Series concerns the writing and editing of Brand's creative prose and poetry.
First accession: Series contains the notes, manuscripts, proofs and related correspondence and memorabilia from Brand's works of fiction, drama and poetry. The series is divided into three subseries' which correspond to time periods: these subseries preserve the cross-over between works at a particular time. In certain cases material belonging to other series is interfiled with the documents in this series and is preserved in context and linked in the description to other series'. Series includes notes, manuscripts, typescripts and Chronicles of the Hostile Sun, 'Fore Day Morning, Primitive Offensive, Winter Epigrams and Sans Souci and an early poem for No Language is Neutral as well as related photographs; drafts No Language is Neutral, In Another Place Not Here (under several provisional titles), and several further drafts for Sans Souci and a script of a drama; as well as associated correspondence and audio recordings of readings or performances of the works; and drafts, copy-edited manuscripts, proofs, cover proofs for Land to Light On (under the provisional title Where is This?), At the Full and Change of the Moon, and continuation of the drafts for In Another Place, Not Here, a play titled "Bring me a little water, Sylvie", the early drafts for Thirsty as well as letters and photographs associated with the works.
Second accession: Series contains notes, additions, revisions and rewrites, edited manuscripts, chapter listings and research for Brand's novel What We All Long For as well as drafts and proofs for the volume of poetry Inventory and drafts of thirsty (both in its novel form and as a poem). As well, contains notes and drafts of the short stories "100 Musicians on Jane and Finch" and "One Down". Also includes notes to Map to the Door of No Return.
Also includes editorial notes by Connie Rooke, an invitation and advertising for a Brand reading, a review of the Spanish version of At the Full and Change, and email with Kwame Dawes, Margaret Bass and Lynn Crosbie, a note from Pilar interspersed in the WWALF manuscripts. One typescript of thirsty as a poem is interspersed with the text for the Ralph Gustafson lecture, indicating a blending between this and the next series. Another draft is combined an edited transcript of an interview with Rinaldo Walcott and Leslie Saunders, a small amount of research from the internet (particularly on Remedios Varo) and a draft introduction to a novel by Sonny Ladoo, which makes for overlap with the Correspondence and Non-fiction prose series, as well.
Also contains electronic drafts of Map to the Door of No Return, At the Full and Change of the Moon, thirsty as well as the speech "Yet I Do Marvel", book of essays Bread Out Of Stone, oral history work, research and reading notes, a draft letter to Susan Swann and thesis work which makes for similar overlap with the Correspondence and Non-fiction prose series'. Arranged in eight main folders, titled: "BOOS," "DIONNE B 1)," "di.backup," "map," "mapthirsty," "NO NAME," "stuff," "untitled."
Third accession: Series contains notes and research to proofs for Brand's creative prose and poetry during this period: particularly the composition of Love Enough, What We All Long For, ossuaries, Theory and the blue clerk. Includes André Saurès Preface to the 1933 edition of les fleurs du mal translated by Matt Robertshaw. Manuscripts commented on by others (Christina Sharpe, Greg Hollingshead, Ondaatje, as well as editors). Also contains early proofs (This Huge and Ruined Room), copies of printed versions, draft revisions and proofs for reprints of earlier work and collected work. Includes publisher's cover letters and editorial comments. Also includes digital drafts of Love Enough, The Blue Clerk, Theory, Thirsty, Inventory, Ossuaries (including proofs mailed to Brand in Ghana), and What We All Long For and The Early works of Dionne Brand (with images) as well as a description of the novel WWALF, excerpts of Sanders and Chariandry works, photos of Brand and women in the Cuban revolution, translation of Ossuaries, and Margaret Laurence lecture draft, alongside other working documents.
