I’m currently engaging in research on Brian O’Nolan’s unfinished novel, Slattery Sago Saga. This research involves a genetic analysis of his handwritten manuscripts and typescripts, some of which are held at the Morris Library at Southern Illinois University. I received scanned copies of those from the library’s enormously helpful research specialist. Other manuscripts are held at the Burns Library at Boston College, where I’ll be visiting this spring break.

The Burns Library features some of O’Nolan’s possessions, too. One of those items is his standard Underwood. Although I previously alerted the library to some misinformation regarding the typewriter, I noticed that some errors still persist. I hope to address those issues during my visit. (See info here: https://johnjburnslibrary.wordpress.com/2019/02/04/a-room-of-his-own-flann-obrien-at-work/) (My previous blog post discussing this issue is here: https://theuntimelytypewriter.com/2022/11/05/identifying-flann-obriens-underwood-typewriter-for-the-john-j-burns-library-blog/)

I’ve had a lot of fun delving into the Carbondale manuscripts. O’Nolan occasionally injects handwritten marginal notes to add descriptions to characters, settings, and action–both in the handwritten manuscripts and typescripts. In one part of his novel, he provides encyclopedic information on sago. Along the margin of one typed page, he typed out “italic” in a vertical direction. As one will note from the above Burns Library website, there is a discrepancy in the connection they make between O’Nolan’s standard Underwood and another portable Underwood he mentions in a letter from 1953. I do not know the carriage length of his portable, but it is probable that is a generic length (about 10 inches). This means that a standard page could not have been inserted horizontally into that typewriter, whereas his standard Underwood, with a 14″ carriage, could be used to type “italic” on the above mentioned page.

What is the significance of this discovery? Well, it probably doesn’t matter at all. That said, these are the kinds of details one discovers during genetic analysis (comparing texts in stages of writing). It’s been fun to glimpse into the different stages of his writing based on the moisture of a ribbon’s ink. It’s been fun to read through his thought process as he adds and deletes text, makes marginal notes, makes changes in word choice, or emphasizes or deemphasizes motifs. I would share some photos of pages here, but access to the Carbondale manuscripts comes with orders not to do so.

Back to work.