Collection 1: Bernard Cohen literary papers

sub-fonds

1977-2005

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Drawings, Photographs, Nonmusical Sound Recordings, Oral Histories

921555

Partly Digitised

4.16 metres of textual material (25 boxes) includes photographs

Box 1
‘Tourism’ original and copied typescript for cities and towns of ‘Tourism’, ca 1989
Notes, typescript synopses of stories including ‘Tourism’, includes a copy of Bernard’s Curriculum Vitae
‘Tourism’ – original and copies of town and city overviews
Bound copy of ‘Tourism’

Box 2
Photocopies of published work fragments
‘Inflation’ Parts 1-4, 1990
Chapters of ‘Tourism’ in several forms
Literary Arts Board Application for grant, 1988 including prose examples and a letter of support
Artwork for publication copies of ‘Paul needs Specs’

Box 3

‘Tourism’ galley proofs
‘Tourism’, marked up manuscript, 1992
‘Tourism’ fragments including correspondence from Jane Palfreyman, 1991
‘A New York Story’ (in progress); ‘Inflation’ (Novella in progress); Writers in Recital material; correspondence and ‘Tourism’ chapters from Pan Macmillan, 1992
‘Tourism’: thank you speech, Beth Yahp’s speech at launch; reports on Cohen’s MA thesis ‘Tourism’ by Don Anderson and [David] Brooks; research, notes, clippings relating to ‘Tourism’; Printed copy of ‘Tourism’
‘Tourism’ bound copy, 1990
‘Tourism’ launch photographs
‘Tourism’ original edited manuscript, 1992

Box 4

‘The Blindman’s Hat’ returned Manuscript
‘The Blindman’s Hat’ marked up printout
‘The Blindman’s Hat’ Drafts for international readings, September 1996 – January 1997
Returned application for Literature Board Writers Fellowship, 1996
‘The Blindman’s Hat’ correspondence, 1996-1997
Exercise book containing story threads, ideas, drawings; postcard from Cohen’s wall during the writing of ‘The Blindman’s Hat’, invitation to book reading
‘The Blindman’s Hat’ corrected proofs

Box 5

‘Inflation: a fragmented novel’ - printed, numbered copy, early manuscript and typescript pages
‘Sydney / Museum’ later ‘Snowdome’ unpublished manuscript and cover letter from Ivor Indyk, Southerly, 1995
‘Sydney / Museum’ working copy
‘The Blindman’s Hat’ draft 26 June 1996
Poems, prose and art, 1994
‘The Blindman’s Hat’ corrected drafts chapters 6-8, 1996
Book 2 (working title) drafts, March – April 1992

Box 6

“My Daughter’s not in Queensland’; ‘Poor Cold-Blooded Me’; ‘Someone Else’s Telephone’; ‘Candide in New York (a novel in progress’ pages; Short stories: ‘Analects 2’, ‘Teacup in a Storm’ by Miles Faraday, ‘Ursula & the Bandit’ by N. Juredovich, ‘Case One: John Robert McIntyre’, handmade mock up
‘The Blindman’s Hat’ early versions
‘The Blindman’s Hat’ edited draft chapter and notes, 1996
Inflation (and other stories), bound, 1990
Manuscript, May 1992
‘Snowdome’ returned, edited manuscript
‘Snowdome’ manuscript, marked up by Tom Flood
‘Snowdome’ correspondence, 1996-1998
Incomplete edited chapters 12-17 and I-VI

Box 7

‘Snowdome’ early drafts
‘Mangroves’, Original typescript of a one-act play for theatre or film by Bernard Cohen, photographic mock-up of scene for stage
Monologues, poetry, background research material on Brecht, Wittgenstein
Early drafts ‘Fist hitting Metal’ and other chapters
‘Snowdome’ marked up copy including readers reports by Peter Bishop, Varuna, Tom Flood, 1995-1996
Correspondence, 1996-2003
Writing fragments, The Blindman’s Hat’ book launch speech, copies of published works
Wendy Reid proof photographs of Bernard Cohen
Australian Author editions, 1999-2000
‘Blue Light Lounge’ featuring ‘Slander’ by Bernard Cohen, 1987
Fictional Guidelines to Sir John Soane’s Museum, drafts and printed editions, 2002

Box 8

Media clippings, reviews and articles relating to Cohen, articles and reviews by Cohen

Box 9

‘Hardly Beach Weather’ marked up draft with notes
‘Hardly Beach Weather’ penultimate printout, marked up by Nicola Robinson, December 2001
Miscellaneous works of writing by Cohen including poetry, research proposals and early drafts for ‘Hardly Beach Weather’ stories, ca. 2000
‘Hardly Beach Weather’ list of stories
‘Hardly Beach Weather’ – Luke Davies launch speech
Bernard Cohen Curriculum Vitae, 2003
Meeting notes, reviews, media clippings ‘Hardly Beach Weather’

