Guide to the Papers of Lily Brett [MSS 240]

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Manuscript Name Papers of Lily Brett
Manuscript Number MSS 240
Last Updated August 2021
Extent 6.78 m (50 boxes)
Location Special Collections, UNSW Canberra
Abstract The papers document Brett's writings from 1979, including her poetry, short stories, novels, essays, newspaper columns, articles and reviews, together with several unpublished works, including a screenplay.

Scope and Content

This collection comprises journals, notebooks, correspondence, manuscript and typescript drafts, notes, research material, computer discs and photographs. The papers reflect the voice and presence of a dedicated and passionate post-Holocaust writer. A notable aspect of the collection is a series of notebooks, spanning nearly two decades, which richly detail Brett's personal life and literary career.

The papers offer detailed documentation of Brett's writings from 1979, including her poetry, short stories, novels, essays, newspaper columns, articles and reviews, as well as several unpublished works, including a screenplay. There are working papers for eleven of Brett's publications, including:
The Auschwitz poems (1986)
Poland and other poems (1987)
After the war (1990), Things could be worse (1990)
What God wants (1991), Unintended consequences (1992)
Just like that (1994), In her strapless dresses (1994)
Mud in my tears (1997)
In full view (1997)
Too many men (1999).

The correspondence series includes a large proportion of draft letters by Brett, and these contribute to an understanding of her personal relationships, and her abiding interests and concerns. Among the major correspondents are The Age, Angus and Robertson, Caroline Baum, Inara [Johnston?], Macmillan, Meanjin, Overland, Petrushka Owen, Christopher Pollnitz and Southerly.

Date Range of Content

1969-1999

Organization

The original order of this collection has largely been retained by the Library.

Biographical Note

Lily Brett was born in a displaced persons' camp in Germany. Her Jewish parents were survivors of the Lodz Ghetto and Auschwitz. Her family moved to Melbourne in 1948, and in 1961 Brett began her literary career writing for the Australian rock magazine Go-Set. The Auschwitz poems (1986) received great critical acclaim for its expression of the feelings and experiences of second-generation Holocaust survivors, a theme which is prevalent throughout her writing. Her terse, short poems elliptically recreate the experience of her parents' generation in a style whose minimalism accentuates the horrors of what is being depicted. Her stories are characterised by their adept movements between horror, excesses and the exaggerated behaviour of what is reductively known as Jewish humour.

Much of Brett's writing is autobiographical or semi-autobiographical. Brett also writes intimately about her experiences with sex, body image and food. Her frank writing about her interactions with her family, particularly her relationship with her mother, led to a public rift with her sister, the author and psychologist Doris Brett, who challenged the veracity of the account. In 1991 Brett moved to New York with her second husband, the Australian painter David Rankin. Her essay collections In full view (1997), New York (2001) and Between Mexico and Poland (2002) present her experiences as an expatriate.

Brett's publications include The Auschwitz poems (1986)
Poland and other poems (1987)
After the war (1990)
Things could be worse (1990)
What God wants (1991)
Unintended consequences (1992)
Just like that (1994)
In her strapless dresses (1994)
Mud in my tears (1997)
In full view (1997)
Collected stories (1999)
Too many men (1999)
New York (2001)
Between Mexico and Poland (2002)
You gotta have balls (2005)
Blistered days (2007). She has also contributed poetry, short stories and articles to Australian and overseas journals and newspapers.

Brett's awards include: Australian Literature Society Gold Medal, 2003: shortlisted for Between Mexico and Poland
Commonwealth Writers Prize, South-East Asia and South Pacific Region, Best Book from the Region Award, 2000: winner for Too many men
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, 1995: winner for Just like that
Warana Writers' Awards, Steele Rudd Award, 1992: winner for What God wants
Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, C.J. Dennis Award for Poetry, 1987: winner for The Auschwitz poems
Mattara Poetry Prize, 1986: winner for 'Poland'

References:
AustLit : The Resource for Australian Literature, March 2007.

Administrative Information

Access

This collection is restricted and partly closed.

Restrictions on Use

No copying is permitted without the permission of the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

Papers of Lily Brett, Special Collections, UNSW Canberra, Australian Defence Force Academy, MSS 240, Series [Number], Folder [Number].

Provenance

This collection was acquired from Lily Brett and David Rankin in four instalments from 1991 to 1999.

Access Terms

Personal Names

Brett, Lily, 1946- -- Archives.

Topical Subjects

Women poets, Australian -- Archives.

Women authors, Australian -- 20th century -- Archives.

Novelists, Australian -- 20th century -- Archives.

Occupations

Authors

Series List and Descriptions

 

Series 1 Correspondence, 1979-1998

This small series comprises correspondence between Brett and her friends, family, literary associates, agents and publishers. A large proportion of the series consists of Brett's own letters, particularly faxes from New York to Australia, regarding personal and literary matters and arrangements. These letters contribute to a strong understanding of Brett, her personal relationships, and her abiding interests and concerns. The major correspondents include The Age, Angus and Robertson, Caroline Baum, Inara [Johnston?], Macmillan, Meanjin, Overland, Petrushka Owen, Christopher Pollnitz and Southerly. Notes and drafts for many of Brett's letters are included in the notebooks in Series 3.

