Series II: Manuscripts of novels written, 1950s-1970s

The bulk of the collection consists of multiple drafts, in typescript, of Lewis’s unpublished and published works, including novels, poems, plays, and short stories. There are manuscripts for 9 novels, written from the late 1940s through the early 1970s. His only novel to be published during his lifetime was Home is an Island, in 1951. The collection contains a number of edited and annotated drafts for this novel, as well as correspondence, press clippings and a scrapbook about its publication. There are typescript versions of 6 plays, 43 short stories and some 200 poems in English and in Portuguese. Very few manuscripts were dated by Lewis. Dates are estimated where possible, based on correspondence from literary editors and agents. The collection also includes magazine and newspaper clippings of his poems and short stories that were published. His notes are heavily annotated with lively sketches of animals and faces.

The collection is divided into 5 series: I. Personal and business correspondence and documents, 1928-1979 II. Manuscripts of novels written, 1950s-1970s III. Short stories, 1940s -1970s IV. Poetry and other writings, plays 1940-1943 V. Plays, 1940-1943 VI. Clippings of published works, reviews and other articles, 1951-1978 VII. Books from his library