Guide to the Betty Fussell Papers MSS 160
Fales Library and Special Collections
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
3rd Floor
New York, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 998-2596
fales.library@nyu.edu
Fales Library and Special Collections
Collection processed by Jacqueline Rider
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on June 07, 2018
Finding aid written in English. using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Descriptive Summary
| Creator: | Fussell, Betty Harper |
|---|---|
| Title: | Betty Fussell Papers |
| Dates [inclusive]: | 1947-2011 |
| Dates [bulk]: | 1966-2009 |
| Abstract: | Betty Harper Fussell is an essayist and author of 12 books, including biographies, memoirs, cookbooks, and food histories. Her essays on food, food history, travel, and the arts have appeared in scholarly journals, national magazines and newspapers over the past 40 years. This collection consists of materials related to her food research, lectures, and writings, dating from the mid 20th century to 2012. |
| Quantity: | 56 Linear Feet in 52 record cartons, 2 manuscript boxes, 2 oversize flat boxes, one flat box, one CD box. |
| Quantity: | 136 audiocassettes 35 audiocassettes, 101 mini audiocassettes |
| Quantity: | 27 videocassettes |
| Quantity: | 12 3.5" floppy disks |
| Quantity: | 16 electronic discs (cd-rom) |
| Quantity: | 7 sound disc (cd) |
| Quantity: | 7 sound discs (minidisc) |
| Quantity: | 4 dvd-r disks |
| Quantity: | 16 Gigabytes 1 USB flash drive |
| Location: | Some materials are stored offsite, and advance notice is required for use. Please contact fales.library@nyu.edu at least two business days prior to your research visit to coordinate access. |
| Language: | Materials are primarily in English, with some items in French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Portuguese, and Chinese. |
| Call Phrase: | MSS 160 |
Biographical / Historical
Betty Harper Fussell is an essayist and author of 12 books, including biographies, memoirs, cookbooks, and food histories. She holds bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in English literature. Her essays on food travel and the arts have appeared in scholarly journals, national magazines and newspapers over the past 40 years. She maintains a personal website, https://www.bettyfussell.com.
Scope and Contents
The Betty Fussell Papers consist of materials Fussell created and collected for her research and publications on food history, international cuisines, and cooking. In particular, the collection documents her creation of several cookbooks and food histories focused on US regional foods and specific ingredients, such as corn and beef. The collection contains many interviews with prominent 20th century food writers and chefs, such as James Beard, Craig Claiborne, M. F. K. Fisher, Alice Waters, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Materials also chronicle Fussell's evolving sense of her personal identity as a woman, scholar, and food historian of the 20th century. Document types include manuscripts, notes, interview tapes and transcripts, recipes, and correspondence, including handwritten and typed letters, as well as email printouts. The collection also contains unique menus from several international restaurants and works by others, including books, published articles and newspaper clippings that Fussell collected and arranged by subject.
Arrangement
Materials are arranged at the series level. Series I and II are further arranged to the sub-series level, maintaining original order when evident: Series I, Research and Subject Files Subseries 1, Places Subseries 2, Foods, alphabetized Subseries 3, General notes
Series II, Writings, Interviews, Lectures, Classes Subseries 1, Betty Fussell Books and Related Materials Subseries 2, Betty Fussell Articles, Interviews, Lectures and Classes; Contributions to Works by Others
Series III, Events and Correspondence
Series IV, Media, Graphics, Books
Access Points
Subject Names
- Beard, James, 1903-1985
- Claiborne, Craig
- Vongerichten, Jean-Georges
Document Type
- Cookbooks.
- Memoirs
Subject Topics
- Food -- History
- Cooking, American -- History -y 20th century
- Beef.
- Corn
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy for materials in this collection were not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form: Identification of item, date (if known); Betty Fussell Papers; MSS 160; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University Libraries.
Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures
Audiovisual materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers. Materials not yet digitized will need to have access copies made before they can be used. To request an access copy, or if you are unsure if an item has been digitized, please contact Fales Library with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Betty Fussell donated the materials from 2005 to 2015. Accession numbers associated with this collection are 2009.160, 2010.160, 2012.160, 2015.160.
Processing Information
Materials were rehoused in archival folders and boxes, maintaining original order and labels when possible. Audiovisual materials were rehoused in archival cases.