Folder 1
A, 1980-1997

Including Robert Adamson, The Age, Richard Walsh of Angus and Robertson, Anka [?], Jonathan Armytage, Arnold Bloch Leibler & Co., Rudi Krausmann of Aspect, Geoffrey Dutton of The Australian Literary Magazine, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Australian Transnational Consultants

Folder 2
B, 1980-1997

Including Rebecca Batties, Caroline Baum, Jan Mahyuddin and Sneja Gunew of Beyond the echo: multicultural women's writing (1987), B'nai B'rith Raoul Wallenberg Unit, Max Brett and The Bulletin

Folder 3
C, 1979-1997

Including Christine [?], Kathleen Clair, Suzy Coleman, Collins and Harriet Cooper

Folder 4
D-G, 1989-1997

Including Judith Dunford, Jeanine Fowler and Joanna Goldsworthy

Folder 5
H-J, 1982-1997

Including Robert Harris, Richard Hatchett, Hickson Associates Literary Agents, Hill of Content Publishing, Holocaust Publications, Hunter District Water Board, JC [?], Joan [?] and Inara [Johnston?]

Folder 6
K-L, 1984-1997

Including Mara and Sam K., Knopf (NY) and Lucy Kroll Agency (NY)

Folder 7
M, 1979-1998

Including Macmillan, Mary [?], McKee Gallery, Meanjin, The Media Market, Melbourne University Press, Georges Mora and Ms

Folder 8
N, 1980-1997

Including Nicki [?] and Noreen and Roy [?]

Folder 9-10
O, 1980-1997

Including Overland and Petrushka Owen

Folder 11
P-S, 1980-1997

Including Patronato Pro Niños (Mexico), Phoenix Publications, Christopher Pollnitz, David Rankin, Jessica Rankin, Jacob Rosenberg, together with typescripts of his poems 'Yiddish shtetl', 'Ghetto love' and 'Ghetto lullaby', Schocken Books (NY), Scribe Books (NY), Scripsi, Southerly and Stein and Day (NY)

Folder 12
T-Z, 1980-1997

Including Paul Kavanagh of University of Newcastle, Viking Penguin, Mindy Weisel and Elaine Wolfensohn

 

Series 2 Journals, 1969-1989

The 28 journals in this series contain candid and self-revealing entries relating to Brett's personal life. The journals are often closely related to the notebooks included in Series 3. A number of the journals are only partially filled with sometimes sporadic entries. This series is closed.

Folder 1
1969

Folder 2
1970s

Folder 3
1979

Folder 4
1 January-6 May 1980

Folder 5
1980

Folder 6
1981

Folder 7
13 November 1981, 20 June-26 September 1982

Folder 8
26 September-2 December 1982

Folder 9-10
1982

Folder 11
1983

Folder 12
2-3 January 1983

Folder 13
10 May-11 November [1983?]

Folder 14
29 August-4 October 1983

Folder 15
11 October 1983-6 January 1984

Folder 16
10 January-3 April 1984

Folder 17
Undated, with loose pages dated April 1984

Folder 18
5 May-18 May 1984

Folder 19-20
1984

Folder 21
16 June 1984-28 April 1985

Folder 22
1985

Folder 23
29 April 1985-5 June 1986

Folder 24
1986

Folder 25
10 June 1986-18 March [1987?]

Folder 26
1987

Folder 27
1988

Folder 28
1989

 

Series 3 Notebooks, 1979-1996

From 1979, Brett has maintained an almost continuous series of notebooks which richly detail her writing and personal life. This series contains 99 notebooks, which are generally arranged in chronological order. Several of the notebooks are undated. The notebooks contain 'daily life' lists, arrangements and appointments; records of conversations and phone calls; drafts of letters; daily work plans; research notes and writing ideas, notes and drafts. This series is closed.

Folder 1
Notebook with poetry notes and drafts, 25 December 1979-29 April 1980

Folder 2
Notebook with poetry notes and drafts, 13 January-12 February 1980

Folder 3
Notebook with poetry notes and drafts, 12 February-18 May 1980

Folder 4
Notebook with general notes, and poetry and prose notes, 19 May-13 December 1980

Folder 5
Notebook with general notes, and poetry notes and drafts, 20 November 1980-2 January 1981

Folder 6
Notebook with general notes, and poetry notes and drafts, c. 1980-1981; notebook with general notes and prose notes, c. early 1980s

Folder 7
Notebook with personal notes, draft correspondence, and poetry and prose notes and drafts, 4 May 1982-13 June 1984

Folder 8
Notebook with general notes, 1983

Folder 9
Notebook with poetry and prose notes and drafts, including poems used in The Auschwitz poems (1986), 10 June 1984-13 July 1985

Folder 10
Notebook with poetry and prose notes and drafts, including poems used in The Auschwitz poems (1986), July-August 1985

Folder 11
Notebook with poetry notes and drafts, including poems used in The Auschwitz poems (1986), 14 July-14 December 1985

Folder 12
Notebook with general notes, and poetry notes and drafts, including poems used in Poland and other poems (1987), April 1986

Folder 13
Notebook with poetry and prose notes and drafts, including poems used in Poland and other poems (1987), 18 May-27 July 1986

