Browse Items (15 total)

"Honorary Degree Citations" in the Amherst Alumni News. James Merrill's honorary degree from Amherst was the third for the Merrill family (Charles had received two). Amherst asked James Merrill about collecting his literary papers, which were already…

The Black Swan, Kimon Friar's privately printed book of James Merrill's college poetry, probably at least partially financed by Merrill, himself. This copy inscribed to "Jonnie."

Lawrentian, vol. 56 no. 1. This issue of the Amherst alumni magazine features a cover story on poetry entitled "The Uncertain Future of Poetry" that contains an interview with James Merrill.

"Amherst Bard wins Holyoke Poet Award" from THE JEFF. Merrill won the prestigious Glascock Poetry Prize for "The Broken Bowl," "The Formal Lovers" and "The Black Swan," all written in Kimon Friar's class. This win was a harbinger of many awards to…

Richard & Charlee Wilbur, Merrill's Key West neighbors. Richard Wilbur was a fellow Amherst grad and accomplished poet, as well as a longtime friend and supporter of Merrill's work. Charlee Wilbur played matchmaker with Merrill and Peter Hooten.…

James Merrill and Kimon Friar, Merrill's Amherst teacher and lover. "Short, wiry, and dark, he was a high-minded, charismatic man of letters and an unabashed self-promoter."

“A la Recherche du temps perdu: Impressionism in Literature” was James Merrill's senior thesis on Proust from Amherst, 1946. At 106 pages, it is by far Merrill's longest piece of literary criticism and his most scholarly production. Merrill…

Olio, Amherst College's yearbook featuring James Merrill, 1946.

Photograph of James Merrill receiving an honorary doctorate at Amherst College from Calvin H. Plimpton, June 7, 1968.

Typescript [photocopy] draft of Amherst College's President Calvin H. Plimpton's introduction for James Merrill's honorary doctorate, June 7, 1968.