Tulane University's
Louisiana Research Collection

The Louisiana Research Collection is pleased to announce the release of mystery writer, novelist, poet, and essayist James Sallis’ papers. The newly processed collection features manuscripts and revisions to nine publications including the Lew Griffin novels, a mystery series set in New Orleans, The Guitar In Jazz , his translation of Raymond Queneau’s novel Saint Glinglin , as well as his critical anthology of science fiction writer Samuel Delany, Ash of Stars . The collection also includes correspondence with various mystery and science fiction writers and pitches for articles and short stories to publications such as Amazing Science Fiction. Sallis was born in Helena, Arkansas in 1944 and grew up listening to Sonny Boy Williamson on KFFA radio, reading the mysteries of Chester Himes and Jim Thompson, and roaming the banks of the Mississippi. He began publishing in science fiction and mystery anthologies and magazines in the 1960s, including moving to London to edit the acclaimed...

With eleven researchers, LaRC has a full house today. Many people think our activity is slower in the summer, but actually it's one of our busiest times because many researchers are freer in the summer to travel for their research projects. This week LaRC has welcomed researchers from Baton Rouge, Berkeley, Berlin, Boston, Chapel Hill, Cleveland, Fargo, Fort Worth, Hammond, Metairie, New York, Quebec, and Slidell, and it’s only Wednesday. They are mining LaRC’s holdings for research in fields as diverse as African American Studies, anthropology, architecture, art, carnival, education, gender, law, LGBTQ, preservation, public health, sociology, and Women’s Studies.   By the way, the painting at the front of the room is the largest known A.J. Drysdale. It was painted in 1930 for the walls of a residential dining room.