The Karl Marlantes Papers, 1968-2012

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Marlantes, Karl
Title
The Karl Marlantes Papers
Dates
1968-2012 (inclusive)
Quantity
8.5 cubic feet, (7 boxes)
Collection Number
OLPb094MAR
Summary
This collection includes all of the drafts of the books written by Karl Marlantes, including the critically acclaimed Vietnam War novel, Matterhorn (2009). The collection also includes published versions of Marlantes's books, correspondence, research materials, and his journals from the Vietnam War.
Repository
Lewis & Clark College, Special Collections and Archives

Aubrey R. Watzek Library
615 S. Palatine Hill Rd.
Portland, OR
97219
Telephone: 5037687758
Fax: 5037687282
archives@lclark.edu
Access Restrictions

This collection has no restrictions and is open for research.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Karl Marlantes was born in Seaside, Oregon in 1945. After attending high school in Seaside, Marlantes was awarded a National Merit Scholarship. He attended Yale University, where he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship. Rather than studying at Oxford, Marlantes enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, and served as a lieutenant during the Vietnam War, earning the Navy Cross, two Navy Commendations for Valor, two Purple Hearts, and ten Air Medals. After returning from the War, Marlantes began writing about his experience.

His first novel, Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War, was published in a small edition of 1,000 copies in 2009 by El León Literary Arts of Berkeley, California. With an official publication date of May 1, advanced readers copies were mailed out early in the year. Staffers at Barnes & Noble were impressed with the novel, and submitted it to a first-novel contest, which led a number of New York publishers to express interest in obtaining the rights to the book. Eventually, Grove Atlantic Press made a deal with El León and copies already printed but not yet distributed were issued as galleys for a El León/Grove joint revised publication, which was issued in 2010.

Matterhorn was Amazon's Book of the Month for March 2010, and debuted on the New York Times bestseller list in April 2010. It won the 2011 William E. Colby Award, was ranked #7 for Fiction in Time Magazine's Best Books of the Year (2010), and was one of the New York Times Notable Books of the Year (2010). It was also an ALA Notable Book (2010), won the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award (2011), and won the Indies Choice Book Award (Adult Debut, 2011).

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Includes book drafts, published books, notebooks, personal journals, correspondence, maps, reports, and research materials.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Permission to publish, exhibit, broadcast, or quote from materials in the Watzek Library Archives & Special Collections requires written permission of the Head of Archives & Special Collections.

Preferred Citation

The Karl Marlantes Papers (OLPb094MAR), Lewis & Clark College Aubrey Watzek Library Archives & Special Collections, Portland, Oregon.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged by book project and chronologically for each book.

Location of Collection

Special Collections

Acquisition Information

Donated to Lewis & Clark College by Karl Marlantes in 2012.

Future Additions

This collection may be supplemented periodically by new manuscript materials from the author.

Processing Note

Processed in 2012.

Separated Materials

Books written by Karl Marlantes are housed in the Special Collections rare book collections. Call numbers can be found in the online catalog at: http://libcat.lclark.edu/.

