© University of Massachusetts Amherst. All rights reserved.
© 2011 University of Massachusetts Amherst. All rights reserved.
William Lederer with others receiving award for photograph.
An American author and Navy captain, William Julius Lederer, Jr. was born on March 31, 1912 in Manhattan, New York to dentist and occasional actor William Julius Lederer and Paula Franken. Lederer's mother died when he was 5, after which the family moved up the Hudson River to Ossining, New York. He completed one year at DeWitt Clinton High School before dropping out at the age of 16 and becoming assistant to New York journalist Heywood Broun. Under Broun's tutelage, Lederer was introduced to members of the Algonquin Round Table, including author Dorothy Parker and humorist Robert Benchley.
In 1930, Lederer enlisted in the Navy but was not permitted to matriculate in the Naval Academy because he lacked a high school education. Lederer, as he writes in his article and short story "Making Annapolis Was Easy," after two years as an enlisted man, won the right to take the entrance exam to the Naval Academy, which he passed. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1936. Throughout the 1940s, Lederer divided his time between serving on a river gunboat in China and as a line officer in the Atlantic fleet during World War II. He was a ship's navigator in the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943. Lederer received various honors for his service during the war, including a Purple Heart and a Commendation Ribbon for his role as executive officer of the destroyer
Lederer's naval career lasted 28 years, taking him to many Asian nations on some 30 trips and providing him with several books worth of experience, criticisms, and insight. He began publishing articles in national magazines in 1947, and in February 1950 released
In 1950, Lederer was awarded a year-long Nieman Fellowship from the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University; Lederer lived in Cambridge during the extent of his fellowship.
During the later years of his naval career, while serving as a public information officer, Lederer worked first at the Pentagon, then in 1951, he was stationed at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii as special assistant to Admiral Felix Stump, Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific. Lederer maintained this assignment, promoted to the rank of Captain, until his retirement in 1958.
In 1958, the same year as his retirement from the Navy, Lederer became
In 1948, Lederer attended the Bread Loaf Writer's Conference in Vermont and met fellow author and political theorist Eugene Burdick. Nearly a decade later the two men would collaboratively author
From 1966 to 1967, Lederer was the writer-in-residence at the Kirkland House at Harvard University. He published additional books, including several more books about the Navy and foreign affairs, three books of advice about marriage, several children's books, a practical manual for writers, a how-to for beginner cross-country skiers, and numerous articles on a wide range of topics.
Lederer married Ethel Victoria Hackett in 1940 and they had three sons. The two divorced in 1965; later that year Lederer married Corrine Edwards Lewis, his co-publisher at the Honolulu Beacon, a monthly humor magazine. Lederer and Lewis divorced in 1976.
William Lederer died on December 5, 2010 at the age of 97 in Baltimore, Maryland.
The papers of William J. Lederer, including personal and professional correspondence, photographs, area files, research materials, and manuscripts, document his 28-year service in the United States Navy and his career as an author of over 15 books and numerous articles. In particular, the collection sheds light on his editorial process. A meticulous writer and editor, Lederer frequently revised his works several times, even making significant changes late in the process, before publishing them.
The collection is partially processed; most materials related to Lederer's writing and his correspondence are processed and listed, while area files and photographs are not yet included in the collection inventory.
The collection is open for research.
Acquired from William J. Lederer, 1988.
Processed by Christine Barber, 2013.
Consisting of the original typescripts and manuscripts of many of Lederer's books and articles, along with corrected and uncorrected galleys and correspondence with editors and publishers, this series exhibits Lederer's characteristic writing process. Other materials include evidence of Lederer's approach to researching and verifying content for his books and newsclippings of book reviews.
Lederer was a frequent contributor to
Lederer retained much of his incoming letters as well as many of his outgoing letters. As such there is a good representation of his communications in a variety of roles: Chief of the Magazine and Book Division, Office of Public Information in the U.S. Navy, Far East Correspondent at Reader's Digest, author, and public figure. He often received letters from the readers of his books, some complimentary and others critical. These letters are typically filed under the title of the book.
Unprocessed, but open for research.
Unprocessed, but open for research.
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An address given by Clark Kerr at Pomona College.
Published in
Published in
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Published in
Published in
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Published in
A catalog of lectures for the Norwegian Student Society in Oslo. Includes correspondence from Lederer to Anders Sjaastad.
Translated into Portuguese and published in
Published in
Published in
Published in
Published in
Published in
Article about Lederer, biorhythm, and telepathy published in
Published in
Published in
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Newsclippings, pamphlets, and brochures collected by Lederer.
Pages 1-48.
Pages 49-100.
Pages 101-150.
Pages 151-191.
Includes correspondence.
A promotional brochure for Trak Cross Country Skis, written with Joe Pete Wilson.
Includes letters exchanged among Lederer, Reader's Digest editors, H. Siren Ski Shop, and Johannsen.
Published in 1984,
Pages 1-84. Includes a note to UMass Archivists regarding Lederer's feelings about the published book (April 4, 1988) and a letter to Marian Johnson of W.W. Norton and Company.
Pages 85-160.
Pages 161-232.
Pages 233-297.
Pages 298-360.
Pages 1-34.
Pages 35-62.
Pages 63-106.
Pages 107-141.
