Michael Shaara Collection, Circa 1947-1990
Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Shaara, Michael
- Extent:
- 26 Hollinger Boxes
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
Michael Shaara Collection, Bienes Museum of the Modern Book, Broward County Library
Background
- Scope and content:
The Michael Shaara Collection contains manuscripts, correspondence, photographs, teaching lectures and notes, speeches, financial documents, personal papers, books, awards, programs, newspaper clippings, and publications collected by author Michael Shaara (1929-1988). Manuscripts and drafts include his four novels ("The Killer Angels", "The Broken Place", "The Herald", and "For Love of the Game") and short stories.
- Biographical / historical:
Michael Shaara (1929-1988) was born on June 23, 1929 in Jersey City, N.J. to Michael Joseph Sr. and Allene Shaara. Michael Shaara graduated from Rutgers University with a bachelor's degree in 1951 and completed graduate studies at Columbia University (1952-1953) and University of Vermont (1953-1954). He began writing short stories in the 1950s after holding jobs as a paratrooper, merchant seaman, and police officer in St. Petersburg, Florida. In 1959, he was hired as an English instructor at Florida State University (FSU) and by 1968, became an Associate Professor. He taught English, literature and creative writing courses.
Michael Shaara wrote four novels and published more than 70 short stories in magazines including Cosmopolitan, Galaxy, Fantastic Universe, Playboy, Redbook, and the Saturday Evening Post. He began writing science fiction and fantasy genres for the popular pulp fiction magazines of the time and won several awards. Shaara received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1975 for his novel "The Killer Angels". His other three novels are: "The Broken Place" (1968), "The Noah Conspiracy" (known as the "Herald", 1981), and "For Love of the Game" (1991). Two of his novels were made into films: television miniseries "Gettysburg", an adaptation of "The Killer Angels" and film "For Love of the Game" (1991) based on the novel of the same name.
In 1965, Michael Shaara had his first major heart attack and wrote about the experience in an article published by the Saturday Evening Post. The article "In the Midst of Life" won an American Medical Association award for medical journalism. While teaching an FSU abroad program in Italy in 1972, he had a motorcycle accident. He was unconcious for weeks and suffered from a severe brain injury. Later he described this event in his story "Brain Damage".
Michael Shaara married Helen Krumweide (1928-2016) on September 16, 1950, and had two children, Jeffrey and Lila Elise. Jeff Shaara wrote the novels "Gods and Generals" (1996) and "The Last Full Measure" (1998) which serve as as a prequel and sequel to "The Killer Angels." Jeff Shaara continues to write novels.
- Acquisition information:
- Helen Shaara donated the Michael Shaara Collection to the Bienes Museum of the Modern Book on October 15, 1998.
- Processing information:
This collection received file level processing. The finding aid may be updated to reflect new descriptions as well as acquisitions to the collection.
- Arrangement:
The Michael Shaara Collection contains eight series: Series I. Correspondence, Series II. Writings, Series III. Professional Papers, Series IV. Personal Papers, Series V. Financial and Legal Documents, Series VI. Photographs, Series VII. Awards, and Series VIII. Printed Materials.
Access and use
- Restrictions:
The Michael Shaara Collection is open for research.
- Preferred citation:
Michael Shaara Collection, Bienes Museum of the Modern Book, Broward County Library
- Location of this collection:
-
Bienes Museum of the Modern Book, Broward County Library100 S. Andrews AvenueFort LauderdaleFL33301USA