Box 10

‘Hardly Beach Weather’ lightly annotated manuscript, 3 April 2000
‘Hardly Beach Weather’ marked up by N [Nicola O’Shea] 22 July 2000
‘Hardly Beach Weather’ manuscript “as sent” 24 January 2001,
‘Hardly Beach Weather’ edited manuscript, cover letter by Nicola O’Shea, February/March 2002
‘Hardly Beach Weather’ intermediate draft 25 February 2002 proofreading notes
‘Speed Factory’ (Bernard Cohen, John Kinsella, McKenzie Wark and Terri-Anne White). Proofread copy with proofreading notes by Cohen

Box 11

‘Hardly Beach Weather’ first page proofs and cover letter from Nicola O’Shea, March 2002
Bound mock up ‘Paul needs Specs’
‘Paul needs Specs’ correspondence, 1999-2004
‘Paul needs Specs’ correspondence, review
‘Paul needs Specs’ art proofs by Geoff Kelly, correspondence
‘The Antibiography of Robert F. Menzies’ copy submitted to Australia Council, 1999
‘The Antibiography of Robert F. Menzies’ Blake Friedmann copy
‘The Antibiography of Robert F. Menzies’ AMC copy and media release
‘The Antibiography of Robert F. Menzies’ drafts, notes, research material
Sydney Morning Herald Young Writer of the Year, finalists’ portfolios, 1998

Box 12

‘Hardly Beach Weather’ draft sent to Fran Bryson, December 1998
Correspondence, 1990-1999
Young Writers festival, Sydney Morning Herald Young Writers awards, 1998; Judah Waten National Story Writing Competition (second prize certificate)
Festival ephemera, book reviews, Education Alternatives newsletters, research articles
Drafts of short stories, essays, articles and working of chapters including ‘The Drover’s Wife’, ‘Paul needs Specs’, ‘The Waters are Rising’, ‘The Liturgy of the Sydney 2000 Olympics’

Box 13

Material relating to administration of Varuna, The Writers’ House, 1998-1999
Published and unpublished writing including some poetry
Correspondence 1994-1999
Interview questions, transcripts including with Jeanette Hope, Garry Pappin, Ian Wakefield, Peter Clarke
Published reviews, journal articles, ephemera, research material
Manuscript by Martin Thomas ‘The Artificial Horizon: Passage 5 The Death of V. Gordon Childe’
Writing the City writing course material, 1995
Copies of Cohen articles 1994-1995

Box 14

‘The Writer’s Fall’ (Ankle book working title) draft manuscript and notes, 1994
‘The Writer’s Fall’ edited drafts, May 1994
‘The Writer’s Fall’ copy submitted for the Vogel Award, 1994
‘The Writer’s Fall’, post Varuna, June 1994
‘The Writer’s Fall’ draft, late June 1994
‘The Writer’s Fall’ edited draft, ca. June 1984
Published and unpublished work by Cohen
Correspondence with publishers, others 1990-1998
Reviews, articles and cuttings; 1997 appointment diary with notes and photographs

Box 15

Media cuttings relating to the Helen Demidenko Novel ‘The Hand that Signed the Paper’ and subsequent controversy, 1995
‘The Quality of Anti-Semitism in The Hand that Signed the Paper’ eight essay drafts and notes, 1995
‘Cambodians in Australia’, clippings, research material, drafts for article, 2 folders, 1993
Jewish Writers material, including Jewish Writers Festival, 2006
‘Europe Wrapped’, article for Good Weekend; The Dugongs of Hinchinbrook art show
The Bulletin Millennium issue, 2000

Box 16

‘Job Network’ research material, drafts for article
Copies of published articles, 1987-2006
Letter to the editor – published, 1992
Early research for ‘The Writer’s Fall’
Journalism: published pieces, 1988-2002
Publications record and copies of articles 1986-1999

Box 17

Willandra Lakes story including Interview transcripts, drafts, research notes, correspondence, 1995-1997
Sustaining the Willandra: Exhibition drafts/plans
Willandra Lakes background information
‘Nostalgia’s Glossary’ draft
Poetry early drafts, 1994-1997
‘Guadix’, third draft, 1987
Anthologies, 2001-2002
‘Watching Islands: Short stories by Bernard Cohen’, 1986
Bound copy of Short Fiction works, 1980s

Box 18

Short story drafts, 1980s, 1995-1997
‘Slander’ in Blue Light Lounge, 1987
Drafts, correspondence, job applications, thesis proposal, performance scripts, 1993
‘Sydney/Museum’ pages, contents drafts, raw material, 1994
Old versions of poems, manuscript drafts, Gwendolyn’s diary extract and notebook, 1986-1990s
‘Mangroves’ storyboard (book) and draft script
Fragments of prose works in progress 1980s, 1990s
‘The Encyclopaedia of Ignorance’ draft 1988
‘Aliens’ draft, 1993
Pamphlet books, ca. 1988
‘Compression 100’ Tess de Quincey / Stuart Lynch collaboration correspondence, performance material, 1996
Fragments of prose works in progress 1990s
Readings and lecture tours, ephemera, programs and notes, 1996-1997
“Tourism’ book launch guest list, reviews, correspondence including from Bryce Courtney, Drusilla Modjeska, unsent letters responding to reviews

