.

Item 45: Negatives for photos 14 - 44, 1984

Dedication of Buechner Collection

Item 46: Buechner, Lyle Dorsett, Evelyn Brace, Marj Mead in The Wade Collection, Oct 1984, 1984

Item 47: Buechner and Pat Allen Hargis in Front of the C. S. Lewis Wardrobe, 1984

Item 48: Buechner at C. S. Lewis' Table in The Wade Collection, Oct 1984, 1984

Item 49: Buechner in The Wade Collection, Oct 1984, 1984

Item 50: Buechner in Front of His Home, Sep 1984, 1984

(With negative plus 8x10 B/W)

Item 51: Buechner at Home with Rev. Kenneth O. Eaton, Sep 1984

Item 52: Joe Crowley & James Merrill on K.P.

Joe Crowley, Harraw (?) ASTP

J. Merrill, [indistinct] civilian

Item 53: Buechner & James Merrill, Enclosed with Letter from Merrill, Jul 6, 1949, 1949

Jul 6, 1949

[no letter actually enclosed]

Item 54: By the Parthenon, Received in Box of Letters from James Merrill

Item 55: James Merrill with Mary Lee Garlock, Washington D.C., October 1990, 1990

"In return for snapshot of Garlock - Mary Lee!! * who gave me my first French kiss _in France_. I've waited over 40 years to "tell." Shh. J.

*Wash DC Oct 90

(Taken on Polaroid film)

Item 56: Contact Sheet, Photo Shoot at home, 1999

See InkJet Prints for selections from this contact sheet [1998 or 1999].

Item 57: Ink Jet Prints, Photo Shoot at home, 1999

[Or 1998?] Frame 29

Item 58: Ink Jet Prints, Photo Shoot at home, 1999

[Or 1998?] Frame 31

Item 59: Ink Jet Prints, Photo Shoot at home, 1999

[Or 1998?] Frame 21

Item 60: Ink Jet Prints, Photo Shoot at home, 1999

[Or 1998?] Frame 10

Item 61: Ink Jet Prints, Photo Shoot at home, 1999

[Or 1998?] Frame 14

Item 62: Ink Jet Prints, Photo Shoot at home, 1999

[Or 1998?] Frame 24

Item 63: Dedication of Kilby Papers at Wheaton College, May 6, 1991

(E. B. [Bea?] Batson, Buechner, Mrs. Kilby, unidentified woman)

Item 64: Buechner signing book, with unidentified woman (undated-1980s?) No location given.

Buechner next to unidentified woman; undated (1980s?); no location given.

Item 65: Buechner at lectern

(undated, no location; possibly University of Tennessee, Chattanooga)

Item 66: Buechner with Samuel DeRusha, Univ. of Tennessee grad student, at Alexian Village, Signal Mtn., Tenn., April 19, 2001, 2001

Item 67: Christmas Card of Buechner with wife, children, and grandchildren, with names of entire family on a coordinate silhouette. December, 2006, 2006

(Photo same as 79)

Item 68: Family photo of Buechner and his wife, children and grandchildren. Christmas, 2006, 2006

(color)

Item 69: Black and white photo of Buechner (1997) sent to someone for school bicentennial campaign (Princeton?) Written on back: "Frederick Buechner, '43", 1997

Written on back: "Frederick Buechner, '43"

On front of enclosed card: "Photo. as requested

for Bicentennial Campaign"

Item 70: One of nine color photos of Buechner's daughters (Katherine and Sharman?) and several of his grandchildren at a party. All dated Aug. 20, 2004.

Item 71: One of nine color photos of Buechner's daughters (Katherine and Sharman?) and several of his grandchildren at a party. All dated Aug. 20, 2004.

Item 72: One of nine color photos of Buechner's daughters (Katherine and Sharman?) and several of his grandchildren at a party. All dated Aug. 20, 2004.

Item 73: One of nine color photos of Buechner's daughters (Katherine and Sharman?) and several of his grandchildren at a party. All dated Aug. 20, 2004.

Item 74: One of nine color photos of Buechner's daughters (Katherine and Sharman?) and several of his grandchildren at a party. All dated Aug. 20, 2004.

