The Larry McCaffery Papers (1919-2009) document four decades of McCaffery’s distinguished career as a literary critic and professor of English at San Diego State University. The collection includes manuscripts of McCaffery’s literary interviews with well-known contemporary American and postmodern writers; correspondence; research files; lecture notes; clippings; book objects; and more. The majority of materials date from the 1980s and 1990s and focus primarily on McCaffery’s literary criticism and scholarship. The collection is divided into six series: Literary Files (1919-2009), Teaching Files (1979-2006), Research Files (1974-2009), Personal Files (1977-2007), Book Objects (1989-1996), and Zines and Underground Publications.

The Literary Files (1919-2007) is the largest series in the collection and center around McCaffery’s relationships with writers as well as his scholarship about their work. These files include correspondence, manuscripts, interviews, research files, publishing contracts, and more. Of particular note are the Interview Files, which capture every phase of McCaffery’s unique interview process. The Literary Files are divided into six subseries: Author Files, Interview Files, Published Works, Unpublished Works, Editor Files, and Correspondence. The Author Files contain manuscripts and correspondence from numerous writers. Many of the manuscripts include notes and edits from the writers themselves as well as McCaffery. While much of the correspondence is personal, many letters also discuss individual writing processes, current and future writing projects, and current events. This subseries is arranged alphabetically by author last name. Highlights include a manuscript of Mark Danielewski’s Fifty Year Sword, complete with color key for the publisher. The Interview Files, also arranged alphabetically by interviewee last name, include audio recordings of McCaffery’s literary interviews, interview transcripts, drafts with edits, correspondence, research files, and final interview manuscripts. McCaffery interviewed more than 75 writers during his career including Kathy Acker, Samuel Delany, David Foster Wallace, Tom Robbins, Joanna Russ, Mark Danielewski, and Ursula LeGuin. These files document the evolution of an interview--from the taped recording to the final manuscript, and include edits and comments made by McCaffery and the interviewee. Also included are McCaffery’s extensive research files for each interviewee with include other interviews, criticism, and essays, short stories, and other writings by or about the interviewee. This series is divided into subseries: Manuscript and Research Files and Audio Recordings. Please note that the majority of the audio recordings are currently unavailable for research for preservation reasons.

Published Works includes manuscript drafts, galleys, prospectus’, correspondence, reviews, and promotional materials for McCaffery’s numerous publications, which are further divided into three subseries: Fiction Anthologies, Interview Collections, and Scholarly Works. Within these subseries materials are arranged in reverse chronological order by publication date. Fiction Anthologies include materials for After Yesterday’s Crash: the Avant-Pop Anthology (1997), Avant-Pop: Fiction for a Daydream Nation (1993), and Storming the Reality Studio (1991). Interview Anthologies include Some Other Frequency: Interviews with Innovative American Authors (1995), Across the Wounded Galaxies: Interviews with Contemporary American Science Fiction Authors (1990), Alive and Writing: Interviews with American Authors of the 1980s (1987), and Anything Can Happen: Interviews with Contemporary American Novelists (1983). The largest subseries, Scholarly Works, contains manuscripts, correspondence and extensive research files for his two major casebooks, Expelled from Eden: A William T. Vollmann Reader (2004) and Federman from A to X-X-X-X - A Recyclopedic Narrative which he co-edited with Tom Hartl and Doug Rice in 1998, as well as files for Metaphysical Muse: the Work of Robert Coover, Donald Barthelme, and William H. Gass (1982), Postmodern Fiction: A Bio-Bibliographical Guide, and several published essays and interviews.

Unpublished Works is the smallest subseries in The Literary Files with manuscript drafts and correspondence for a few essays and a casebook. These materials date from the mid- to late 1970s and the early 1990s. The Editor Files document McCaffery’s extensive work as editor or special guest editor at various literary journals and publishers including Black Ice Books, Fictional International, the American Book Review, Review of Contemporary Fiction, and others. Materials include correspondence with contributors as well as other editors, manuscripts, reviews, and promotional materials; and are arranged alphabetically by publisher or journal title with general correspondence included at the end. Finally, the Correspondence subseries contains folders of correspondence to various publishers and covers a range of topics--from prospective projects to McCaffery’s thoughts on various various writers and subjects.

The Teaching Files document McCaffery’s 30-year teaching career as professor of English at San Diego State University, and include syllabi, lecture notes, readings, research, handouts, bibliographies and reading lists. The series is divided into three subseries: Course / Subject Files, Author Files, and Rock Music Files. The Course / Subject Files are arranged alphabetically by course title, followed by alphabetical subject files. Materials in this subseries include syllabi, reading lists, lecture notes, assignments, study guides, and more. The Author Files are arranged alphabetically by last name and include notes, articles, and handouts on various writers and their literary works. Lastly, the Rock Music Files document McCaffery’s research and interest in numerous musical groups and artists, which he frequently used in classes. These files are arranged alphabetically by artist/band name.

The Research Files document two major research projects that McCaffery never completed. Each project is divided into its own subseries: the OJ Simpson Project Files, and the Bruce Springsteen Project Files. The OJ Simpson Project Files document McCaffery’s interest in and fascination with the OJ Simpson trial, and how contemporary writers were responding to the rise of media, digital technologies, and the impact of “information overload.” Although McCaffery had contacted various publishers and contributors for the intended volume, he never finished the project. The subseries contains correspondence with editors as well as potential contributors, news clippings including entire issues from various tabloids like The National Enquirer and The Globe, various trial-related ephemera, and even “Squeeze the Juice” a board game about the OJ murder trial. McCaffery gathered the majority of materials in the Bruce Springsteen Project Files for a potential comprehensive on Springsteen. Some of the materials were also used for McCaffery’s classes on Springsteen and Rock Poetry. This subseries contains news clippings, criticism, essays, correspondence, album and tour information, and class materials related to Springsteen and the E Street Band. Materials are divided into five subseries: Class Materials / Notes; General Files; Clippings, Articles and Essays; Tours / Album Coverage; and Fanzines and Underground Publications.

The Personal Files consist of materials about McCaffery and include four small subseries: General Files; China Fulbright; and Conferences. The General Files contain articles, blurbs, and clippings about McCaffery; awards and accolades; and correspondence from students and admirers of his work. The China Files document McCaffery’s Fulbright in China in 1989 and include his final report, correspondence, and various tourist brochures and programs. Conferences documents various symposiums and conferences that McCaffery either attended and/or organized including the Science Fiction Research Association’s 1986 annual conference held at San Diego State University. Highlights include correspondence with conference speakers, including Harlan Ellison.

The Book Objects series consists of works by Norman Conquest (also known as Derek Pell). These objects are typically texts that have been manipulated or reworked to convey a specific message or idea. Highlights include Baudrillard’s Simulacrum Cake and Foucault’s Tamponnoir.

The last series, Zines and Underground Publications includes various poetry, fiction, creative writing and pop culture underground publications. Most are DIY publications or published by small, independent presses. This series documents McCaffery’s penchant for innovative and experimental fiction. Titles are arranged alphabetically.