Pages 142-177.
Pages 178-253.
Pages 254-296.
Pages 297-359.
Pages 1-65.
Pages 65-152.
Pages 153-225.
Pages 225-315.
Pages 317-353.
Pages 1-74.
Pages 75-137.
Pages 138-212.
Pages 213-287.
Pages 287-353.
Soon after publishing his first book on marriage, co-authored with Don D. Jackson, Lederer began working on a second book on the same topic. His approach to this book appears to be conflicted, at times organizing the content by assignments for couples and at other times organizing it by daily activities. In the end, the content for each approach does not seem to be all that different--both books propose a five-week program for improving relationships--even though the outlines are distinct. Ultimately, both manuscripts, written and revised simultaneously, were published: the first as
Early in the process of research and writing
With Richard Stuart, a collaborator on early versions of the book.
Includes correspondence with Richard Stuart.
Includes correspondence with Richard Stuart.
Chapters 1-17.
Chapters 18-35.
Pages 1-171.
Pages 172-316.
Co-authored with Don D. Jackson,
Although underway by 1964, the bulk of the work took place during 1966-1967. As with all of Lederer's books this one underwent significant editing and re-writing. In fact, in an early letter of interest, Jackson cites Lederer's editorial process as an appeal of the partnership: "I would still like to tie you in with this project in some way, since it would give me the benefit of your editing." The bulk of the collaboraiton took place via mail through an exchange of notes, drafts, and audographs.
Rough copy of remarks made at the First Ohio Congress on Psychological Medicine.
Part 1.
Part 2.
Pages 1-79.
Pages 80-161.
Pages 162-247.
Pages 248-329.
Pages 330-405.
Pages 406-492.
Pages 493-561.
Pages 562-632.
Throughout 1959 and 1960, Lederer wrote and revised a manuscript under the working title of "The Unnamed Book" as a response to public reactions to
In 1960, The "Unnamed Book" manuscript transformed with uncharacteristically little documentation into the
Booklets and pamphlets collected by Lederer.
Research articles collected by Lederer.
Prepared by the United States Civil Administration on the Ryukyu Islands.
Drafts of early version.
Drafts of early version.
Drafts of early version.
Drafts of early version.
Drafts of early version.
Drafts of early version.
Drafts of early version.
Drafts of early version.
Drafts of early version.
Drafts of early version.
Drafts of early version.
Drafts of early version.
Drafts of early version.
Drafts of early version.
Drafts of early version.
Drafts of early version.
Part 1 of early version.
Part 2 of early version.
Early version.
Working title changed from "The Unnamed Book" to "A Nation of Sheep".
Posters, photographs, and newsclippings of advertisements and publicity for
Newsclippings of advertisements and reviews for
8"x10" black and white image of two rice farmers.
Transcripts of recorded correspondence and thoughts about potential new book. These were recorded on audiograph discs; original discs are contained within this subseries.
Lederer revised the text and organiztion of
Lederer received much input about the content and organization of the the book, which continued to be revised and refined through early 1968. Correspondence and transcripts of recorded converations with William Sloane of the Rutgers University Press and Eric Swenson of W. W. Norton & Co. shed much light on evolution of the book's content and composition.
Published in
Research articles collected by Lederer.
Articles by Major William R. Corson.
Biographical sketch of Professor Vo Van Kim.
Letters exhanged among Lederer, William Sloane, and Eric Swenson.
Issued by U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.
Portion of
Transcripts of recorded conversation between Lederer, Swenson, Sloane. These conversations were recorded on audiograph discs; original discs are contained within this subseries.
Transcripts of lectures given by Professor Deviller.
Parts 1 and 2.
Parts 3 and 4.
Parts 4 and 5.
Final part and fragments.
Contract between Lederer and W.W. Norton and Company.
Letters exchanged among Lederer, Eugene Burdick, and Edward Kuhn.
Described as a universal tale in the book's afterward, Lederer labored over the
Negatives and positive prints
Early version.
Early version.
Re-write 2-3.
Early version includes editorial correspondence with K.P. Kempton.
Legend style experiment.
Verse experiments; fragment.
Re-write 9.
Portions of re-write 10, 12; fragment.
Re-write 14; fragment.
Re-write 18.
Re-write 20 and 22.
Re-write 23-34.
Re-write 23-34.
Fragment.
Includes editorial correspondence from Barbara Rex.
Fragment.
Fragment.
Fragment.
Includes letter to William Sloane.
Includes editorial correspondece from Eric Swenson.
Includes editorial correspondece from William Sloane.
Includes letter to Barbara Rex.
Fragment.
Re-write 23-35.
Preface.
Re-write 26.
Re-writes 27-28.
Re-write 30.
Re-write 31.
Re-write 32.
Preface.
Preface.
Preface.
Re-write 43-33.
Fragment.
Published version revised and annotated by Lederer.
Letters exhanged among Lederer, Edward Ardizzone, Eric Swenson, and Martin Gang.
8"x10" black and white photographs of Edward Ardizzone's illustrations.
Published in 1958,
Title page, table of contents, and preface only.
About the 1963 film production of
Published reactions to
From Eric P. Swenson of W.W. Norton and Company.
Governor of Samoa.
Concerning his Tucson Daily Citizen interview with Lederer.