Folder 14
Notebook with poetry and prose notes and drafts, including poems used in Poland and other poems (1987), 5 August-18 December 1986

Folder 15
Notebook with poetry notes and drafts, including poems used in Poland and other poems (1987), 24 February-17 June 1987

Folder 16
Notebook with general notes, c. 1987

Folder 17-18
Notebooks (8) with general notes and drafts for reviews, c. 1987-1989

Folder 19
Notebooks (2) with general notes, c. 1988

Folder 20
Notebook with poetry and prose notes and drafts, including poems used in After the war (1990), 21 June 1987-6 April 1988

Folder 21
Notebook with poetry and prose notes and drafts, including poems used in After the war (1990), 24 April-14 August 1988

Folder 22
Notebook with poetry and prose notes and drafts, including poems used in After the war (1990), 13 December 1988-16 February 1989

Folder 23
Notebook with general notes, and poetry notes and drafts, including poems used in After the war (1990), c. 1988-1989

Folder 24-28
Notebooks (18) with notes and drafts for newspaper columns, c. 1988-1989

Folder 29
Notebook with poetry and prose notes and drafts, 16 February-7 March 1989, including poems used in After the war (1990), and notes regarding short stories submitted to various journals and newspapers, March-April 1989

Folder 30
Notebook with poetry and prose notes and drafts, inscribed 'Renia Bensky and After the war - both written in March 1989'

Folder 31
Notebook with general notes, and prose notes and drafts, c. 1989

Folder 32-33
Notebooks (2) with general notes, 1990

Folder 34
Notebook with general notes, and poetry and prose notes, from 23 April 1990

Folder 35
Notebook with general notes, and poetry and prose notes and drafts, from 27 August 1990

Folder 36-37
Notebooks (2) with general notes, and notes and drafts for What God wants (1991), c. 1990

Folder 38
Notebooks (2) with drafts for Unintended consequences (1992), 17 November-7 December 1990

Folder 39
Notebook with drafts and notes for Unintended consequences (1992), 18 December 1990-11 January 1991, including notes and drafts for 'Unclear medicine ' (published in 1994 as Just like that ), 21-25 January 1991

Folder 40
Notebook with poetry and prose notes and drafts for Unintended consequences (1992) and Just like that (1994), c. 1991

Folder 41
Notebook with poetry and prose notes and drafts, including poems for Unintended consequences (1992), 6 September-13 November 1991

Folder 42
Notebook with general notes, and poetry notes and drafts for Unintended consequences (1992), c. 1991

Folder 43
Notebook with notes and drafts for Just like that (1994), April-June 1992

Folder 44
Notebook with notes and drafts for Just like that (1994), 8 April 1992-18 February 1993

Folder 45-48
Notebooks (4) with notes and drafts for Just like that (1994), c. 1992-1993

Folder 49
Notebook with general notes, and poetry notes and drafts, c. 1992-1993

Folder 50-52
Notebooks (3) with general notes, c. 1992-1993

Folder 53
Notebook with poetry notes and drafts for In her strapless dresses (1994), Mud in my tears (1997) and others, 19 March 1992-18 March 1996

Folder 54
Notebook with poetry notes and drafts for Mud in my tears (1997) and others, 16 May 1994-18 March 1996

Folder 55
Notebook with poetry notes and drafts for Mud in my tears (1997) and others, 15 November 1994-18 March 1996

Folder 56-61
Notebooks (6) with general notes, and poetry notes and drafts, c. 1994-1996

Folder 62
Notebook with notes and drafts for In full view (1997), c. 1996

Folder 63-64
Notebooks (2) with general notes [nd]

Folder 65
Notebook with notes and drafts for short stories and other prose [nd]

Folder 66-77
Notebooks (12) with notes and drafts for short stories [nd]

Folder 78-82
Notebooks (5) with general notes, and poetry notes and drafts, 1981-1992

 

Series 4 Poetry

This series includes manuscript and typescript drafts of published and unpublished poems, together with correspondence, notes, reader's reports, page and galley proofs, reviews and posters. The papers document the development and publication of Brett's six volumes of poetry, comprising The Auschwitz poems (1986), Poland and other poems (1987), After the war (1990), Unintended consequences (1992), In her strapless dresses (1994) and Mud in my tears (1997). There are also drafts of early and unpublished poems. Correspondence relating to these works is included in Series 1. In addition, the notebooks in Series 3 include often extensive notes, ideas and drafts for many of Brett's poems.

4.1 Early and Miscellaneous Poems

Comprising manuscript and typescript drafts of early and unpublished poems dating from 1979. There are also drafts of miscellaneous poems, including poems later published in Poland and other poems (1987) and After the war (1990).