Box 19

Working folders with subject headings:
Australian Society of Authors, 2001
Children’s books and related correspondence includes printed copies of children’s stories by Bernard Cohen including ‘Jumbo the Mouse’, ‘Carol’s Expedition’ and ‘Ansuya Stays Cross’, 2002-2004
Speech transcripts for writers’ festivals, interview transcripts
The Writing Workshop (Cohen’s creative writing programs for Children) ephemera
Contracts, correspondence relating to correspondence 1991-1997
Reviews, launches, paper clippings, 1993-1998

Literary and personal correspondence including rejections, acceptances, editorials:

Undated, 1986-1991: Correspondents include Tom Flood, Jane Palfryman, Carla Taines, Ken Bolton and letters of recommendation to The Marten Bequest

1992-1995: Correspondents include Louise Carbine, Ken Bolton, Barry Oakley, Jill Hickson, Bruce Pascoe, Prime Minister Paul Keating, Nikki Christer and Sandy Webster

1996-1997: Correspondents include Ivor Indyk, Ron Shapiro, Kim Beazley, Australia Council, Carmel Bird, Laurie Duggan and Annette Barlow

1998: Correspondents include Susan Wyndham, Pat Richardson and Delia Falconer

Personal correspondence, 1996-1998 correspondents include Luke Davies, Paul Gillen, Jon Gorr, Leonie Stevens, Pat Richardson and Peter Anderson

Box 20

Miscellaneous writing printouts including ‘Explaining things to Migrants’, ‘The Pub Screen: towards a dissembled abrupture’, in hand-painted folder
‘Snowdome’ early draft “pre-Ivor Indyk”, 1995
‘Sydney/Museum’ Part 1, draft “post Varuna”, 12 June 1994
Telecom Australia dispute and fictionalisation, 1990
Pre-Varuna partial printouts
“City book drafts” Varuna, 1994
Varuna papers – Eleanor Dark Foundation, 1995-1997
Varuna papers – Eleanor Dark Foundation, 1998
High School and university papers, correspondence, ‘Speed Factory’ contract, 1977-2002

Box 22

Sydney Jewish Writers’ Festival, 2008
Sydney Writers’ Festival ephemera, run sheets, correspondence, clippings, 2002
Printed works, published and unpublished, some delivered at writers’ festivals with notes by Cohen, 1988-1998
Press cuttings 1990-1995
‘Snowdome’ launch speeches, Varuna and Adelaide Writers’ Festival
Writers’ festivals, recitals, workshops, short course papers notes, panel discussions, speech transcripts, ephemera 1992-1998
Writers Performance and Presentation Course material, 1997
Submitted work and correspondence 1996-1998
Printed copies published and unpublished work
Writing the City lectures, University of Sussex, 2001
- Berlin teaching materials
- Discursive transformations lecture material

Box 22

Writing the City lectures, University of Sussex, lecture notes, evaluation sheets, 2001
William Goodenough Trust, 2002
Peckham Library Residency, 2001
Miscellaneous material collected 2001-2001 Peckham, Worcester
Sir John Soane’s Museum of natural History notebook, background details
Sir John Soane’s Museum correspondence regarding residency, 2002
Sir John Soane’s Museum Writer in Residence material including issues 1-5 ‘Fictional Guidenotes to Sir John Soane’s Museum, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, 2002
Applications for fellowships, residency and teaching roles

Box 23

‘Analects’, 1988; ‘Manon’, 1989
United Kingdom correspondence, reviews, clippings, research material, printouts of stories and fragments, 2001-2002
Australian Sanctuary and Settlement Fund, minutes, correspondence, 1997
Worcester residency including correspondence, research material, printed work, 2001-2003
Creative Arts Associate, Menzies Centre, Kings College London, 2000-2001
Arts Council of England, 2001
The Iron Bridge and Town publication

Box 24

11 notebooks containing fragments, notes and “snatches of dialogue”, 1980s-1990s
Juvenilia including High School project and university paper
Writing, mostly 1984
Early writing, fiction and non-fiction 1986-1990s
Printouts of pieces, drafts, edits
‘The Perfumed Necropolis’ drafts

Box 25

‘Tourism’ MA Thesis, 129pp bound, 1990
Australia Council Writers Fellowship application 1993/1994
Australia Council Writers Fellowship application 1994/1995
Australia Council Writers Fellowship application 1995/1996
Correspondence, Australia Council, 1987-1997
Taipei tour, 2000
New South Wales Arts Ministry correspondence, 1990s
UTS essays
Teaching at UTS, 2003
Book editing correspondence, 1992-1993
Bound copy short stories, May 1992
Printouts of pieces, drafts, correspondence, 1980s, 1994-1995
Audiocassette, Land, 2SER, 9 July 1999

Oral history sound recordings (MLOH 795):
Series 1: Bernard Cohen sound recordings

In copyright:
Reproduction Restricted:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder.

The description of this material has been supplied from the Oral History Digitisation Program, undertaken 2014 to 2017, of the Library's oral history collections.