Sontag, Susan, 1933-2004.

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American author and intellectual.

From the description of Authors take sides on Vietnam : autograph manuscript signed : [n.p.], 1968 Mar. 29. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270870148

Susan Sontag was an influential and controversial American writer, director, and political activist. She was born in New York city on January 16, 1933, raised in Tucson and Los Angeles. In 1949 she graduated from North Hollywood High School and began her undergraduate work at the University of California, Berkeley. After one term, she transferred to the University of Chicago, and graduated in 1951. She married Philip Rieff in 1950 and their son, David Rieff, was born in 1952. In 1957, she received a Master's degree in philosophy from Harvard (Radcliffe), and studied on a fellowship at St. Anne's College, Oxford, and the University of Paris-Sorbonne until 1958. She divorced Philip Rieff the same year. In 1959, she discontinued her doctoral work and moved to New York City with her son. Sontag worked for Commentary magazine and held positions as instructor and lecturer at City College of New York, Sarah Lawrence College, and Columbia University until around 1966. During this time, she began writing film and literature reviews, essays, and stories for publication in The partisan review and other prominent journals. Throughout her life, her short stories and numerous essays on art, literature, politics, and culture appeared in several publications in the United States and abroad. Most of these works were collected into seven books: Against interpretation and other essays (1966), Styles of radical will (1969), I, etcetera (1978), Under the sign of Saturn (1980), A Susan Sontag reader (1982), Where the stress falls (2001), and At the same time (2007). Sontag published four novels: The benefactor (1963), Death kit (1967), The volcano lover (1992) and In America (2000), which won the National Book Award. Her non-fiction books explored and challenged aspects of modern society: On photography (1977), which won the National Book Critics Circle Award, Illness as metaphor (1978), inspired by her own experience with breast cancer, AIDS and its metaphors (1989), and Regarding the pain of others (2003), on war photography. Sontag wrote and directed four films: Duet for cannibals (1969), Brother Carl (1971), Promised lands (1974) and Unguided tour (1983). She directed several plays, including Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot in Sarajevo in 1993; and she wrote several plays including Alice in bed (1993) and Lady from the sea (1999), productions of which have been staged across the United States and internationally. As a committed human rights activist she traveled to Cuba, China, Vietnam, and Bosnia. She also served as president of the PEN American Center from 1987-1989. Her works have been translated into over thirty languages. She received honors and awards throughout her life, including the Jerusalem Prize (2001) and the Friedenspreis (2003) for her body of work. She died of cancer on December 28, 2004, and is buried in Montparnasse cemetery in Paris.

From the description of Papers, ca. 1939-2004. (University of California, Los Angeles). WorldCat record id: 276309334

Biography

Susan Sontag was an influential and controversial American writer, director, and political activist. She was born in New York City on January 16, 1933, and was raised in Tucson and Los Angeles. In 1949, she graduated from North Hollywood High School and began her undergraduate work at the University of California, Berkeley. After one term, she transferred to the University of Chicago, where she graduated in 1951. She married Philip Rieff in 1950. Their son, David Rieff, was born in 1952. In 1957, she received a Master's degree in philosophy from Harvard (Radcliffe), and studied on a fellowship at St. Anne's College, Oxford, and the University of Paris-Sorbonne until 1958. She divorced Philip Rieff the same year. In 1959, she discontinued her doctoral work and moved to New York City with her son. Sontag worked for Commentary Magazine and held positions as instructor and lecturer at City College of New York, Sarah Lawrence College, and Columbia University until around 1966. During this time, she began writing film and literature reviews, essays, and stories for publication in The Partisan Review and other prominent journals. Throughout her life, her short stories and numerous essays on art, literature, politics, and culture appeared in several publications in the United States and abroad. Most of these works were collected into seven books: Against Interpretation and Other Essays (1966), Styles of Radical Will (1969), I, Etcetera (1978), Under the Sign of Saturn (1980), A Susan Sontag Reader (1982), Where the Stress Falls (2001), and At the Same Time (2007). Sontag published four novels: The Benefactor (1963), Death Kit (1967), The Volcano Lover (1992) and In America (2000), which won the National Book Award. Her non-fiction books explored and challenged aspects of modern society: On Photography (1977), which won the National Book Critics Circle Award, Illness as Metaphor (1978), inspired by her own experience with breast cancer, AIDS and Its Metaphors (1989), and Regarding the Pain of Others (2003), on war photography. Sontag wrote and directed four films: Duet for Cannibals (1969), Brother Carl (1971), Promised Lands (1974) and Unguided Tour (1983). She directed several plays, including Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot in Sarajevo in 1993; and she wrote several plays including Alice in Bed (1993) and Lady from the Sea (1999), productions of which have been staged across the United States and internationally. As a committed human rights activist she traveled to Cuba, China, Vietnam, and Bosnia. She also served as president of the PEN American Center from 1987-1989. Her works have been translated into over thirty languages. She received honors and awards throughout her life, including the Jerusalem Prize (2001) and the Friedenspreis (2003) for her body of work. She died of cancer on December 28, 2004, and is buried in Montparnasse cemetery in Paris.