Folder 1
Manuscript and typescript drafts of early poems, 25 December 1979-19 May 1980

Comprising 'A crowd', 'A day with David', 'Alleyne Avenue', 'Along the way', 'And the rock blinked back', 'Anima', 'A perfect wife', 'A sad poem', 'The baby', 'The change', 'Back from Tom's', 'Bialik', 'Cheesecake', 'Church Street Parramatta', 'Dad and Dave', 'D and C', 'David', 'December with David', 'Dickens Street', 'Dilemma', 'Dr G', 'Drunk', 'Enough is enough', 'Enticing me inside,' 'Every year', 'Feeling fat', 'Feeling four', 'Feeling nice', 'Food', 'Friends', 'The games had started', 'Girlfriends', 'Glimpses', 'Golden haired man', 'Grade Three', 'Growing up', 'Gypsy', 'I'd like to go away', 'Inara', 'In bed', 'I've told them', 'Jammed apart', 'Jenny's legacy', 'The land off McPherson Street', 'The last lap', 'Letter to Peggy', 'Lily', 'Living without a testament', 'Lost friends', 'Love at thirty-three', 'The Lovett-Rankin circus', 'Me', 'Monday', 'My arrival', 'My breasts', 'My Gypo', 'Myself alive', 'Nicholson Street', 'Nigger', 'Nine', 'Not a nice poem', 'Old friends', 'On Bondi Bridge', 'Poem for Joanna', 'Poems for David', 'Professional friend', 'Rankin', 'Required roles', 'Rob', 'Rob and Lily', 'Robbie', 'Siblings', 'Sixteen', 'Somebody else's wife and mother', 'Sometimes', 'Sue', 'Telling my parents', 'Thursday morning', 'Together', 'The town house', 'Transparencies', 'Twice as alive and half dead', 'What am I doing', 'When I'm half asleep', 'The winner' and 'You and me'

Folder 2
Notes and manuscript and typescript drafts of miscellaneous poems

Comprising 'Leaving' and 'Your writing', 5 July 1980, 'Paris', 28 April 1984 and 'Gypsy gold', 30 April 1984; together with '1961', 'A find', 'A frame', 'Ankles', 'Apart', 'A shave', 'The Claremont', 'David', 'For David', 'For Nancy', 'Grim lips', 'I ache (for Joanna)', 'I feel loose', 'I have sadness', 'I visit you', 'I would like', 'The last train', 'Missing parts', 'Motherless', 'Moving', 'My dad', 'Okay', 'Old ladies (for Joanna)', [One way], 'Ooh (for Caroline)', 'Poem for Elaine', 'Poetry', 'Quiet surprise', 'Saturday', 'Sometimes', 'Things that matter', 'This is more important', 'Thoughtful', 'We left late', 'When I look at you - for Ramona', 'You', 'Your face' and 'Your feet'

Folder 3
Typescript drafts of 'General and new' poems and 'Analysis' poems, including poems published in Poland and other poems (1987) and After the war (1990)

'General and new' poems comprising 'After days', 'A move', 'A quiet refrain', 'Conversation with Anna', 'Dear David I', 'Dear David II', 'Dear David III', 'The high wire', 'I have thrown', 'I've learned', 'My side', 'On the first night', 'Poem for Anna Weis' and 'Wednesday night'; together with 'Analysis' poems, including 'A child', 'After what you've been through', 'Analysis break', 'A substitute', 'Day two driving to you', 'Driving to you', 'Four weeks', 'Getting home', 'Given up', 'I keep wondering', 'My stomach', 'My sweet witch', 'On my way', 'Relief', 'This break', 'Today', 'When the session ends', 'Where are you', 'Who is this' and 'You and me'

Folder 4
Notes and annotated typescript drafts for 'The bruised room' suite, including poems later published in After the war (1990); letter of Lily Brett, 1988, regarding entry of 'The bruised room' suite for the 1988 Mattara Poetry Prize

Folder 5
Typescript drafts for 'Days in the half-light' suite, including poems later published in After the war (1990)

4.2 The Auschwitz poems (1986)

Comprising typescript drafts, page and galley proofs and other papers relating to Brett's first volume of poetry, published by Scribe in 1986.

Folder 1
Typescript, annotated typescript and typescript photocopy drafts of poems

Folder 2
Typescript drafts of poems offered for publication to The Age, The Australian, the ABC, Island and Westerly

Folder 3
Page proofs of preliminary pages and illustrations

Folder 4
Page proofs, 139 p.

Folder 5
Photocopied galley proofs, 86 p.

Folder 6
Material regarding the launch, 1986; photocopy of a review, The Australian Jewish Times, 1986; The Age Book of the Year 1986 booklet; material regarding the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, 1987

4.3 Poland and other poems (1987)

Comprising notes, typescript drafts, posters and other papers relating to Brett's second volume of poems, published by Scribe in 1987.

Folder 1
Notes; typescript and typescript photocopy drafts of poems mostly published in Poland and other poems

Comprising the suites 'Kaddish for my mother', 'Two women', 'Poem for my mother', 'My mother is dying', 'Poland' and 'On the way to Lodz'

Folder 2
Typescript and annotated typescript drafts of poems

Including 'A look', 'Displaced', 'If', 'I have been away', 'I looked for you', 'In cafes', 'Mario Lanza', 'On my first morning', 'Something slight' and 'Today'

Folder 3
Typescript draft, 146 p.

Folder 4
Typescript draft with photocopied illustrations, 146 p., and several loose annotated pages

Folder 5
Material regarding launch, 1987; 'Literature Board - Guidelines for Applicants', 1987, and related notes; posters (7) regarding the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, 1987; receipt from the ABC concerning a broadcast of the poem 'Poland' on ABC Radio, 5 October 1987

4.4 After the war (1990)

Comprising notes, typescript drafts, page proofs, a reader's report and reviews relating to Brett's third volume of poems, published by Melbourne University Press in 1990.

