Stuart David and Sophia Belzer Engstrand Collection, 1929-1961 | Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Title: Stuart David and Sophia Belzer Engstrand Collection, 1929-1961

Predominant Dates:1940-1950

ID: 01/01/MSS00102

Primary Creator: Engstrand, Stuart David (1905-1955)

Other Creators: Engstrand, Sophia Belzer (1908-1963)

Extent: 7.0 Cubic Feet

Arrangement:

Series 1: Correspondence

Series 2: Writing

            Subseries: Short Stories

            Subseries: Novels – Sophia Belzer Engstrand

            Subseries: Novels – Stuart David Engstrand

            Subseries: Stage and Screen

            Subseries: Miscellaneous Writings

Series 3: Personal

Series 4: Published Novels

Series 1 and 2 are organized alphabetically by title. Series 3 is organized by a combination of alphabetical and choronological. Series 4 is organized aphabetically by English title and by date printed. If there was a non-English title, it was located with the English equivalent.

Languages: English, Swedish, Danish, Italian, French

This collection contains manuscript drafts and published works, correspondence, financial documents, photographs, and personal documents belonging to Stuart David Engstrand (1904-1955) and Sophia Belzer Engstrand (1908-1963).

See Administrative/Biographical History for more information.

Stuart David Engstrand was born in Chicago in 1904. He was the son of John Engstrand (1871-1948) and Johanna “Hannah” Thompson (1874-1948), who immigrated from Sweden in 1895, and was one of six children. He married Sophia Belzer in 1935.

In 1937, Engstrand published his first novel, The Invaders, which offered commentary on Marxism through the story of American Southwest farmers and the "invaders" who come to organize their labor. In 1947, Engstrand published The Sling and the Arrow, his most well-known work, which tells the story of a man whose struggles with his gender and sexuality contribute to his unconscious attempt to kill his wife. Engstrand also authored numerous short stories, as well as works for the stage and screen. Stuart David Engstrand took his life in 1955 as a result of depression, and is buried in Los Angeles.

Sophia Belzer Engstrand was born in Chicago in 1908. She was the daughter of Louis (1883-1971) and Rose (1885-1971) Belzer, Jewish immigrants from Russia, and was one of six children. She married Stuart David Engstrand in 1935. In 1940, Engstrand published her first novel, Miss Munday, which portrayed the titular school teacher in her quest to balance social convention and personal happiness. Engstrand authored short stories, poetry, and works for the stage and screen, and also served as her husband's editor. Sophia Belzer Engstrand died in Los Angeles in 1963.

Repository: Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Access Restrictions: The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions:

This collection is the physical property of the Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Intellectual property rights, including copyright, may reside with the materials' creators(s) or their heirs.

The Rare Book & Manuscript Library welcomes requests for reproductions made from works in our collections, though restrictions may apply to certain materials. Please contact the library with any questions.

Preferred Citation: Stuart David and Sophia Belzer Engstrand Collection, Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Box and Folder Listing

Series 3: Mixed Materials

Box 18

Folder 1: Pencil Sketch Portrait by T. Karnowski, undated

Folder 2: Pencil Sketch Portrait by unknown artist, undated

Folder 3: Photograph by Maurice Seymour, undated

Folder 4: Personal Writing I, undated

Folder 5: Personal Writing II, undated

Folder 6: Personal Writing III, undated

Folder 7: Personal Writing IV, undated

Folder 8: Personal Writing V, undated

Folder 9: Personal Writing VI, undated

Folder 10: Book Reviews, 1936

Folder 11: The Invaders Book Reviews, 1937

Folder 12: Book Reviews, 1939

Folder 13: Newspaper Clippings, 1940

Folder 14: Newspaper Clippings, 1941

Folder 15: Newspaper Clippings, 1942

Folder 16: Newspaper Clippings, 1943

Folder 17: Newspaper Clippings, 1944

Folder 18: Newspaper Clippings, undated

Folder 19: Cosmopolitan No. 708, June 1945

Folder 20: Cosmopolitan No. 708 copy #2, June 1945

Folder 21: Liberty Magazine, February 1948

Folder 22: Library Magazine - Copy 2, February 1948

Folder 23: The Story of Bishop Hill Colony, 1940

Folder 24: Friends of Literature, 1940

Folder 25: Of Men and Books, 1940

Folder 26: Off the Bookshelf - Miss Munday, 1940

Folder 27: Off the Bookshelf, 1940

Folder 28: Writers’ Conference, 28 November – 2 December, unknown year

Folder 29: WGN Talent Division, undated

Folder 30: Engstrand Marriage Certificate, 1935

Folder 31: Reilly & Lee Co. Contract, 1940

Folder 32: Royalty Remittance Statement - Miss Munday, 1940

Folder 33: Royalty Remittance Statement - Miss Munday, 1 January 1940 – 30 June 1941

Folder 34: Corrected Royalty Statement for Miss Munday, May 1941

Folder 35: Royalty Remittance Statement - Miss Munday, 1 July 1941 – 1 January 1942

Folder 36: Royalty Remittance Statement Wilma Rogers, 1 July 1941 – 1 January 1942

Folder 37: Declaration of Estimated Tax, 1949

Folder 38: Checkbook Log Book, 1959

Folder 39: Russian State Bank Slip, 1961

Folder 40: Kroch’s Bookstores Miss Munday Advertisement, undated

Folder 41: Liberte Deck Plan Tourist Class, undated

Folder 42: Miss Monday Cover, undated

Folder 43: Sophia Belzer Engstrand Lecture Subjects, undated

Folder 44: Stuart David Engstrand Lecture Subjects, undated

Folder 45: The Dial Press Award for Teachers, undated

Folder 46: The Teaching of Poetry, undated

Folder 47: Wilma Rogers Cover, undated

Folder 48: Wilma Rogers Cover - Copy 2, undated

Folder 49: Wilson Bulletin for Librarians Vol. 11 Issue 2, October 1936