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Finding Aid

Fraser, Sylvia

Sylvia Fraser fonds. -- 1960-1993. -- 5.5 m of textual records, sound recordings and electronic material.

Sylvia Fraser, novelist and journalist, was born in Hamilton, Ont. on 8 March 1935, the daughter of George Nicholas and Gladys Olive (Wilson) Meyers. She married Russell James Fraser on 30 May 1959. She was educated at the University of Western Ontario and began her career in journalism at the Toronto Star Weekly. She worked there until the magazine folded in 1968. She published her first novel, Pandora, in 1972 and has published several novels since then as well as works of non-fiction such as My Father's House (1987). She has also been a contributor to Saturday Night. Fraser has been a guest lecturer at the Banff Centre (1973-1979, 1985, 1987-1988), Writer-in-Residence at University of Western Ontario (1980), a member of the Arts Advisory Panel to the Canada Council (1977-1981), a member of the cultural delegation to China (1985), an instructor at the Maritime Writers' Workshop (1986), and Vice-President of the Writers' Development Trust.

The fonds has been arranged into the following series, following Fraser's own listing: Book Manuscripts; Journalism (includes publications, typescripts, research notes and interviews); Correspondence. It should be noted that the drafts of her novels, Berlin Solstice, The Emperor's Virgin, and A Casual Affair were placed by Fraser with her publisher, McClelland and Stewart, for safekeeping. She has indicated that these drafts belong to her and should be considered as part of her fonds. Manuscripts and galleys of the first two novels now form part of the manuscript series of the McClelland and Stewart fonds located in Archives and Research Collections, McMaster University.

Title based on content of fonds.
Fonds (24-1993) was acquired from Fraser in 1993.
The following files concerning My Father's House and The Book of Strange are closed until the death of Sylvia Fraser: Box 8, files 12-24, Boxes 9-11, as well as all computer discs in the fonds.
Finding aid available in hard copy and electronically.
Further accruals are expected.

Finding Aid

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Contact: archives@mcmaster.ca
Last Reviewed: May 22, 2003
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