Item 75: One of nine color photos of Buechner's daughters (Katherine and Sharman?) and several of his grandchildren at a party. All dated Aug. 20, 2004.

Item 76: One of nine color photos of Buechner's daughters (Katherine and Sharman?) and several of his grandchildren at a party. All dated Aug. 20, 2004.

Item 77: One of nine color photos of Buechner's daughters (Katherine and Sharman?) and several of his grandchildren at a party. All dated Aug. 20, 2004.

Item 78: One of nine color photos of Buechner's daughters (Katherine and Sharman?) and several of his grandchildren at a party. All dated Aug. 20, 2004.

Item 79: Undated color photo of daughter Katherine as a child (with friend) sitting on Santa's lap.

Item 80: Buechner on a Pony, New York City, 1929

(photocopy)

Item 81: Buechner & Mother at Party Celebrating the Publication of A Long Day's Dying, 1950

The Knopf party (photocopy)

Item 82: In Archway of the Colosseum, 1951 July

Item 83: Buechner, Judy, & Their Scottish Deerhound, Lear, 1978

(photocopy)

Item 84: Pencil Sketch of FB by Betty McClaney

(photocopy)

Written on back of photocopy:

"Fred,

Betty McLaney [sic] gave me a pencil portrait of what this is a photostat--The paper and pencil were both dark--but you get the general idea. _Don't_ give me away--that I let you see it. She'd die!

Lou"

(photocopy)

Item 85: Buechner's mother, Katherine Kuhn, in wedding party c. 1920's

(photocopy of newspaper photo)

Item 86: Photocopy of portrait, 1990's

From Sojourners; biography picture

Item 87: Print of digital color photo: Daughter Sharman, her husband and children (?), 2000?

Found in manuscript for "Speak What We Feel, Not What We Ought to Say."

Box 136

Item 5: Photos (2, on a single oversize sheet) of Frederick Buechner and the contents of his pockets, by Mark B. Sluder, 10/1986

Sub-Series 2: Computer disks

Box 12

Item 1: Brendan
Item 2: The Son of Laughter
Item 3: Letters, 1988-90: (printed and filed in general correspondence)

Sub-Series 3: Audio Recordings

Box 136

Item 6: Whistling in the Dark, Arena Theater Festival, 1992: 7 1/2 ips
Item 7: A Christmas Triptych, from the book, "A Magnificent Defeat," by Frederick Buechner. All Saints Episcopal Church - Beverly Hills, CA, 1965: long-playing record (LP)