Related Materials

Lewis & Clark College Special Collections holds a separate Marlantes collections titled The Ken Pallack Collection of Karl Marlantes Materials, This collection is composed of early drafts of Matterhorn that were read by Ken Pallack. The drafts in the Ken Pallack collection are replicated in this collection (The Karl Marlantes Papers). The finding aid for the Ken Pallack Collection can be found at: http://nwda-db.orbiscascade.org/findaid/ark:/80444/xv97439.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Container(s) Description Dates
File
1.1 A - Matterhorn
Draft of what would become MATTERHORN. Earliest manuscript of the book with letter explaining the manuscript to Mr. Wattenberg - Oct. 20, 1971. The draft is paginated, but out of sequence, as it arrived from the author. Many chapters are paperclipped together.
1971
1.2 B - Matterhorn
1971
1.3 C - Matterhorn
1971
1.4 D - Matterhorn
1971
1.5 E - Matterhorn
1971
1.6 F - Matterhorn
1971
1.7 G - Matterhorn
1971
1.8 To Children Ardent titlepage-199 1985
1.9 To Children Ardent 200-399
1985
1.10 To Children Ardent 400-599
1985
1.11 To Children Ardent 600-744
1985
1.12 To Children Ardent Titlepage-199
Mar. 1985
1.13 To Children Ardent 200-399
Mar. 1985
1.14 To Children Ardent 400-599
Mar. 1985
1.15 To Children Ardent 600-745
Mar. 1985
2.1 A - To Children Ardent Working MSS
To Children Ardent, working manuscript 1977-1979, eventually submitted June 1979 - Chapters 1-22 and chapters 22-End (41 total chapters). Manuscript completed September 1977 at Zig Zag, Oregon.
1977-79
2.2 B - To Children Ardent Working MSS
1977-79
2.3 C - To Children Ardent Working MSS
1977-79
2.4 D - To Children Ardent Working MSS
1977-79
2.5 E - To Children Ardent Working MSS
1977-79
2.6 F - To Children Ardent Working MSS
1977-79
2.7 G - To Children Ardent Working MSS
1977-79
2.8 H - To Children Ardent Working MSS
1977-79
3.1 To Children Ardent 1-199
Circa 1980's
3.2 To Children Ardent 200-399
Circa 1980's
3.3 To Children Ardent 400-599
Circa 1980's
3.4 To Children Ardent 600-799
Circa 1980's
3.5 To Children Ardent 800-999
Circa 1980's
3.6 To Children Ardent 1000-1129
Circa 1980's
3.7 The Jungle Sea T.P-199
Undated
3.8 The Jungle Sea 200-399
Undated
3.9 The Jungle Sea 400-599
Undated
3.10 The Jungle Sea 600-745
Undated
3.11 The Jungle Sea Misc typed notes from MSS
Undated
3.12 First There Is A Mountain T.P.-199
2005
3.13 First There Is A Mountain 200-399
2005
3.14 First There Is A Mountain 400-599
2005
3.15 First There Is A Mountain 600-799
2005
3.16 First There Is A Mountain 800-852
2005
4.1 Matterhorn T.P.-199
Spring 2007
4.2 Matterhorn 200-399
Spring 2007
4.3 Matterhorn 400-599
Spring 2007
4.4 Matterhorn 600-799
Spring 2007
4.5 Matterhorn 800-906
Spring 2007
4.6 Vietnam Image of KM with captured NVA gun
Note on reverse of photo: Wilson and not known w/ captured NVA machine gun. Hill 484 Feb-Mar '69. Kim added note: But I think it's me because satchel where I kept diary on right side.
Feb-Mar 1969
4.7 Kim Maps of Vietnam
1968-1969
4.8 Matterhorn Notebook (3 ring spiral)
Undated
4.9 Karl Marlantes' Field Journal (Vietnam)
Nov. 1968
4.10 Notebook, Notes from Children Ardent
April. 1987
4.11 Karl Marlantes' Vietnam Journal
With loose N.D. articles, papers, letters and military payment slips
1968-1969
4.12 A - Matterhorn edits by Jon Stallworthy
Feb. 2008
4.13 B - Matterhorn edits by Jon Stallworthy
Feb. 2008
4.14 Notes on Children Ardent
Undated
4.15 Correspondence
1996
4.16 Computer printouts of notes, ideas, and draft pages
Undated
4.17 Matterhorn research , battle maps, reports, correspondence
Undated
4.18 Research, Correspondence, Pamphlets
Undated
4.19 Correspondence with publishers writing samples
Undated
4.20 Notes - Working chapters Matterhorn
Undated
4.21 Killing - I, Start- End of Long March, (good copy)
Undated
4.22 Killing - I, End of Long March, Bald Eagle Launch
Undated
4.23 Old Chapters - Thrown out (save)
Undated
4.24 Matterhorn - Working
Undated
5.1 A- Matterhorn Edits
May. 2009
5.2 B - Matterhorn Edits
May. 2009
5.3 C - Matterhorn Edits
May. 2009
5.4 D - Matterhorn Edits
May. 2009
5.5 Matterhorn Misc. (folder)
Undated
5.6 A - Matterhorn Edits (Jofie #2)
Jul. 2009
5.7 B - Matterhorn Edits (Jofie #2)
Jul. 2009
5.8 C - Matterhorn Edits (Jofie #2)
Jul. 2009
5.9 A- Matterhorn Edits (Jofie #3)
Aug. 2009
5.10 B - Matterhorn Edits (Jofie #32)
Aug. 2009
5.11 Copy KM Edits Matterhorn Final Galley
Nov. 14, 2009
5.12 Matterhorn KM Edits of Copy Editing
Undated
6.1 A - Original Manhood and War
Original manuscript left in order received. Most pages numbered, but out of sequence with some interleaving and editing.
Sept. 27, 1991
6.2 B - Original Manhood and War
Sept. 27, 1991
6.3 C -Original Manhood and War
Sept. 27, 1991
6.4 D - Original Manhood and War
Sept. 27, 1991
6.5 E - Original Manhood and War
Sept. 27, 1991
6.6 F - Original Manhood and War
Sept. 27, 1991
6.7 G - Original Manhood and War
Sept. 27, 1991
6.8 H - Original Manhood and War
Sept. 27, 1991
6.9 I - Original Manhood and War
Sept. 27, 1991
6.10 A - Initiations, Warriors, Soldiers and the Sacred Space of Battle
Fall 1992
6.11 B - Initiations, Warriors, Soldiers and the Sacred Space of Battle
Fall 1992
6.12 C - Initiations, Warriors, Soldiers and the Sacred Space of Battle
Fall 1992
6.13 Coming to Terms (original) T.P.-199
May 1, 1996
6.14 Coming to Terms (original) 200-296
May 1, 1996
6.15 Coming to Terms with Mars T.P.-199
1996
6.16 Coming to Terms with Mars 200-296
1996
7.1 A - Reflections on Combat 1-199
1997
7.2 B - Reflections on Combat 200-325
1997
7.3 Reflections on Combat T.P.-199
Jan-Feb 2003
7.4 Reflections on Combat 200-325
Jan-Feb 2003
7.5 What Is It Like To Go To War (Grove Press)
Aug. 22, 2011

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Soldiers -- Psychology -- History -- 20th century
  • United States. Marine Corps --Fiction
  • Veterans -- Mental health
  • Vietnam War, 1961-1975 --Fiction
  • Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Personal narratives, American
  • Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Veterans -- United States

Personal Names

  • Marlantes, Karl--Archives

Titles within the Collection

  • Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War
  • What It is Like to Go to War