Writings, ca. 1930s-2001

This series relates to his writings, both published and unpublished, which include book reviews, essays, magazine articles, newspaper articles and op-eds, non-fiction books, novels, plays, and television scripts. It contains correspondence, including e-mails (Persico’s correspondence is not limited to folders labeled as such); contracts; drafts; event materials, interview questions and transcripts; memoranda; notes (he often wrote them on index cards); photographs; press clippings; research materials; scrapbooks which contain book reviews and book covers; and speeches related to Persico’s various writings. Notable research materials include copies of American intelligence and military communications and reports and copies of the correspondence of famous individuals, such as Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Some items, such as correspondence and research materials, are in French or German. Some correspondence relating to Persico’s writings can be found in Series 3: Biographical.

The materials often reference individuals with whom Persico collaborated. His daughter Vanya Maria Perez (he often referred to her by her initials in his papers) assisted her father with clerical duties, such as typing up drafts of manuscripts, during the process of researching and writing his books. Robert (Bob) Loomis was Joe Persico’s editor at Random House.