Folder 1
Notes; annotated typescript and typescript photocopy drafts of poems

Folder 2
Typescript drafts of poems published in After the war from 'The bruised room' suite (16 poems) and 'Days in the half-light' suite (10 poems)

Folder 3
Typescript draft

Folder 4
Notes and corrections

Folder 5
'Lily Brett MS: Reader's report' by Robert Harris, 13 p.

Folder 6
Photocopied page proofs, 122 p., together with photocopies of 2 reviews, 1990

4.5 Unintended consequences (1992)

Comprising typescript drafts for Brett's fourth volume of poems, published by Paper Bark Press in 1992.

Folder 1
Typescript draft, November 1990

Folder 2
Typescript draft, 143 p.

4.6 In her strapless dresses (1994)

Comprising notes and a reader's report for Brett's fifth volume of poems, published by Pan Macmillan in 1994.

Folder 1
Notes; letter from Julia Taylor of Pan Macmillan, 1994, with editorial notes; Pan Macmillan reader's report, 2 p.

4.7 Mud in my tears (1997)

Comprising typescript drafts and page proofs for Brett's sixth volume of poems, published by Pan Macmillan in 1997. A computer disc containing related draft material is included in Series 14.

Folder 1
Typescript and annotated typescript drafts of poems published in Mud in my tears, together with typescript drafts of other poems

Including 'After a few days', 'A stream', 'Buck's County', 'Don't cry for me', 'Dozing', 'Early morning', 'For the country', 'Geese', 'He is there', 'Home town', 'I eat', 'If I am not here', 'If I could have chosen', 'I have slipped away', 'I still cry', 'I wanted to cry', 'The mamba', 'My face and hands', 'Sex in the afternoon', 'Today is the ninth day', 'Wound up' and 'You have appeared'

Folder 2
Typescript draft, 89 p.

Folder 3
Typescript draft with corrections, 89 p.

Folder 4
Page proofs with corrections, 129 p.

 

Series 5 Short Stories

The papers in this series document Brett's two short story collections, Things could be worse (1990) and What God wants (1991), which were later published together as Collected stories (1999). There are notes, manuscript and typescript drafts, galley proofs and reviews for the published short stories, which feature tales of Holocaust survivors and their families living in Melbourne. There are also manuscript and typescript drafts of several miscellaneous short stories, comprising 'Blue Heaven', 'Esther' and 'Leeba Blis'. Correspondence relating to publication of the short stories is included in Series 1. Notes, ideas and drafts for many of Brett's short stories are included in the notebooks in Series 3.

5.1 Things could be worse (1990)

Comprising notes, manuscript and typescript drafts, galley proofs and reviews of short stories for Things could be worse, first published by Meanjin and Melbourne University Press in 1990.

Folder 1-3
Manuscript, annotated typescript and typescript photocopy drafts of short stories

Including 'It was after the war', 'An illness', 'A drive', 'Mrs Bow' (retitled 'A family portrait'), 'Renia Bensky' (retitled 'What do you know about friends'), 'I wonder why she looks so happy', 'Every death', 'The holiday', 'The children', ' Luba' (retitled 'A mixed marriage'), 'Miriam '(retitled 'You will be going back to your roots'), 'Ruth Blatt' (retitled 'Chopin's piano'), 'Malka' (retitled 'I heard you got another husband'), 'If you live long enough', 'Things could be worse' and 'Technical trouble'

Folder 4
'It was after the war' (early title) typescript draft

Folder 5
Notes and corrections

Folder 6
Typescript draft, 104 p., together with photocopies of 2 reviews, 1990

Folder 7
Galley proofs

5.2 What God wants (1991)

Comprising notes, manuscript drafts and typescript drafts of short stories for What God wants, first published by University of Queensland Press in 1991.

Folder 1-2
Notes, and manuscript and annotated typescript drafts of short stories

Including 'Love' (retitled 'Not a simple matter'), 'Not one drop of juice', 'Dora Lipshitz' (retitled 'A lunatic proposition'), 'Half-there', 'Esther Schenkler' (retitled 'Locker 1012'), 'A glimpse of stocking', 'A departure' (retitled 'A hormonal imbalance'), 'The alpha-jerk field', 'Moving meals', 'All kinds of things', 'I'm fine' (retitled 'On different fronts'), 'Wombat Lodge', 'We are all brothers and sisters' and 'Is everything all right?' (retitled W'hat God wants')

Folder 3
Notes; typescript and typescript photocopy draft

Folder 4-6
Annotated typescript drafts (3)

5.3 Miscellaneous Short Stories

Comprising manuscript and typescript drafts of three miscellaneous short stories, 'Blue Heaven', 'Esther' and 'Leeba Blis'.

Folder 1
'Blue Heaven' manuscript draft, 3 p., typescript draft, 3 p., typescript draft, 2 p., annotated typescript draft, 3 p.; 'Esther' annotated typescript draft, various paging, annotated typescript draft, 10 p., typescript draft, 10 p.; 'Leeba Blis' annotated typescript drafts (3), various paging, typescript draft, 9 p.