Container List
Series I: Research and Subject Files
Scope and ContentsThis series consists of files Fussell created and maintained for her work overall, organized into regional cultures and areas that she visited, foodstuffs, and general notes. It also contains materials from regional events, plus notes, interview transcripts, and drafts of articles about specific places, such as the Spanish olive oil region and California wineries. |
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Places
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| Container 1 | Title | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box: 1 | Spain, Cuba, Australia, Kuwait, England,Ireland |
1970-2006 | ||
| Box: 2 | France |
1962-2008 | ||
| Box: 3 | Versailles, China, Bahia, Indonesia, Jordan, Ireland |
1959-2000 | ||
| Box: 4 | Southwest United States, Mexico, South America, California, Kentucky |
1979-2003 | ||
| Box: 5 | SE Asia, Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai |
1998-2001 | ||
| Box: 6 | Wisconsin, Peru |
1979-1990 | ||
Foods
|
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| Container 1 | Title | Date | ||
| Box: 7 | Foods, Alphabetized, Beans-Garlic |
1959-1997 | ||
| Box: 8 | Foods, Alphabetized, Grains - Sea Vegetables |
1955-1995 | ||
General Notes and Background Materials
|
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| Container 1 | Title | Date | ||
| Box: 9 | General Notes, part 1 of 2: food codes, quotations, nutrition, menus, NYU food seminar |
1969-1997 | ||
| Box: 10 | General Notes, part 2 of 2: recipes, restaurants, French food, food arts |
1970-2008 | ||
| Box: 11 | General Notes: Preserves - Wine, New Produce, Recipe Lists, Catalogs, Bibliographies,
Food Facts |
1960-2000 | ||
| Box: 12 | Food Issues, Sustainability, Genetically Modified Foods |
1992-2006 | ||
| Box: 13 | Food Publications |
1985-2008 | ||
| Box: 14 | Note Cards on Eating Habits, French Cuisine, Food History |
1965-1970 | ||
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Series II: Writings, Interviews, Lectures, Classes
Scope and ContentsThis series consists of research, background, and production files, plus drafts Fussell created for books and articles she wrote. Much overlap exists, as articles were expanded into books, and books would lead to lectures and conference talks. |
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Betty Fussell Books and Related Materials
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| Container 1 | Container 2 | Title | Date | |
| Box: 15 | Corn Book Notes |
1974-1996 | ||
| Box: 16 | Corn Book Permissions |
1985-1992 | ||
| Box: 17 | Corn Book Research |
1978-1995 | ||
| Box: 18 | ||||
| Box: 19 | ||||
| Box: 20 | Corn Seeds, Seed Types |
1932-1998 | ||
| Box: 21 | The Story of Corn and Crazy for Corn |
1990-2000 | ||
| Box: 22 | Folder : 12-16 | Corn Book Lectures, Promotions |
1990-1998 | |
| Box: 23 | MFK Fisher Interviews, I Hear America Cooking Photos, Background on Regional U.S.
