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20th Century Children's Authors - d'Alaire
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20th Century Children's Authors - Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire -
Ola
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20thCCA_d'Alaire_01
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August 12th
Solve, Alvjal, Norway
Dear Miss Montgomery
Thank you very much for
sending us the copy of your
manuscript which followed us
up here and caught up with
us at last. It was very
kind of you to include us
in your book which we are
sure will be valuable
and interesting. All our best wishes
of good luck with it!
We are enjoying a cool
August after a hot July
above the Artic Circle
swimming and fishing in the
rays of the midnight sun
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20thCCA_d'Alaire_02
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Soon these happy days full
of inspiration will be over
now when we fly back
home on Labour Day.
With our best wishes
Yours
Edgar Parin d'Aulaire
Ingri Parin d'Aulaire
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20thCCA_d'Alaire_03
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"Ola"
Published by: Doubleday Doran Year: 1932
Real name: E. P. d'A Pen name: Edgar Parin d'Aulaire
What do your family and friends call you?: Edgar
A. YOUR BACKGROUND
Date of birth: Sept 30th 98 Place of birth: Campo Blenio, Switzerland
Father's occupation: Artist Number of Brothers: X and sisters: 1
Father's nationality: Swiss Mother's nationality: American
Kind of home during childhood (farm, small town, city apt. etc.): Cities
Munich, Paris Where: Florence
Amount of schooling (high school, college, etc.): College - Artschool
Economic Status during childhood (poor, middle class, wealthy): Bohemian
Special interests as a child (sports, books, games, etc.): books
paintings
Childhood ambitions: Art
When did you begin to write?: wrote and drew form early childhood
Why?: Surroundings
Who encouraged you?: Surroundings
How and when was your first success or recognition?: 1922 - illustrated
books for German publisher
How did you happen to write for children?: Collaboration with Ingri
Anything else about your background which has a bearing on your writing.
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20thCCA_d'Alaire_04
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B. THE WRITING OF THIS BOOK
Where did you get the idea for the book?: Through Norwegian
scenery and children
When? (Season as well as year): spring, summer 1931
Were the characters real people, or based on real people?:
no
Where were you living at the time?: New yorkΓÇôParis-Norway
What was your major occupation?: Art
Names (also nicknames) and identities of members of your household at
the time. (If children, give ages.): Ingri
Did you talk the book idea over with any of them?: yes
Did you discuss it with an editor?: yes
Where and When did you get the material? (library research, travel,
personal experiences, etc.): All 3
When did you begin to write the book?: summer 31
Where?: Norway
How much had you published when you began it? (Give names of books):
Several adult abroad, several ill. in NY, Magic Ring (picture
book) in coll with Ingri
What was you purpose in writing this book?:
To present Norway to American Children
How do you write? (typewriter, long-hand, dictate): longhand or dictate
Where? (study, office, etc.): study
Do you keep regular office hours? If so, what are they?: whole day half
night
or nothing
Do you revise much?: lots
Write easily of laboriously?: laboriously
Do you let your family or friends read your work, or try it out on
children?: yes
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20thCCA_d'Alaire_05
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Who makes your final copies? (yourself, private secretary, public
typist, etc.): Ingri
Did you make an outline before writing this book?: many
Did you decide on the title first or last?: early
How long did it take you to write the book?: 9 months
Did you work on it steadily?: very
Did it go fairly smoothly or did you hit rough spots? (Details of any
particular difficulty and its solution would be appreciated.)
Many rough spots
Was your book accepted immediately by a publisher?: yes
Was it immediately popular on publication?: yes
C. ILLUSTRATIONS
How much do illustrations have to do with your book?:
all of it
If you did them yourself, which came first, the pictures or the text?
pictures
What medium did you work in?: lithography
How much experience had you had in illustrating?: 10 years
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20thCCA_d'Alaire_06
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D. WHAT SORT OF PERSON YOU ARE
What did you look like when you wrote this book? Dark or fair?: Medium
Tall or short?: Medium Thin or plump?: Medium
Color of eyes?: Hazel Wore glasses?: no
Color of hair?: Medium Kind of hair ΓÇô long or short?:
Medium
Curly or straight: Medium How did you wear it?: parted on one side
Are you quiet or talkative?: Quiet Friendly or reserved?: reserved
Do you laugh a great deal or are you usually grave?: grave
Are you quick tempered or calm and placid?: seemingly placid but quick
tempered
What sort of clothes do you wear when writing? (sports, suits,
slacks, etc.): any old things
Favorite occupations and hobbies?: farming - music
What is your normal speech like? (Meticulously correct, colloquial,
slangy, Abrupt, rambling, etc.): slight accent in every language
What are some of your pet expressions and exclamations?