 

Series 6 Novels

The papers in this series include notes, newspaper clippings and other research material, manuscript and typescript drafts, letters, a reader's report and a poster relating to Brett's first novel Just like that (1994). There is also a review of her second novel, Too many men (1999).

6.1 Just like that (1994)

Including notes, newspaper clippings, research material, manuscript and typescript drafts, letters, a reader's report and a poster relating to the novel, which was published by Pan Macmillan in 1994. The novel's central character, second-generation Holocaust survivor Esther Zepler, is an obituary writer living in New York. The novel was translated into German by Anne Lösch in 1998, and published as Einfach so by Deuticke Verlag. Correspondence regarding publication of Just like that is included in Series 1. Notes and drafts for the novel are included in the notebooks in Series 3, and a computer disc containing a draft fragment is included in Series 14.

Folder 1-8
Newspaper clippings and other research material, including obituaries and articles on Bucky Balls, suicide, anti-Semitism and other issues

Folder 9-13
Newspaper clippings and notes regarding obituaries, 6 March-5 April 1991

Folder 14-17
Notes and research material, including notes from interviews with Sonia [?], Eli [?] and Chris [Beckinsale?]; letter to Win and Mimi Nathanson, c. 1991

Folder 18-19
Photocopied notes

Folder 20-21
Typescript notes, 17-25 September [1991?]

Folder 22-23
Notes, including typescript notes; 'Unclear medicine' typescript draft, 10 p.; facsimile from Phillip Frazer, 1991

Folder 24
Notes, including final typescript notes; 'Unclear medicine' annotated typescript draft, 10 p. and typescript draft, 12 p.

Folder 25
Photocopied notes and draft fragments

Folder 26
Notes, including notes regarding The enigma of suicide (1992) by George Howe Colt; annotated typescript draft of Chapter 1, 12 p.; annotated typescript draft of Chapter 2, 38 p.

Folder 27
Notes; annotated typescript draft of Chapter 2, 38 p.; 'Anniversaries and addresses' typescript draft extract, 8 p., and annotated typescript draft extract, 8 p.

Folder 28
Typescript drafts (8) of Chapter 2

Folder 29
Annotated typescript draft of Chapter 3, 80 p.

Folder 30
Notes and notepad with notes and drafts for Chapter 4

Folder 31
Notepads (3) with notes and drafts for Chapter 4; 'Three poems for David, 1992' typescript drafts (2)

Folder 32
Annotated typescript draft of Chapter 4, 78 p.

Folder 33
Manuscript draft of Chapter 5, 107 p., 7 April-12 May 1993

Folder 34
Annotated typescript draft of Chapter 5, 51 p.

Folder 35-37
Notes and notepads (10) with notes and drafts for Chapter 6

Folder 38
Manuscript draft photocopy of Chapter 6, 89 p., begun 2 June 1993; photocopied notes, 6 p.

Folder 39
Manuscript draft of Chapter 6, 213 p., 2 June-25 July 1993

Folder 40
Annotated typescript draft of Chapter 6, 97 p.

Folder 41
Typescript draft, 355 p.

Folder 42
Typescript draft photocopy, 358 p.

Folder 43
Notes; Pan Macmillan reader's report, 3 p.

Folder 44
Notes; letters from Julia Taylor of Pan Macmillan, 1994, with editorial notes

Folder 45
Photocopies of newspaper articles and reviews regarding Einfach so (1998) from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with some English translations

Folder 46
Poster for Einfach so (1998)

6.2 Too many men (1999)

Including a review of Brett's second novel, which was published by Pan Macmillan in 1999. The novel explores the life of Ruth Rothwax, and her journey from New York to Poland with her father, Holocaust survivor Edek Rothwax. There are also copies of newspaper clippings regarding Beyond lament (ed. Marguerite Striar, 1998), an anthology featuring a selection of Brett's poems.

Folder 1
Newspaper clipping of review of the novel, The Weekend Australian, July-August 1999, together with clippings regarding Beyond lament (ed. Marguerite Striar, 1998)

 

Series 7 Essays

This series comprises notes, manuscript and typescript drafts and reviews regarding Brett's collection of essays, In full view, published by Pan Macmillan in 1997. The nine essays cover such themes as food, sex, love, life in New York, family relationships, ageing and death. Notes and drafts for the anthology are included in the notebooks in Series 3.

In full view (1997)

Folder 1
Notes

Folder 2-3
Notes and manuscript draft fragments

Folder 4
'Ageing' notes, annotated typescript draft, typescript draft, 15 p., typescript draft, 19 p., annotated typescript draft photocopy, 18 p., 22 January 1996

Folder 5
'Daughter' and 'Sex' notes and draft fragments

Folder 6
'New York, New York' and 'Food' notes and draft fragments, together with miscellaneous notes

Folder 7
'Love', 'Death' and 'Writing/analysis' notes and draft fragments

Folder 8-9
Manuscript drafts of essays

Folder 10-11
Editing notes, together with annotated typescript drafts of essays

Folder 12
Typescript draft, 223 p.

Folder 13
Typescript draft, 224 p.

Folder 14
Edited typescript draft photocopy, 224 p.; sample page proofs, 5 p.

