Bill Granger papers
Scope and Contents
This collection contains correspondence, contracts, early writings, manuscripts, proofs, and much of the journalism of Bill Granger as a Chicago reporter, newspaper columnist, and novelist. It also includes personal documents, photographs, and childhood items.
Dates
- 1941-2012
- Majority of material found within 1963-1998
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research use.
Biographical / Historical
William "Bill" Granger was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1941, grew up on the city's south side, and made a career in Chicago by writing for both of its major newspapers, Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times. He co-authored two nonfiction titles on the subject of Chicago politics, and used the city as the setting in two of his novels.
His earliest writings began in childhood in the St. Ambrose Catholic School newsletters (1951-1955). In college, Granger was the editor of DePaul University's student newspaper, The DePaulia. Even before his graduation with an English degree from DePaul University in 1963, Granger was working as a re-write man, reporter, and radio wire writer for the Chicago bureau of United Press International (UPI). From the late 1960s through the 1990s, Granger worked as a journalist for both of Chicago's major newspapers, Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times. Granger's last regular column was with suburban Chicago's largest newspaper, The Daily Herald.
The literary segment of Granger's career began in 1977. Inspired by the Belfast riots he had covered as a freelance journalist in 1971 while on an extended trip in Europe, Granger turned those ideas into his first novel, The November Man, which was published in 1979. This novel received a considerable amount of press since elements of its plot paralleled the 1979 assassination of Lord Mountbatten by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) (Box 6). The book's success sparked a series of 13 "November Man" spy novels over the next 14 years. During that time, Granger also wrote other mysteries and suspense dramas, sometimes under the pseudonyms Joe Gash or Bill Griffiths. In addition, Granger collaborated with his wife Lori to write three nonfiction titles. Two of these, Fighting Jane and Lords of the Last Machine, chronicle political events in the city of Chicago and one, The Magic Feather, is an exploration of Special Education and the school system, a topic inspired by the Grangers' experiences coping with their son's learning disability. In total, Granger authored or co-authored a total of 28 books between the years of 1979 and 1995. His earliest writings began in childhood in the St. Ambrose Catholic School newsletters (1951-1955). In college, Granger was the editor of DePaul University's student newspaper, The DePaulia. Even before his graduation with an English degree from DePaul University in 1963, Granger was working as a re-write man, reporter, and radio wire writer for the Chicago bureau of United Press International (UPI). From the late 1960s through the 1990s, Granger worked as a journalist for both of Chicago's major newspapers, Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times. Granger's last regular column was with suburban Chicago's largest newspaper, The Daily Herald. The literary segment of Granger's career began in 1977. Inspired by the Belfast riots he had covered as a freelance journalist in 1971 while on an extended trip in Europe, Granger turned those ideas into his first novel, The November Man, which was published in 1979. This novel received a considerable amount of press since elements of its plot paralleled the 1979 assassination of Lord Mountbatten by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) (Box 6). The book's success sparked a series of 13 "November Man" spy novels over the next 14 years. During that time, Granger also wrote other mysteries and suspense dramas, sometimes under the pseudonyms Joe Gash or Bill Griffiths. In addition, Granger collaborated with his wife Lori to write three nonfiction titles. Two of these, Fighting Jane and Lords of the Last Machine, chronicle political events in the city of Chicago and one, The Magic Feather, is an exploration of Special Education and the school system, a topic inspired by the Grangers' experiences coping with their son's learning disability. In total, Granger authored or co-authored a total of 28 books between the years of 1979 and 1995.
Chronology:
June 1, 1941 William "Bill" Granger born, Chicago, Illinois
1962-1963 Editor, The DePaulia, DePaul University student newspaper
1963 B.A. DePaul University, English
1963-1965 Served in the U.S. Army, honorable discharge
1963 Reporter, UPI (United Press International), Chicago bureau
1966-1969 Reporter, Chicago Tribune 1969 Began teaching journalism classes at Columbia College, Chicago
1969-1978 Reporter and columnist, Chicago Sun-Times
1971 Six-month leave from newspaper to tour Europe and cover Belfast civil war for Newsday, The Washington Post, and The Los Angeles Times news service
1972-1974 Suburban feature writer, Chicago Sun-Times
1975-1977 Radio-television critic, Chicago Sun-Times (column)
1976 Testified on television violence at national PTA hearings
1979 First novel, November Man, published 1980 Contributing columnist, Chicago Tribune
1981 Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Chicago-based novel, Public Murders
1984 UPI Best Newspaper Columnist in Illinois
1994-1999 Columnist, Daily Herald
Pseudonyms:
Joe Gash
Bill Griffith
Extent
9 Linear Feet (7 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The Bill Granger papers are arranged into four series: 1. Biographical; 2. Early and Unpublished Works; 3. Journalism; 4. Book Writing and Publishing. The collection's overall organization reflects Granger's original file arrangement. Chronological and/or alphabetical adjustments were made within Granger's original groupings of materials to better facilitate access.
Physical Location
4/2/F
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Lori Granger, Accession 2001.30
Processing Information
M. McCoy 2010
- Chicago (Ill.)--Politics and government--Sources Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Devereaux (Fictitious character) Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Journalists--Illinois--Chicago--Archives Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Novelists, American--20th century--Archives Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Title
- Guide to Bill Granger papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- M. McCoy 2010
- Date
- 2017
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English
Repository Details
Part of the DePaul Special Collections and Archives Repository
John T. Richardson Library
2350 N. Kenmore Ave.
Room 314
Chicago Illinois 60614
773-325-7864
spca@depaul.libanswers.com