Audio Cassette Storage 1

Item 1: AC01 Beecher Lectures: "Telling the Truth", 1977
Item 2: AC02 Beecher Lectures: "Gospel as Comedy", 1977
Item 3: AC03 Beecher Lectures: "Gospel as Tragedy", 1977
Item 4: AC04 Beecher Lectures: "Gospel as Fairy Tale", 1977
Item 5: AC05 Dedication of Frederick Buechner Collection, Wheaton College, 10-10-84: (2 copies)
Item 6: AC06 Chapel Service, Wheaton College, 10-12-84
Item 7: AC07 "Prayer and Preaching," Ron Birk, 1979
Item 8: AC08 "Face to Face," Biff Fink
Item 9: AC09 Sprunt Sermon 1: "Faith"
Item 10: AC10 Sprunt Sermon 1: "Hope"
Item 11: AC11 Sprunt Sermon 1: "Love"
Item 12: AC12 Frederick Buechner Talks About His Books and Writing
Item 13: AC13 "The Speaking and Writing of Words," Bangor Theo. Sem. 1-29-79
Item 14: AC14 "Words as Literature," Bangor Theological Seminary, 1-30-79
Item 15: AC15 "Words as Literature," Lecture 2
Item 16: AC16 "The Sacrament of Reading," Bangor Theological Seminary, 1-31-1979: [missing] (damaged)
Item 17: AC17 Chattanooga Ministerial Association,, 1986
Item 18: AC18 Chattanooga Clergy Association, 1986
Item 19: AC19 Address to Wheaton College Faculty, 10-8-85
Item 20: AC20 King Lear Lecture II, Montreat Conference Center, North Carolina, 1986: (3 copies) Note: Tape of Lecture I appears to be item 25
Item 21: AC21 Norton Lectures, 10-18-1987: (AM)
Item 22: AC22 Norton Lectures, 10-17-1987: (PM)
Item 23: AC23 Norton Lectures, 10-18-1987: (PM)
Item 24: AC24 Centennial Visitor Series, Univ. of Tennessee
Item 25: AC25 "Faith and Fiction," Montreat, 1986
Item 26: AC26 Sunday Morning Worship, Montreat, 1986
Item 27: AC27 Interview by Em Griffin
Item 28: AC28 Interview by Em Griffin
Item 29: AC29 Interview by Em Griffin
Item 30: AC30 Open Heart Tape, Janie Gustafson
Item 31: AC31 Alphabet of Grace, Dramatic Reading
Item 32: AC32 Catalyst: A Resource for Christian Leaders I: (with contributions from Buechner: Gospel as Truth) -- 1 tape
Item 33: AC33 Catalyst: A Resource for Christian Leaders II: (Buechner: The Myth of God Incarnate) -- 1 tape
Item 34: AC34 Catalyst: A Resource for Christian Leaders III: (Buechner: Comedy of the Grace of God) 2 copies
Item 35: AC35 Catalyst: A Resource for Christian Leaders IV: (Buechner: Gospel as Fairytale) 3 copies
Item 36: AC36 Laity Lodge for Christian Learning - 7/23/90: (No topics given for set)
Item 37: AC37 Laity Lodge for Christian Learning - 7/23/90
Item 38: AC38 Laity Lodge for Christian Learning - 7/24/90
Item 39: AC39 Laity Lodge for Christian Learning - 7/25/90
Item 40: AC40 Laity Lodge for Christian Learning - 7/26/90
Item 41: AC41 Laity Lodge for Christian Learning - 7/26-27, 1990
Item 42: AC42 Laity Lodge for Christian Learning - Director's Forum - 7/26/90
Item 43: AC43 Sermon - "The Kingdom of God" - July 22, 1990
Item 44: AC44 Presbyterian Writers Guild - June 1, 1990 - Salt Lake City, Utah -- Recognition of Buechner
Item 45: AC45 Labeled "F.B. Novels" - 3/15/89 -- regards "Final Beast"
Item 46: AC46 April 6, 1997 speaking engagement: (no other ID)
Item 47: AC47 Princeton University Chapel --- Service of Thanksgiving and Commission -- June 1, 1997
Item 48: AC48 Chattanooga Bible Institute -- "A Good Man is Hard To Find" - Flannery O'Connor
Item 49: AC49 Chattanooga Bible Institute -- "The Enduring Chill" - Flannery O'Connor
Item 50: AC50 Chattanooga Bible Institute -- "Greenleaf" - Flannery O'Connor
Item 51: AC51 Chattanooga Bible Institute -- "Revelation" - Flannery O'Connor
Item 52: AC52 Chattanooga Bible Institute -- "Everything That Rises Must Converge" - Flannery O'Connor
Item 53: AC53 Chattanooga Bible Institute -- "Good Country People" -- Flannery O'Connor
Item 54: AC54 21st National Trinity Institute Conference: "The Dwarves in the Stable", 1990: (Buechner)
Item 55: AC55 21st National Trinity Institute Conference: "The White Tower", 1990: (Buechner)
Item 56: AC56 21st National Trinity Institute Conference: "The Basement Room", 1990: (Buechner)
Item 57: AC57 21st National Trinity Institute Conference: Opening sermon, 1990: (James Carroll)
Item 58: AC58 Laity Lodge for Christian Learning. Lecture #1 -- 7/6/92 "Art & Design"
Item 59: AC59 Laity Lodge for Christian Learning #2 -- 7/7/92 "My Story"
Item 60: AC60 Laity Lodge for Christian Learning #3 -- 7/8/92 "Stewardship of Pain"
Item 61: AC61 Laity Lodge for Christian Learning #4 -- 7/9/92 "The Son of Laughter"
Item 62: AC62 Laity Lodge for Christian Learning #5 -- 7/10/92 "Glimpses of Joy"
Item 63: AC63 Listening to Your Life -- "Readings" Kanuga Conference Center, Hendersonville, N.C.
Item 64: AC64 Listening to Your Life -- "Readings #2" Kanuga Conference Center
Item 65: AC65 Listening to Your Life -- "Conversations with Buechner & Mayne" Kanuga Conference Center
Item 66: AC66 Listening to Your Life -- "Introduction of Mr. Buechner by Prof. George Connor" Kanuga Conference Center