Folder 15
Page proofs

Folder 16
Photocopies of newspaper articles and reviews regarding In full view, together with clipping of article 'Balance and duality in the work of David Rankin', Art and Australia, p. 228-233

 

Series 8 Screenplays

This series comprises notes and manuscript and typescript drafts relating to Brett's unpublished screenplay 'The late bloomer'.

'The late bloomer'

Folder 1-8
Notes

Folder 9
Notes; manuscript draft, 130 p.

Folder 10
Notes; annotated typescript draft, 118 p.

Folder 11-13
Typescript drafts (2) and corrected typescript draft, 31 December 1993

Folder 14
Typescript draft marked 'working copy', 113 p., November 1995

 

Series 9 Newspaper Columns, 1989-1990

Brett wrote a series of columns for the Sunday Age newspaper, from August 1989 to May 1990. This series includes notes, manuscript and typescript drafts and photocopied newspaper clippings regarding the columns, which cover such topics as food, city living and work. Related correspondence is included in Series 1, and notes and drafts for the columns are included in the notebooks in Series 3.

Folder 1
Notes for columns

Folder 2-4
Notes, manuscript drafts, typescript drafts and photocopied clippings of columns, August 1989-May 1990

Including 'Accoutrements for the job', 'Assessing our value', 'Batman's cholesterol', 'City life', 'Changes', 'Diet', 'Do we work hard enough?', 'Dress', 'Exercise', 'Experts', 'Food', 'Friends,' 'The future', 'Language', 'Melbourne', 'Misery', 'The modern world', 'Momentous moments', 'Old rock and rollers', 'Our service industries', 'New York', 'Parents', 'Postures and positions', 'Radicals', 'The retreat into attitudes', 'Routines', 'Signs of our times', 'Straight talk', 'Sun', 'The telephone', 'Tolerating the intolerable', 'The villages of Melbourne', 'Whatever happened to love?', 'What is history?', 'What's in a name?', 'When are we old enough?' and 'Why do we drink so much?'

Folder 5
Typescript drafts and photocopied clippings of Sunday Age columns submitted to The New York Times

 

Series 10 Other Prose, 1979-c. 1990

Brett began her writing career as a journalist for Go-Set magazine in 1961. Since then she has written numerous articles, reviews and profiles for Australian and overseas newspapers and magazines, including The Age, The Australian Jewish News, Die Zeit, The National Times, Pol and Vogue Living. This series includes a selection of Brett's articles, 1979-1990, reviews for The Age, c. 1987-1989, and other unpublished prose writings and projects. Related notes and drafts are included in the notebooks in Series 3.

10.1 Articles, 1979-c. 1990

Comprising notes, manuscript drafts, typescript drafts and clippings of articles by Brett, including articles on writers Jennifer Rankin and Naomi Rosh White. A photograph of Jennifer Rankin is included in Series 13.

Folder 1
'Jennifer Rankin' typescript draft and newspaper clipping of published article, The National Times, October 1979

Folder 2
'Our house' manuscript draft and typescript draft, 3 p.; 'Interview with Dr Naomi Rosh White' typescript, 2 p., and photocopy of related article in The Australian Jewish News, 1988, together with 'From death to life - Naomi Rosh White' annotated typescript drafts (3) regarding White's work From darkness to light: surviving the Holocaust (1988); typescript draft and notes regarding a photographic exhibition 'Jewish life in Australia today'; miscellaneous notes, including notes regarding a proposed novel 'The questions'

Folder 3
'Bicentenary'notes, manuscript draft and newspaper clipping of published article, The Age, 31 December 1988

Folder 4
'[The loft]' manuscript draft and typescript draft article for Vogue Living, c. 1990

10.2 Reviews and Critical Responses, c. 1987-1989

Comprising manuscript and typescript drafts of reviews and critical responses by Brett for The Age, c. 1987-1989.

Folder 1
Manuscript and typescript reviews and critical responses for The Age, c. 1987-1989

Including The babe is wise (1987) edited by Lyn Harwood, Bruce Pascoe and Paula White; 'Choosing life', by Mark Baker, The Australian Jewish News; The drowned and the saved (1988) by Primo Levi; Kindergarten (1988) by Elzbieta Ettinger; Maus [nd] by Art Spiegelman; Twilight (1988) by Elie Wiesel; Two (1985) by Ron Elisha; and Utz (1989) by Bruce Chatwin; together with research material and 'Guidelines for Age reviewers', 1 p.

10.3 Other Prose Writings and Projects, 1979-1988

Comprising papers relating to biographical writings, a proposed book of interviews with children of Holocaust survivors, and other non-fiction projects relating to motherhood, marriage and family relationships after divorce. There are also transcripts of interviews with poet Robert Adamson, and artists Charles Blackman and Albert Tucker. Two photographs of a couple interviewed for the 'Happy marriage' project are included in Series 13.

Folder 1
'A solution' annotated typescript, 2 p.; '[Until I was six years old]' typescript, 1 p.; 'A packet of Panadol and a packet of jelly beans' annotated typescript, 25 p.

