George G. Preble
My interest in collecting John Cheever was initiated by reading The Stories of John Cheever in the summer of 1979. Subsequently, I borrowed his books from the library and read with increasing interest. I became curious about the listing in each of his books of a publication, The Way Some People Live, but I could not locate a copy. At the Boston Public Library, I was directed to John Cheever: A Checklist 1930-1978 Bulletin of Bibliography which had coincidentally been published in the issue of January-March 1979. The bibliography provided the listing of numerous uncollected short stories and also the correct publication date of 1943 for The Way Some People Live.
I began to acquire the books which were readily available but was more interested in the acquisition of the uncollected periodical appearances which were a challenge to locate; particularly the stories which were included in The Way Some People Live. At that time, the search included pleasurable visits to bookshops and conversations with book dealers. Ken Gloss at the Brattle Book Shop allowed me to bring my year-old son in a car seat carrier to visit the basement of the shop to search a recent acquisition of a collection of The New Yorker from the 1930s and 1940s and purchase every Cheever appearance. I met Bev Chaney, Jr., a bookseller from Ossining and friend of Cheever, who allowed me to purchase key ephemeral items before he offered his collection to an institution. Regrettably, I did not purchase enough.
I had a wonderful time assembling the collection during the past 40 years and am pleased with the opportunity to share.
John Cheever. Expelled from Prep School. New York: The New Republic, Wednesday, October 1, 1930.
Published as “Jon” Cheever at age 18 after being expelled from Thayer Academy in South Braintree, Massachusetts. Malcolm Cowley, the editor of The New Republic, published the story and became a lifelong friend. John Cheever’s daughter Susan married Malcolm Cowley’s son Robert in 1967.
Uncollected in his lifetime, eventually collected in John Cheever Collected Stories and Other Writings, edited by Blake Bailey. Library of America 2009. Also published as a miniature book by Sylvester and Orphanos (1988).
The Black & Orange. South Braintree, MA: Senior Class Thayer Academy, 1927.
Cheever is depicted in the Class of 1931 photograph.
Note that The Black & Orange 1931 volume references Cheever as a former student.
John Cheever. Long Galley Sheets for The Wapshot Scandal. New York: Harper & Rowe Publishers, 1964.
A unique set of bound galley sheets for The Wapshot Scandal indicating a publication date of January 3, 1964. The galley is accompanied with two hand painted circular title labels. Based on artwork by Mary Cheever in my collection, the labels are consistent with her style and floral arrangement.
I have another uncorrected galley of The Wapshot Scandal that has been cut, trimmed, and bound to book size. The galley includes the original shipping box addressed to Monroe Wheeler, the former Director of Exhibits and Publications at the Museum of Modern Art. Mr. Wheeler was a friend of Glenway Wescott, who reviewed the book for the New York Herald Tribune.
Memorial Program for John Cheever. Norwell, MA: First Parish of Norwell, 1982.
A memorial program, “In Thanksgiving for the Life of John Cheever 1912 – 1982.” The tribute at the service was given by John Updike.
John Cheever. The Uncollected Stories of John Cheever. Chicago: Academy Chicago Publishers, 1988.
The uncorrected proof of a book that was never published. Described in Ken Lopez Bookseller Modern Literature Catalog 155 as “One of the publishing rarities of the last several decades…”
During his literary career, John Cheever wrote 175 short stories of which at least 68 stories were never initially collected. The Uncollected Stories of John Cheever 1930-1981 was subject to one of the most expensive litigations in literary history at the time, eventually blocking publication, but allowing a limited number of stories for the publication Thirteen Uncollected Stories by John Cheever edited by Franklin H. Dennis, Academy Chicago (1994).
The litigation and chronicle of the efforts to publish the book are the subject of Uncollecting Cheever The Family of John Cheever vs. Academy Chicago Publishers, by Anita Miller. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. (1998).