Typescript draft of An Imaginary Life, 89 leaves, handwritten emendations by author and others in blue biro, black biro and orange pen. On last page 'Sydney I.XI.76 - 7.I.77'.

The original typed up version of An Imaginary Life was professionally typed. The top copy went to Braziller, the publisher. This is the second copy which later went to Curtis Brown.
Typescript draft of An Imaginary Life, 137 numbered leaves, 1 unnumbered title page, and 2 unnumbered leaves with the Afterword. The title page has the stamp 'From: Curtis Bown (Aust.)' (literary agent) and includes editorial corrections, mostly in green pencil, and some black biro. There are a few pages that are copies of the typescript draft. Undated.

'You can’t think of everything'. Opera in one act, after Alfred de Musset. Typescript with amendations, 9 leaves, [David Malouf’s 2017 note: Chamber opera libretto for Diana Blom. Ca. 1977. Music unwritten]

Typescript draft of An Imaginary Life, 35 leaves (some leaves are double sided) with handwritten emendations in blue biro and pencil. Includes two drafts of the prologue. At the end of sections are handwritten numbers, possibly counting the number of words. On the final page is written 'Sydney Nov 1st 1976-Jan 7th 1977'. Accompanied by one handwritten note with ten sections and corresponding word numbers. Signed 'DM 8.3.86'.

Johnno is Malouf’s most outwardly autobiographical novel and has been much praised as a realistic presentation of wartime Brisbane. It traces the childhood and early adult life of the narrator, and his relationship with the school rebel Johnno until Johnno’s untimely death. It was first published in 1975. This series includes two typescripts (both carbon copies) of the original manuscript version of Johnno. The earlier copy has extensive handwritten reworking by Malouf and uses the name “Johnny” throughout. In the later copy is again reworked and the author has manually changed “Johnny” to “Johnno.” There are significant textural alterations, cuts and additions, between these two drafts. Earlier drafts of the manuscript are held in the National Library of Australia collection and the top copy is held in the Fryer Library University of Queensland Press Archive. These typescripts provide a valuable link between the two. Published in 1975 by University of Queensland Press.

Correspondence, incoming, from 1969 to 1973:
1960 – 1 letter: Clem Christesen [Clement Byrne Christesen, editor of Meanjin], writing to another writer (probably Judith Green, later Rodriguez – see note below) about Malouf’s poems submitted for publication,
Note from AUSTlit: One of Malouf's friends, Judith Green (later Rodriguez), sent some of his early manuscript poems to Clem Christesen and one of them, published in Meanjin, was Malouf's first published verse.].

1967 – 1 letter: Christopher Edwards (29 Oct 1967 – ‘Today I am 12 years old’).

1969 – 4 letters :Lillian Roxon (3 May 1969); Frank W Thompson and Roger McDonald (UQP) – 3 letters.

1970 – 11 letters: Bruce Dawe (31 Mar, 8 Apr 1970); Geoff Lehmann (19 Nov 1970); Les Murray (7 Jul 1970); UQP (Roger McDonald) (30 Jan, 16 Feb, 20 Feb, 23 Jun 1970); Others (3).

1971 – 3 letters: John Blight (12 Jan 1971); Les Murray (12 Jan 1971); Lillian Roxon (10 Dec 1971)

1972 – 1 letter: Christopher Edwards.

1973 – 2 letters : Gough Whitlam (3 Apr 1973), inviting Malouf to become a foundation member of the Literature Board; Others (1)

Typescript drafts with handwritten note across top of first page: 'Typescript of opera libretto suggeted by supposed episode in the 'Life of Mary Gilmour' c. 1792 - for composer Diane (Dinty) Blom', 7 leaves.

10,000 Miles Away (1969-70) was commissioned in 1969 for performance in 1970 for Cook Bicentenary Year by Adult Education Department, Sydney University. Performed around New South Wales with 3 actors and directed by Rex Cramphorne. This subseries has 2 different versions that have been extensively edited with cut and paste inserts (stuck with sticky tape which have fallen apart).
There are two photocopies of each version which are to be used as access copies

Bicycle and Other Poems is Malouf’s first book of poetry, published by UQP in 1970, and later published in the United States as The Year of the Foxes and Other Poems (1979). This subseries contains two folders of poems that appear in the 1970 publication by UQP. Many have handwritten corrections and notes by the author giving the place and date of composition for some poems and where each poem was initially published.

Ten typescript book reviews of non-fiction books, 3-4 pages each, for the Australian Broadcasting Commission’s (ABC’s) Books for comment programme, second half of 1969. Includes: two drafts with emendations; and eight final scripts with an ABC ‘With compliments’ slip attached.
Typescript titled 'The Poetry of John Bligh' on foolscap paper headed Australian Broadcasting Commission, no date. 14 pages.