From the guide to the Susan Sontag papers, ca. 1939-2004, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Podhoretz, Norman. Papers, 1951-1982. Library of Congress
referencedIn American Review records, 1967-1977 Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Hardwick, Elizabeth. Papers, 1934-1991 (bulk 1960-1990). Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
referencedIn Leo Raditsa Papers, 1947-2001 Houghton Library
referencedIn Chandler Brossard Papers, 1951-2002 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn Joyce Carol Oates Papers, 1956-2006 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn Stanford Humanities Center. Stanford Humanities Center audio-visual materials, 1989-2006. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Sontag, Susan, 1933-2004. Books from the library of Susan Sontag, ca. 1800-2004. University of California, Los Angeles
referencedIn William Gedney Photographs and Writings, 1940s-1989 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn Woodberry Poetry Room (Harvard College Library) poetry readings, 1931- (ongoing). Woodberry Poetry Room, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
referencedIn Papers, 1831-1835, 1916-2002 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn New Directions Publishing records Houghton Library
referencedIn Zbigniew Herbert papers, 1968-1989 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Bobbye S. Ortiz Papers, (bulk, 1919-1993 and undated, 1950-1990) David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
creatorOf Sontag, Susan, 1933-2004. [Q & A about two stories at Sarah Lawrence College [sound recording] / by Susan Sontag]. Sarah Lawrence College, Esther Raushenbush Library
creatorOf Sontag, Susan, 1933-2004. Reading at Sarah Lawrence College [sound recording] / by Susan Sontag. Sarah Lawrence College, Esther Raushenbush Library
referencedIn Records of the New York Institute for the Humanities 1971-1995, (bulk 1980-1984). New York University. Archives
referencedIn Lothar and Eva Just Film Stills Collection. Harvard Film Archive, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
creatorOf Sontag, Susan, 1933-2004. [Reading of two stories at Sarah Lawrence College [sound recording] / by Susan Sontag]. Sarah Lawrence College, Esther Raushenbush Library
referencedIn Prompt books and related materials from productions at the Harvard University Loeb Drama Center Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
creatorOf Chesler, Phyllis. Phyllis Chesler papers, 1968-1990 and n.d. (bulk 1970-1986). Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn Newman, Edwin H. Papers, 1944-1978. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Records of the New York Institute for the Humanities, Bulk, 1980-1984, 1971-2004 New York University. Archives
referencedIn Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Inc. records, 1899-2003, 1945-1989 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Sontag, Susan, 1933-2004. The volcano lover : a romance / by Susan Sontag. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn New Yorker records New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Parnassus: poetry in review records, 1971-1996 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Herbert, Zbigniew. Zbigniew Herbert papers, 1968-1989. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Rich, Adrienne Cecile. Papers: Series I-II, 1933-1999 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn John P. Diggins papers, 1966-2008 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Podhoretz, Norman. Norman Podhoretz papers, 1951-1982. Library of Congress
referencedIn Davies, Diana, 1938-. Papers 1960-1996 (ongoing). Smith College, Neilson Library
referencedIn Records. Libraries Australia
referencedIn Parsons, Kathy A. Papers, 1991-2010. Iowa State University, Parks Library