Item 67: AC67 Frederick Buechner reading from "Son of Laughter" -- 4/15/92 Kanuga Conference Center
Item 68: AC68 Acceptance of Lawrenceville Medal -- 10/15/93: (Lawrenceville School)
Item 69: AC69 Christ Memorial Chapel. March 29, 1998. Sermon, "The Church"
Item 70: AC70 St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Chattanooga, TN), May 2, 2000. Sermon: "The Eyes of the Heart": (2 COPIES)
Item 71: AC71 Sermon for Morning Worship, 209th General Assembly (PCUSA), Syracuse, N.Y., June 16, 1997
Item 72: AC72 Mars Hill Audio (bimonthly magazine of contemporary culture & Christian conviction). In light of his book, "The Eyes of the Heart," Buechner explores the ministry of memoirs and the importance of remembering. March/April 2000
Item 73: AC73 Earl Lectures, Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, Calif., Feb. 8, 1983: "Deliverance."
Item 74: AC74 Earl Lectures, Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, Calif. Feb. 9, 1983: "Dereliction"
Item 75: AC75 Earl Lectures, Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, Calif., Feb. 10, 1983: "Delay"
Item 76: AC76 Henderson Conference, Princeton Theological Seminary, "Conversations with Frederick Buechner," 9 a.m. session, May 8, 1986.
Item 77: AC77 Henderson Conference, Princeton Theological Seminary, "Conversations With Frederick Buechner," 1:30 p.m. session, May 9, 1986.
Item 78: AC78 Lecture, Bowen Conference at Kanuga, Hendersonville, N.C., May 25-28, 1996. "Listening to Your Life: Home." First of 3 presentations at conference: (others were readings from Buechner's books-no tapes of these). Quite beautiful.
Item 79: AC79 "I Advent," Church of the Redeemer, December, 1984.: (no location given) Note: Tape in poor shape toward the end
Item 80: AC80 Columbia Forum. Lecture 1: "Once Upon A Time" Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Ga., 1981
Item 81: AC81 Columbia Forum. Lecture 2: "Once Below A Time", 1981: (discusses suicide of father) NOTE: poor quality, especially toward the end
Item 82: AC82 Columbia Forum. Lecture 3: "Beyond Time.", 1981: NOTE: poor quality
Item 83: AC83 Zabriskie Lectures, Virginia Theological Seminary, Fall Convocation: "Now and Then, I", 1982
Item 84: AC84 Zabriskie Lectures, Virginia Theological Seminary, Fall Convocation: "Now and Then, II", 1982
Item 85: AC85 Zabriskie Lectures, Virginia Theological Seminary, Fall Convocation: "Now and Then, III", 1982: (2 sets)
Item 86: AC86 Sermon-Third Sunday of Lent, March 14, 1993: (location unidentified)
Item 87: AC87 Sermon-Second Sunday of Easter, April 2, 1989: (location unidentified but possibly Jupiter Island; Buechner refers to "this island.")
Item 88: AC88 Sermon, "Easter II," April 10, 1994: (location unidentified)
Item 89: AC89 Sermon, Palm Sunday, April 9, 1995, "The Things That Make For Peace": (location unidentified but possibly Jupiter Island; Buechner refers to "this improbable little island") Loose adaptation of segment in A Room Called Remember ("The Things That Make For Peace")
Item 90: AC90 Lecture "The Power of Memoir," by Dr. Charles Poole. Part of lecture series on Theology and Literature, Northminster Baptist Church, Feb. 20, 2000 (mentions the books of Buechner): (no location given)
Item 91: AC91 Sermon, "The Eyes of the Heart," Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago, April 28, 2002.: (2 copies)
Item 92: AC92 Seminars on Religion & The Arts-Tape I, St. Paul's, Cleveland (no other ID), May 17, 1988.: NOTE: low volume, quality erratic
Item 93: AC93 Seminars on Religion & The Arts-Tape 2, St. Paul's, Cleveland. Mainly Buechner reading from his books.: NOTE: low volume, quality erratic.
Item 94: AC94 Buechner lecture, Washington National Cathedral, Washington, DC, 4-27-01
Item 95: AC95 "For Such a Time As This." Buechner lecture for McCormick Days, McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, 4-29-2002
Item 96: AC96 Sermon: "The Eyes of the Heart." Dated 4-25-99.: Church unidentified
Item 97: AC97 Calvin College Festival of Faith and Writing (April, 2004); "Book of the Quarter Discussion"
Item 98: AC98 Calvin College Festival of Faith and Writing; "Career Reflections": 3 copies
Item 99: AC99 Calvin College Festival of Faith and Writing: Lecture on preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary
Item 100: AC100 Calvin College Festival of Faith and Writing: "Seeing and Believing"
Item 101: AC101 Family history -- mostly anecdotal -- made by Buechner in 2004 for reunion he was unable to attend.
Item 102: AC102 Preaching Today: "A Good Lesson From A Bad Example" (Haddon Robinson); Frederick Buechner Interview -- "The Words We Use To Preach;" "What Are We Going To Be?"
Item 103: AC103 Westminster Presbyterian Church, Minneapolis, Minn. "Art and Religion" 5/19/88

