Ron Rash archive

Collection

Identifier: SCU-RBSC-2017-2

Staff Only

The Ron Rash archive spans the entirety of Ron Rash’s writing career, beginning with manuscript material from his 1994 collection of short stories, The Night the New Jesus Fell to Earth to his most recent work, the novel The Risen. Also included in the collection are early writings, including Rash’s first published short story, “Turtle Meat” from 1978; juvenilia including Rash’s personal journals, running journals, trout fishing journals and school work; correspondence between Rash and other notable authors, including Walker Percy as well as correspondence between Rash and publishers and editors; teaching files related to Rash’s teaching career at both Tri-County Technical College and Western Carolina University; research files used by Rash in the development of his novels, short stories and poems; family genealogy and history of Rash’s relatives; first editions of all of Rash’s works and foreign editions of his most widely published works, especially his NYT best seller, Serena (2008) and annotated copies of novels and textbooks from Rash’s personal library.

Dates

1949-2018

Conditions Governing Use

All rights reside with the creator. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections.

Extent

18 boxes

Additional Description

Biographical / Historical

Born (1953) in Chester, South Carolina and raised in western North Carolina, Rash’s works are grounded in the American South and are informed by his family’s history and the history of the region. His grandparents moved to Buncombe County, North Carolina to work at Eureka Cotton Mill and his mother and father met while employed at the mill. Rash would title his first book of poetry, Eureka Mill. Rash graduated from Gardner-Webb University with a B.A. in English and from Clemson University with an M.A. in English. Rash currently teaches at Western Carolina University.