Join the Engl Library and Archive throughout October as we celebrate American Archives Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of historic documents and records, as well as the archivists who preserve and provide access to archival materials.
What are archives? An archive is a collection of historical records, in any format or media, preserved because of their continuing value. Learn more.
All month long we'll be sharing archives news and featuring collections on Social Media @okeeffemuseum and through the Engl Library and Archive news feed. Join in with you own stories using the hashtag #ArchivesMonth.
Have questions for the archivist or about archives or our collections? Please contact us by sending questions to library@okeeffemuseum.org.
Banned books in Georgia O'Keeffe's Personal Libraries
In observation of Banned Books Week, we're highlighting two books from Georgia O'Keeffe's Personal Libraries. Both of these books are on the American Library Association's list of Banned & Challenged Classics. Be sure to check out the list - you might be surprised to learn about banned books you've already read!
Ulysses by James Joyce
Joyce, James. Ulysses. London: Egoist Press, 1922
Joyce, James. Ulysses. New York: Random House, 1934.
Published by Egoist, 1922
James Joyce (1882-1941) revolutionized fiction writing with new literary devices such as inner monologue. His name is one of the most recognizable in Modernist literature.
Ulysses was serially published in the magazine Little Review as episode installments between 1918 and 1920. The episodes were considered controversial and Little Review's editors were found guilty of publishing obscene material and Ulysses was banned in the U.S. until 1933. It was first published as a novel in Paris by Shakespeare and Company in 1922. O'Keeffe had two editions of Ulysses in her personal libraries. She had the first English edition, published in London by Egoist in 1922, number 15 of 2000 (pictured above), and the first authorized U.S. edition published by Random House in 1934.
Learn More about Ulysses:
Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
Lawrence, D.H. Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Privately printed [Tipografia Giuntina, Florence, Italy], 1928.
D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930) was an influential 20th writer whose works explored modernity, industrialization and sexuality. Georgia O’Keeffe’s personal libraries contain over 40 titles Lawrence wrote or contributed to - including a first edition of Lady Chatterley's Lover.
Lawrence was unable locate a publisher for Lady Chatterley’s Lover so it was privately printed and published in Florence Italy by the publisher Giuseppe Orioli. The book was very quickly deemed obscene and banned all around the world, including the U.S. In the U.S., if found, this book was confiscated and destroyed.
The publisher, Orioli, sent print 389 with an enclosed note to O'Keeffe's husband, Alfred Stieglitz. O'Keeffe kept this copy with its enclosure in her Abiquiú Bookroom.
Learn More about Lady Chatterley's Lover:
More about O'Keeffe's Personal Libraries