GOODBYE, MONIQUE, 1996?
Sub-Series
Scope and Contents
THIS BOOK IS A "MEMOIR/BIO" ABOUT MY MOTHER, MONIQUE ROBERT, AND MY FATHER, DAVID NICHOLS. I HAD MANY FALSE STARTS TO WRITING IT, STARTING AROUND 1992. I HAVE REAMS OF INFORMATION, FAMILY LETTERS, DAD AND MONIQUE DIARIES, ARTICLES, PHOTOGRAPHS, DREAM JOURNALS, NATURE JOURNALS, MAPS, BOOKS, YOU NAME IT. MONIQUE WAS FRENCH, AND DIED IN 1942 AT AGE 27 WHEN I WAS TWO. MY DAD DIED IN 1998, AGED 81 WHEN I WAS 58. OVER MANY YEARS I GATHERED INFORMATION, THEN TRIED TO ORGANIZE IT, SHAPE IT, EDIT IT, CHOOSE WHAT TO INCLUDE, WHAT TO IGNORE. IT SEEMS I WROTE THE STORY EVERY WHICHWAY BUT LOOSE OVER A 25 YEAR PERIOD. EVENTUALLY, I DIVIDED IT INTO BOOK ONE (DAD AND MONIQUE AS KIDS, COURTING, AND THEIR 4 YEAR MARRIAGE) AND BOOK TWO (WHICH WAS BASICALLY ME AND POP AFTER MONIQUE DIED IN 1942 AND UNTIL HE DIED IN 1998, INCLUDING MY SEARCH FOR MONIQUE ALONG THE WAY AS I GREW OLDER). THE FIRST 12 FILES ARE SMALL AND BASICALLY FALSE STARTS. AFTER THAT, MY "SERIOUS" DRAFTS BEGIN. MONIQUE'S LIFE AND EARLY DEATH TOOK UP ONE MANUSCRIPT BOX, MY FATHER'S LIFE AND DEATH AND MY RELATIONSHIP TO HIM AND MY FRENCH FAMILY TOOK UP THE NEXT 5 MANUSCRIPT BOXES! I WANTED IT TO BE A PORTRAIT OF MY DAD AS WELL AS OF MONIQUE. I SHOULD MENTION THAT BETWEEN 2000 AND 2002 I WORKED ON A LARGE NOVEL CALLED "TOBY'S ALEPH" WHICH I ALSO CALLED "GOODBYE,MONIQUE" AND "ON TOP OF SPOON MOUNTAIN." IN THAT BOOK I WANTED TO INCLUDE MY PARENTS' BIO, MY OWN BIO, LOTS OF CLIMBING IN TAOS HIGH COUNTRY. ARCHIVAL BOXES 78 AND 79 INCLUDE DRAFTS OF THIS "NOVEL." IT EVENTUALLY (IN 2012) WAS PUBLISHED AS A SMALL BOOK CALLED "ON TOP OF SPOON MOUNTAIN," WITH NO MONIQUE ROBERT OR DAVID NICHOLS IN IT!
Dates
- 1996?
Language of Materials
From the Collection:
English
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research, however, researchers must sign consent form prior to gaining access to materials. Calavera drawings, proofs, and etchings as well as "little diaries" (Boxes 14, 125, 126, 129, 142) are housed in high security and may require up to 24 hours for retrieval. Enlarged photocopies and typed transcriptions of "little diaries" in Box 142 are located in Box 184.
Extent
From the Collection: 184 boxes (172 cu. ft.)
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451