Sub-Series 4: Video Recordings

Loose 1

Item 1: Chicago Sunday Evening Club, F. Buechner, 09/29/1985
Item 2: Chicago Sunday Evening Club, F. Buechner, 10/29/1989
Item 3: A Moment of Grace, CSEC, 10/4/1992
Item 4: Return of Ansel Gibbs, Playhouse 90 TV, c. 1
Item 5: Return of Ansel Gibbs, Playhouse 90 TV, c. 2
Item 6: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, "Telling the Truth" and "Brendan and Godric,", 10/1989
Item 7: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, "Art and Religion" and "Wishful Thinking", 10/1989
Item 8: St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Chattanooga - Frederick Buechner, guest speaker, 5/2/2000
Item 9: Calvin College -- Festival of Faith and Writing, "Festival Sunday", 2004 April 24
Item 10: Calvin College -- Festival of Faith and Writing, "Career Reflections", 2004 April 24: missing; VHS format

Loose 2

Item 1: Return of Ansel Gibbs, 1958 November-December: Kinescope of CBS-TV production; film reels 1-2
Item 2: Return of Ansel Gibbs, 1958 November-December: Kinescope of CBS-TV production; film reel 3

Sub-Series 5: Microfilm

Box 14

Item 1: Reel IVA1 / Box IVA1 - IVA2, Folder 1: (2 copies)
Item 2: Reel IVA2 / Box IVA2, Folder 3 -- IVA3: (2 copies)
Item 3: Reel IVA3 / Box IVA4, Folder 1 -- IVA5, Folder 3: (2 copies)
Item 4: Reel IVA4 / Box IVA5, Folder 4 -- Box IVA6, Folder 2: (2 copies)
Item 5: Reel IVA5 / Box IVA6, Folder 3 -- IVA7, Folder 3: (2 copies)
Item 6: Reel IVA6 / Box IVA7, Folder 4 -- IVA9, Folder 6: (2 copies)
Item 7: Reel IVA7 / Box IVA9, Folder 7 -- IVA11, Folder 2: (2 copies)
Item 8: Reel IVA8 / Box IVA11, Folder 5 -- IVA12, Folder 1: (2 copies)
Item 9: Reel IVA9 / Box IVA12, Folder 2 -- IVA14, Folder 3: (2 copies)

Box 15

Item 1: Reel IVA10 / Box IVA14, Folder 4 -- IVA15, Folder 9: (2 copies)
Item 2: Reel IVA11 / Box IVA15, Folder 10 -- IVA17, Folder 1: (2 copies)
Item 3: Reel IVA12 / Box IVA17, Folder 2 -- IVA18, Folder 4: (2 copies)
Item 4: Reel IVA13 / Box IVA18, Folder 5 -- IVA19, Folder 5: (2 copies)
Item 5: Reel IVA14 / Box IVA20, Folder 1 -- IVA20, Folder 5: (2 copies)