Folder 2
'The meaning and demeaning of motherhood' manuscript draft, 22 p., typescript draft, 59 p., manuscript and typescript draft, 51 p., 1979; together with notes and research material, including transcripts of interviews with Marianne Beaulieu, Judith Colquhoun, Elaine Kermode, Penny Ramsey, Lyn Richards and Sandra Zurbo

Folder 3
Notes and research material regarding 'Happy marriage', c. 1979, including transcripts of interviews with Norman Claussen and Eileen Claussen, Peter Couchman and Trish Couchman, Mal Dobbin and Claire Dobbin, Warwick Horton, Corinne Kerby and Oscar Whitbread

Folder 4-5
Notes and research material regarding 'Children and divorce', 1979, including transcripts of interviews with Susan Crockett, Bill Garner, Ruth Maddison, Laurie Maloney, Mario Marchesani, David Mushin, Dan Slattery and Joy Slattery, Glen Staunton and Michael Wilks

Folder 6
Notes on mothers and daughters, together with research material regarding Nancy Friday

Folder 7
Research material regarding Stephanie Deste

Folder 8
Notes and transcript of an interview with Robert Adamson, c. early 1980s

Folder 9
Notes and transcripts of interviews with Albert Tucker, 2 March 1983 and 25 May 1983, together with transcript of interview with Charles Blackman, 28 April 1983, and manuscript draft of related article by Brett, c. early 1980s

Folder 10
Notes for future articles, together with notes on writing methods for a writing class

Folder 11
Notes and research material regarding second-generation holocaust survivors, including transcript of interview with Nuritt Borskyk, 16 March 1988

Folder 12
Transcript of interview with Bela Mellor, 8 March 1988

Folder 13
Transcripts of interviews with Charles Leski, 8 March 1988 and 6 April 1988

 

Series 11 Ainslie Meares Project, c. 1979-1981

Following a profile of Australian psychologist Dr Ainslie Meares, published in Pol magazine, c. 1979, Brett was commissioned by Angus and Robertson to write a biography of Meares. The work was never published. This series includes a typescript copy of the original article on Meares, together with notes, research index and transcripts of interviews with Meares, and his family members, friends, colleagues, employees and patients.

Folder 1
'Dr Ainslie Meares' typescript, 30 p., marked 'Original article as published in Pol', c. 1979, together with transcripts of early interviews with Ainslie Meares, Professor McCarthy, Mr Crock and Professor Kuhne

Folder 2-4
Transcripts and notes from interviews with Ainslie Meares, 1980-1981

Folder 5
Transcripts and notes from interviews with Norma Craig [nd]; Lyndsey Davis [nd]; Alex Sinclair, 1 October 1980; Dorothy Gepp Sinclair, 6 October 1980; Sylvia Meares Black, 8 October 1980; Russell Meares, 11 November 1980; A.W. Stewart, 13 November 1980

Folder 6
Transcripts and notes from interviews with Garda Meares Langley, 14 November 1980; Norman Wettenhall, 14 November 1980; Russell Meares, 8 December 1980; Joan Wettenhall, 13 December 1980; Mrs Andrews, 15 December 1980; Mona Forrest, 6 February 1981; Sylvia Meares Black, 3 March 1981

Folder 7
Transcripts and notes from interviews with Bernard Keays, 25 March 1981; Vere Langley, 1, 14 and 22 April 1981; Sir Thomas Webb, 13 May 1981; Reg Hooper, 19 May 1981; Wendy Mayhew, 29 May 1981; Dorothy Gepp Sinclair, 22 June 1981

Folder 8
Transcripts and notes from interviews with Michael Currie, 21 July 1981; Sir Sidney Sunderland, 29 July 1981; Diana Tatchell, 28 September 1981; Russell Howard, 8 October 1981

Folder 9
Transcripts and notes from interviews with Molly Ballard and Jessie Hearne, 28 October 1981; Jenny Webb and Diane Tatchell, 4 November 1981; Russell Meares, 14 November 1981; Professor Sali, 7 December 1981

Folder 10-11
Book and chapter outlines, research notes and questions for interviews

Folder 12
Typescript research index, c. 1979-1981

 

Series 12 Biographical Material, 1985-1988

This small series of biographical material relating to Brett includes interview and seminar transcripts.

Folder 1
Transcripts of interviews (3) with Lily Brett by Delwyn [?], November-December 1985

Folder 2
Seminar transcript, Lily Brett and Sam Lipski, 13 April 1988, together with 'Intro' typescript notes relating to a seminar with Lily Brett and David Rankin [nd]

 

Series 13 Photographs, 1979-1996

This small series includes a photograph of Jennifer Rankin from a 1979 article by Brett. There are also two photographs relating to an unpublished article on 'Happy marriage'. Papers relating to these writings are included in Series 10.

Folder 1
Photograph, 'Nathaniel on the move', August 1996
Photograph of Jennifer Rankin, 1979
Photographs (2) of a couple interviewed for an article on 'Happy marriage', c. 1979
Strip of photographs (4) featuring two girls

 

Series 14 Computer Discs, c. 1994-1997

This small series contains three computer discs including drafts for Just like that (1994) and Mud in my tears (1997).

Folder 1
Computer discs, 'Odd letters' [nd]

Folder 2
Computer disc, 'Fermented by the ferryman' from Just like that (1994)

Folder 3
Computer disc, Mud in my tears (1997)