Explanatory note from David Malouf regarding the origins of the novel, 1leaf.
Drafts of an early version of The Great World, The Great World is a later version of a book originally titled ‘The Memorialists’. This typescript and handwritten draft comprises the material from this original version which was incorporated into The Great World. Approximately 323 leaves, extensive handwritten emendations, cut and paste inserts (attached with sticky tape), most pages have handwritten numbers in top right-hand corner, page numbers are out of sequence, undated.

Typescript draft of part I of The Great World, on green paper, handwritten emendations, white-out corrections, and cut and paste inserts (attached with sticky tape). This draft is missing most of the first page of the novel. It has the title page of the novel and a chapter title page 'Keen's Crossing' (which was not used in the published novel). The folder has been retained. It has page and word counts for each section, and calculations for typing these pages.

Draft typescript [by Chris Edwards], [180 leaves] with handwritten emendations [by David Malouf], in blue and black biro, blue ink and pencil, white-out corrections, cut and paste typescript inserts (attached with sticky tape), and handwritten inserts.

Thirty-two short non-fiction typescripts with manuscript amendations, varying in length from 2 to 10 pages, together with a few pages of manuscript notes, undated.

Eight leaves of handwritten notes, and 54 leaves of typescript, with handwritten emendations for the opera Voss.

Correspondence, incoming, from 1974-1979:
1974 – 16 letters: Geoffrey Dutton (6 Nov 1974); Christopher Edwards (25 Nov 1974); Les Murray (1 Sep 1974); Pixie Pratt [Pixie O’Harris] (25 Nov 1974); UQP - Roger McDonald and Craig Munro (editors), 6 letters - one of 18 Nov 1974 advising that the Publications committee at UQP ‘has approved the publication of your manuscript entitled “Johnno”.; Gough Whitlam (6 Jun 1974); Others (5)

1975 – 15 letters: Geoffrey Lehmann (19 Feb, 19 Dec 1975); UQP - Frank W Thompson, Roger McDonald and Craig Munro (5 letters)
Gough Whitlam (7 Apr 1975); Others (7).

1976 – 32 letters: John Blight (20 May, 16 Nov 1976); Nancy Cato (8 Nov 1976); Christopher Edwards (30 Oct 1976); Geoffrey Lehmann (24 Aug 1976); UQP - Roger McDonald and Craig Munro (editors – 8 letters); Others (19).

1977 – 20 letters: Geoffrey Dutton (4 Jun 1977); Geoffrey Lehmann (6 Mar 1977); Christina Stead (28 Aug 1977); Others (17).

1978 – 17 letters: Jim Davidson (editor of Meanjin) (15 Aug 1978); Elizabeth Harrower (20 Nov 1978); Others (15).

1979 – 23 letters: Jim Davidson (27 Apr, 7 May, 12 Jun, 30 Jul 1979); Don Dunstan (11 Jun, 13 Jul 1979); Elizabeth Harrower (22 Jan, 6 Apr, 18 Sep 1979); Others (14).

1970s (undated) – 12 letters: Geoffrey Lehmann; Others (11).

Correspondence, incoming, from 1990:
1990 – 41 letters: Luciana Arrighi (1); Michael Berkeley (3); Alison Clark (4); Nick Enright (1); Elizabeth Jolley (1); Others (31).

Correspondence, incoming, from 1991:
1991 – 51 letters:
Murray Bail (2);
Alison Clark (3);
Dymphna Clark (1);
Nin Dutton (18 Apr 1991);
Nick Enright (1);
Kate Grenville (1);
Elizabeth Jolley (8 Jul 1991);
David Marr (27 Jun 1991 – ‘I’ve now seen the PW [Patrick White] book […]. I took the first copy round to show Manoly. […] Even though it was cold we had tea on the terrace and M started telling me things I wish I had in the book. He talked about meeting Patrick: that first night they went out for a meal. M said, ‘I found I could talk to him. He understood what I was saying and I understood him […]. We talked for hours. He made me happy at once, and I think I made him happy.’ I’d have given pages of my own prose to have ‘He made me happy at once…’;
Drusilla Modjeska (1);
Frank Moorhouse (6 Nov, 26 Nov 1991);
Janette Turner Hospital (15 Apr, 22 Oct 1991);
Others (35).

Correspondence, incoming, from 1992:
1992 – 36 letters: Luci Arrighi (1); Murray Bail (3); Alison Clark (2); Nin Dutton (1); David Marr (1); Others (28).

Correspondence, incoming, from 1995:
1995 – 17 letters: Michael Berkeley (1); Geoffrey Dutton (1); Robyn Davidson (1); Others (14).