If strongly religious, give denomination.
Any other detail about yourself, no matter how trivial, which might help
me to
picture you in my own mind.: see folder
Can you direct me to any articles or books which have been written
about you?
If you have a photograph or snapshot of yourself of about the vintage
of your book, I would appreciate it. Of course I would return it
promptly.
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20thCCA_d'Alaire_07
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"Ola"
Published by: Doubleday, Doran Year: 1932 Real name: Ingrid Mortenson Pen
name: Ingri d'Aulaire
What do your family and friends call you?: Ingri or Inga
A. YOUR BACKGROUND
Date of birth: Dec 27thΓÇô04 Place of birth: Kongsberg,
Norway
Father's occupation: Director of Royal Norwegian Silvermines Number of
Brothers: 1 and sisters: 3
Father's nationality: Norwegian Mother's nationality: Norwegian
Kind of home during childhood (farm, small town, city apt. etc.): House
in different Norwegian towns (partly government owned)
Amount of schooling (high school, college, etc.): Junior college 5 years
art schools
Economic Status during childhood (poor, middle class, wealthy): wealthy
after
Norwegian standards
Special interests as a child (sports, books, games, etc.)
skiing, hiking, walking, art, music, books
Childhood ambitions: Art
When did you begin to write?: 1929
Why?: For him
Who encouraged you?: Edgar
How and when was your first success or recognition?: Children's
portraits from 1927 ΓÇô Ola as writing
How did you happen to write for children?: Niece, general
interest in children's psychology as a painter
Anything else about your background which has a bearing on your writing.
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20thCCA_d'Alaire_08
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B. THE WRITING OF THIS BOOK
Where did you get the idea for the book?: Through Norwegian
scenery and children
When? (Season as well as year) Spring ΓÇô summer 1931
Were the characters real people, or based on real people?: no
Where were you living at the time?: New York, Paris, Norway
What was your major occupation?: Painting
Names (also nicknames) and identities of members of your household at
the time. (If children, give ages.): Edgar
Did you talk the book idea over with any of them?: Yes
Did you discuss it with an editor?: Yes
Where and When did you get the material? (library research, travel,
personal experiences, etc.): all three
When did you begin to write the book?: Summer 31
Where?: Norway
How much had you published when you began it? (Give names of books)
Magic Rug
What was you purpose in writing this book?: To present Norway to
American children
How do you write? (typewriter, long-hand, dictate)
Where? (study, office, etc.): studio
Do you keep regular office hours? If so, what are they?: whole day half
night or nothing
Do you revise much?: yes Write easily of laboriously?: labo.
Do you let your family or friends read your work, or try it out on
children?: yes
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20thCCA_d'Alaire_09
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Who makes your final copies? (yourself, private secretary, public
typist, etc.): I.
Did you make an outline before writing this book?: yes
Did you decide on the title first or last?: early
How long did it take you to write the book?: 9 months
Did you work on it steadily?: very
Did it go fairly smoothly or did you hit rough spots? (Details of any
particular difficulty and its solution would be appreciated.): Many rough
Was your book accepted immediately by a publisher?: yes
Was it immediately popular on publication?: yes
C. ILLUSTRATIONS
How much do illustrations have to do with your book?:
All of it
If you did them yourself, which came first, the pictures or the text?;
pictures
What medium did you work in?: lithography
How much experience had you had in illustrating?: little
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20thCCA_d'Alaire_10
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D. WHAT SORT OF PERSON YOU ARE
What did you look like when you wrote this book? Dark or fair?: fair
Tall or short?: tall Thin or plump?: slim
Color of eyes?: bluegrey Wore glasses?: no
Color of hair?: blond Kind of hairΓÇôlong or short?: short
Curly or straight: permanent How did you wear it?: as everybody else
Are you quiet or talkative?: talkative Friendly or reserved?: friendly
Do you laugh a great deal or are you usually grave?: laugh
Are you quick tempered or calm and placid?: quick temp.
What sort of clothes do you wear when writing? (sports, suits,
slacks, etc.): Anything
Favorite occupations and hobbies?: bringing up children, skiing, reading
What is your normal speech like? (Meticulously correct, colloquial,
slangy, Abrupt, rambling, etc.) very rapid, accent in English
What are some of your pet expressions and exclamations?
in the next future
Can you direct me to any articles or books which have been written
about you? folder enclosed
If you have a photograph or snapshot of yourselft of about the vintage
of your book, I would appreciate it. Of course I would return it
promptly.