The Register of
Linda Oppen Correspondence
1956 - 1982

MSS 0033

Mandeville Special Collections Library
Geisel Library
University of California, San Diego

Extent: 1.00 linear feet (3 archives boxes)

Abstract

The papers of Linda Oppen, daughter of the Objectivist poet George Oppen and his wife Mary. Of particular importance is the correspondence between Oppen and her parents; 3 folders of typescript poetry by George Oppen; and 8 folders of material by Mary Oppen, including 6 folders of a typescript for her autobiography MEANING A LIFE. The papers are arranged in three series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) WRITINGS and 3) MISCELLANY. The Linda Oppen Papers supplement the George Oppen Papers and the June Oppen Degnan Papers, both housed in the Mandeville Special Collections Library.

Biography

Linda Oppen, daughter of Objectivist poet George Oppen and his wife Mary, was born 7 May 1940 in Brooklyn, New York. For the next six years the Oppen family lived on Long Island and in Detroit, eventually settling in Redondo Beach, California, where they lived for four years. From Autumn 1950 to Spring 1958 Linda attended the American School in Mexico City. She then entered Sarah Lawrence College, N.Y., in Autumn 1958, and graduated with a BA. in Spring 1962.

On June 12, 1962 Linda married Alex Mourelatos, then a graduate student in philosophy at Yale. In Autumn 1962 she entered the Yale Medical School. She discontinued her studies in 1964 while on a leave of absence with Alex, who was then a Post-doctoral Fellow at The University of Wisconsin at Madison's Institute for Research in the Humanities.

From 1965 to the present Linda and Alex Mourelatos have travelled extensively, in conjunction with Alex's teaching career, including lengthy stays in West Germany; Washington, D.C.; Princeton, N.J.; Canberra, Australia; and Cambridge, Britain. Their permanent residence during this period has been Austin, Texas, where Alex teaches in the Philosophy Department of The University of Texas, and where Linda Oppen has been active in equestrian training and showing.

Scope and Content

Accession Processed in 1988

The Linda Oppen Papers primarily document the lives of George and Mary Oppen. The collection supplements the George Oppen Papers and the June Oppen Degnan Papers, both housed in the Mandeville Special Collections Library. The collection covers the period from 1956 to 1982, and is arranged in three series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) WRITINGS, and 3) MISCELLANY.

The Correspondence is the largest series in the collection. It is arranged alphabetically by correspondent. Most of the letters in this series are those of George Oppen to Linda Oppen.

The Writings Series contains no written material by Linda Oppen. Of special note in this series, besides the manuscripts of George Oppen, are typescripts of Mary Oppen's autobiography MEANING A LIFE.

Finding aid generated: 2005-10-31