Elder, Donald B.

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Donald Elder, editor and writer, was born on April 15, 1913, in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Niles, Michigan. In 1935 he received his undergraduate degree from the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan. While a student at Michigan, Mr. Elder won the freshman literature contest of 1932; the Avery Hopwood Award for creative writing in 1933 for sketches entitled Railroad Men ; and a major fiction award in 1935. In 1935, he began his career as an editor at Doubleday, Doran and Co., Inc., Publishers, where he rose through the company's ranks to become Vice President in 1946. In 1947, he took a leave of absence from the company to write Ring Lardner: A Biography, which was published by Doubleday in 1956.

While Mr. Elder was an editor at Doubleday, he became acquainted with Katherine Anne Porter, and they became close friends. For Doubleday, he edited Eugene Pressly's translation of the Mexican novel The Itching Parrot that was published under Porter's name in 1942. Mr. Elder died May 5, 1965, at the age of 52.

From the guide to the Donald Elder papers, 1940-1963, 1940-1963, (Literature and Rare Books)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Harris, Marguerite Tjader, 1901-1986. Correspondence with Theodore, Helen, and Vera Dreiser, 1928-1972. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Porter, Katherine Anne, 1890-1980. Papers. University of Maryland (College Park, Md.). Libraries
creatorOf Matthiessen, F. O. (Francis Otto), 1902-1950. Correspondence with Donald B. Elder, 1944-1946. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Baum, Vicki, 1888-1960. Vicki Baum papers, 1929-1953. University at Albany, University Libraries
referencedIn Yaddo records, 1870-1980 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Doubleday, Doran & Company. Correspondence with Theodore and Helen Dreiser, 1899-1950. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Elder, Donald. Papers. University of Maryland (College Park, Md.). Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Baum, Vicki, 1888-1960. person
associatedWith Donald Elder person
associatedWith Doubleday, Doran & Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Harris, Marguerite Tjader, 1901-1986. person
associatedWith Katherine Anne Porter person
associatedWith Matthiessen, F. O. (Francis Otto), 1902-1950. person
associatedWith Yaddo (Artist's colony) corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
American literature
Occupation
Activity

Person

Active 1899

Active 1950

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