This sub-series holds John Ralston Saul's manuscripts of his first novel, published in 1977 in English as The Birds of Prey and in French as Mort d'un Général. It includes his manuscript and typescript drafts, a screenplay (and records of the production company FilmFive), research material, personal and professional correspondence, agreements and contracts, financial records, promotional and publicity material, and book reviews. The drafts are organized by working titles: "L'ombre d'un Grand Oiseau", "Mort d'un Général", "The Hatred of Equals: A French Game of Elimination", and "The Birds of Prey". The research material includes records relating to the French army and army personnel, the arms trade, and interview notes. There is also correspondence, contracts, and agreements relating to publishing, promotion, royalties, and distribution rights, including correspondence with publishers and agents like McGraw-Hill, Macmillan London, Macmillan of Canada, Éditions Du Seuil, Arrow Books, JCA Literary Agency, Collins Publishers, Dell, and others.
The promotional and publicity material for the novel includes ads (including an audio recording of a radio ad), a book jacket, a flyer, poster, bestseller lists, and American book tour itinerary. Its reception is revealed through book reviews in newspapers and magazines like the "Washington Post", "The Sunday Times", "London Free Press", "The Observer", "Politique Hebdo", Le Nouvel Observateur", "Le Metropolitain Charleroi" (Belgium), "El Periodico" (Spain) and "La Vanguardio" (Spain). Public response is also revealed through letters of criticism and congratulations. With partners, he created the production company, FilmFive Inc., to bring The Birds of Prey to the screen. The series holds drafts of the screenplay (written by Saul and Adrienne Clarkson), correspondence, memoranda, and agreements, records of financing and funding, and monthly financial statements. FilmFive correspondents included Peter Batty Productions; Twentieth Century Fox; Goodman & Goodman; Rosenfield, Malcolmson, Lampkin & Levine; Royal Bank of Canada; and Hill Street Trustees Limited. Further records of FilmFive's operations are found in the Professional and Business Activities series.