cuisine, New England - Southwest
|
1967-1989 | ||
| Box: 24 | America Entertains, Masters of American Cookery, Craig Claiborne, James Beard Julia
Child, correspondence |
1965-1993 | ||
| Box: 25 | James Beard |
1974-2003 | ||
| Box: 26 | I Hear America Cooking: Masters |
1977-2004 | ||
| Box: 27 | My Kitchen Wars |
1994-2005 | ||
| Box: 22 | Folder : 1-11 | Beef Book background research |
1986-2007 | |
| Box: 28 | Animal Industry |
1976-2008 | ||
| Box: 29 | Rancher Interviews, Grassland, Land Use, Buffalo, California, Oregon, Quivira |
1992-2007 | ||
| Box: 30 | Rancher Interviews, Heritage Breeds, Steakhouses, Beef Industry |
1996-2010 | ||
| Box: 31 | National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Texas, Ranchers, Rendering, "Greenies and Myths" |
1996-2008 | ||
| Box: 32 | Folder : 10-23 | Beef Notes, Talks, Statistics, Recipes |
2002-2012 | |
Betty Fussell Articles, Interviews, Lectures and Classes; Contributions to Works by
Others
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| Container 1 | Title | Date | ||
| Box: 33 | Published Articles and Manuscripts |
1973-2008 | ||
| Box: 34 | Published articles arranged chronologically, journal articles, bibliographies, contracts,
proposals |
1955-2012 | ||
| Box: 35 | Published Articles |
1955-2005 | ||
| Box: 36 | Story Ideas, Article Drafts, Background Materials |
1965-2006 | ||
| Box: 37 | Food Organization Conferences, Interviews, Book Reviews |
1978-2000 | ||
| Box: 38 | Research and Drafts for Novel, Foie Gras, Magazine Articles |
1976-2007 | ||
| Box: 39 | Joy of Cooking, revised edition |
1994-1997 | ||
| Box: 40 | Jean-Georges Vongerichten profile, Lears articles |
1986-2000 | ||
| Box: 41 | My Kitchen Wars performance, televised appearances, food articles, NYU Food Colloquium,
background materials |
1984-2006 | ||
| Box: 42 | Food History Classes, Bread Article |
1994-2003 | ||
| Box: 43 | Corn Lectures, Promos, Classes |
1990-2004 | ||
| Box: 44 | Betty H. Fussell Lectures |
1986-2007 | ||
| Box: 45 | Interviews and Notes on Beef and Related Topics |
2002-2007 | ||
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Series III: Events and Correspondence
Scope and ContentsThis series consists of materials related to workshops, conferences, classes, and other events Fussell attended, addressed, or led. It also contains some correspondence. |
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| Container 1 | Container 2 | Title | Date | |
| Box: 46 | California: COPIA Symposium, Greystone Conference, Chalk Hill Winery book draft |
1996-2006 | ||
| Box: 47 | Food Conferences |
1991-2007 | ||
| Box: 48 | ||||
| Box: 49 | Folder : 1-10 | Food Panels, Presentations, Conferences, Lectures |
1998-2008 | |
| Box: 49 | Folder : 11-14 (Mixed Materials [31142063402211]) | Correspondence |
1982-1997 | |
| Box: 32 | Folder : 1-8 (Mixed Materials [31142063402245]) | |||
| Box: 50 | Food Events, Interviews, Ephemera |
1966-2008 | ||
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Series IV: Media, Graphics, Books
Scope and ContentsThis series consists of photographs, negatives and slides, plus audiovisual, digital, and graphic materials Fussell created and saved for her research, travel, and writings. It also includes books by others Fussell collected and consulted. |
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| Container 1 | Container 2 | Title | Date | |
| Box: 51 | Menus |
1958-1997 | ||
| Box: 52 | Posters and Menus |
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| Box: 53 | Slides, photographs, graphics of corn and other foods, regions cookbooks, kitchen
history |
1970-2003 | ||
| Box: 32 | Folder : 9 | Slides |
1991-1999 | |
| Box: 54 | Photographs: Western United States and Vermont; Slides |
1985-2006 | ||
| Box: 55 | Videos and Audiocassettes |
1981-2000 | ||
| Box: 56 | Interviews, minicassettes |
1980-2000 | ||
| Box: 57 | Compact disks, floppy disks, UBS flash drive |
1980-2006 | ||
| Box: 35 | The Niman Ranch Cookbook |
2005 | ||
| Box: 54 | Becoming Native to this Place |
1994 | ||
| Box: 14 | Alimentum: The Literature of Food, Issue 13 |
2012 | ||
| Box: 14 | Jean-George: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef |
1998 | ||
| Box: 14 | Simple Cuisine: the Easy, New Approach to Four-Star Cooking |
1990 | ||
| Box: 14 | The Four Seasons: A History of America's Premier Restaurant |
1999 | ||
| Box: 28 | Zapotec |
1954 | ||
| Box: 28 | Last Chance to Eat: the Fate of Taste in a Fast Food World |
2004 | ||
| Box: 28 | When Jesus Came, the Corn Mothers Went Away. Marriage, Sexuality, and Power in New
Mexico, 1500-1846 |
1991 | ||
| Box: 28 | Writing at the Kitchen Table: the authorized biography of Elizabeth David |
2000 | ||
| Box: 28 | Corn and Corn Growing |
1949 | ||
| Box: 28 | Corn Huskers' Battle of the Bangboards |
1975 | ||
| Box: 39 | Wild Wealth |
1971 | ||
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