referencedIn John Hollander Papers, circa 1950-2007 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Diggins, John P. John P. Diggins papers, 1966-2008. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Sontag, Susan, 1933-2004. Authors take sides on Vietnam : autograph manuscript signed : [n.p.], 1968 Mar. 29. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn The Donald Sutherland Collection, 1903-1978, 1940-1975 Auraria Library
referencedIn Seals, Woodrow, 1917-1990. Judge Woodrow Seals Papers, 1941-1990 [Part 2] Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Libary
creatorOf Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Inc. records, 1899-2003 (bulk 1945-1989). New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Phyllis Chesler Papers, 1968-1990 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
creatorOf Sontag, Susan, 1933-2004. Office files, of The American Poetry Review, 1975. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Boston College Humanities Series director's records Boston College. John J. Burns Library
referencedIn David Gascoyne papers, 1822-2010, n.d. British Library: Western Manuscripts
creatorOf Chesler, Phyllis. Phyllis Chesler papers, 1968-1990 and n.d. (bulk 1970-1986). Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
creatorOf Susan Sontag papers, ca. 1939-2004 University of California, Los Angeles. Library Special Collections.
referencedIn Miscellaneous screen, stage, and radio scripts, ca. 1859-2007. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
referencedIn Seals, Woodrow, 1917-1990. Judge Woodrow Seals Papers, 1941-1990 [Part 1] Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Libary
creatorOf Sontag, Susan, 1933-2004. Papers, ca. 1939-2004. University of California, Los Angeles
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith American Repertory Theatre (Cambridge, Mass.). corporateBody
associatedWith American Review corporateBody
associatedWith Brossard, Chandler, 1922-1993 person
associatedWith Chesler, Phyllis. person
associatedWith Davies, Diana, 1938- person
associatedWith Diggins, John P person
associatedWith Diggins, John P. person
associatedWith Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. corporateBody
associatedWith Gascoyne, David Emery, 1916-2001 person
associatedWith Gedney, William, d. 1989 person
associatedWith Hamilton, Emma, Lady, 1761?-1815 person
associatedWith Hamilton, William, Sir, 1730-1803 person
associatedWith Hardwick, Elizabeth. person
associatedWith Herbert, Zbigniew. person
associatedWith Hollander, John. person
correspondedWith Hope Hale Davis person
associatedWith Nelson, Horatio Nelson, Viscount, 1758-1805 person
associatedWith New Directions Publishing Corp. corporateBody
associatedWith Newman, Edwin H. person
correspondedWith New Yorker Magazine, Inc corporateBody
associatedWith Oates, Joyce Carol, 1938- person
associatedWith Ortiz, Bobbye S. person
correspondedWith Parnassus: poetry in review corporateBody
associatedWith Parsons, Kathy A. person
correspondedWith Podhoretz, Norman. person
associatedWith Raditsa, Leo. person
associatedWith Rich, Adrienne Cecile. person
associatedWith Sarah Lawrence College. corporateBody
associatedWith Seals, Woodrow Bradley person
associatedWith Seals, Woodrow Bradley person
associatedWith Stanford Humanities Center. corporateBody
associatedWith Sweeney, Francis W., 1916- person
associatedWith Woodberry Poetry Room (Harvard College Library). corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Naples (Italy)
Subject
Authors, American
Women authors, American
Women authors, American
Women intellectuals
Women intellectuals
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1933-01-16

Death 2004-12-28

Americans

English

Information

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SNAC ID: 46341949