.
Collection Overview
Scope and Contents of the Materials
The Philip Jose Farmer Papers consists of printed (paper-based) copy edited manuscripts (Flight to Opar) and two galley proofs (The Magic Labyrinth), along with packaging materials with notes for Flight to Opar. Also present in the collection is the “The God Business” typescript, complete with holographic corrections, signed by Farmer. The short story (or novella) was first published in the March 1954 issue of Beyond Fantasy Fiction. The typescript is accompanied by a letter dated April 4, 1967, from Farmer to Richard Wald asking him if he has art work by Sidney Sime which he would be willing to sell.
Collection Historical Note
Philip Jose Farmer (January 26, 1918 – February 25, 2009) was born in North Terre Haute, Indiana and moved later to Peoria, IL. Philip didn’t make it all the way through flight training in WWII, so he took a job at a steel mill. Later, in 1941, he married and soon had a son and daughter. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Bradley University in 1950. In 1952, Philip had success with his novella “The Lovers”, with which he later won a Hugo. He quit his job in order to be a full time writer, but his writing career didn’t take flight until he won his second Hugo award for his novella “Riders of the Purple Wage.” In the next 20 years, he published 25 books, including his famous “Riverworld” and “World of Tiers” series. In his lifetime of writing for 60 years, he published nearly 60 novels and 100 short stories/novellas, won three Hugo awards, and earned two Science Fiction Writer Lifetime Achievement awards. For more information about his novels, short stories, and biography, there is an official website kept up by Mike and Rick at:
www.pjfarmer.com.
Biographical Note
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
Northern Illinois University
Accruals:
Sale via The Fine Books Co. (David Aronovitz) for "The God Business" typescript and Farmer-Wald 1967 letter (Addendum 1). Purchased in 2013.
Access Restrictions:
Photographs and photocopies of collection are prohibited.
Use Restrictions:
Literary Rights are retained by the content creator. Any copyrights so stated in the materials remain in force.
Acquisition Source:
Thomas Joyce Rare Books
Acquisition Method:
Sale via Thomas Joyce Rare Books from the Philip Jose Farmer estate for materials in Series I and II and Addendum I.
Related Materials:
For more information please see http://www.pjfarmer.com/.
Other Note:
Library catalog record for "The God Business" typescript (SFWA Collection PS3556.A72 G64 1953a)
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series I: Novels],
[
Series II: Miscellaneous],
[
Addendum 1],
[All]
- Series I: Novels
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Flight to Opar [Original Edited Manuscript] page 1 to page 144, 8/11/1986
- Folder 2: Flight to Opar [Original Edited Manuscript] page 145 to page 291, 8/11/1986
- Folder 3: Flight to Opar [Copy Edited Manuscript] page 1 to page 144, no date
- Folder 4: Flight to Opar [Copy Edited Manuscript] page 145 to page 288, no date
- Folder 5: Flight to Opar [Copy Edited Manuscript] page 289 to page 331, no date
- Folder 6: Flight to Opar [Copy Edited Manuscript] page 1 to page 9, no date
- Folder 7: Flight to Opar [Copy Edited Manuscript] page 213 to page 214, no date
- Folder 8: Flight to Opar [Copy of Cuts & Legends|illustrations] various pages, no date
- Folder 9: The Magic Labyrinth [4th in Riverwood series ][Galley Proof|Berkley Publishing Corporation] page 1 to end, 8/4/1986
- Folder 10: The Magic Labyrinth [4th in Riverwood series ][Galley Proof|Berkley Publishing Corporation] page 1 to end, 8/21/1986
- Box 2
- Folder 1: "The Dragon Lovers Guide to Pern" [Copy Edited Manuscript, Balantine Books] Page 1 - 150, 1989
- Series II: Miscellaneous
- Box 2
- Folder 1: Flight to Opar [packaging materials], no date
- Addendum 1
- Series III: Short Stories
- Box 2
- Folder 2: The God Business [typesrcipt with holographic notes and signature] 75 leaves; Farmer-Wald letter [typed with holographic signature] 1 leaf, circa 1953; April 4, 1967
Browse by Series:
[
Series I: Novels],
[
Series II: Miscellaneous],
[
Addendum 1],
[All]
Rare Books & Special Collec... 
