Linda Tatelbaum papers, 1972-2003

Collection Scope and Content

This collection consists of manuscript material related to her books, poetry, essays, journals related to her teaching and proprioceptive writing.

Biographical/Historical Note

Linda Tatelbaum was born in Rochester, New York on February 28, 1947. She received her B.A. (1968), M.A. (1969), and Ph.D (1972) from Cornell University. In 1977, Tatelbaum and her husband, Kal Winer, moved to Maine to live simply. They built a solar-powered homestead on 75 acres in Appleton, and over 20 years Tatelbaum wrote several essays chronicling their experiences. Several were published in such periodicals as Countryside, Harrowsmith, and The Maine Times. After struggling to find a publisher for a collection of these essays, Tatelbaum founded her own small press in 1996 called About Time Press. In 1997 the essays were published as Carrying Water as a Way of Life: A Homesteader’s History. Tatelbaum began working part-time as an English and environmental studies professor at Colby College to help support the homestead in 1982. Her second book, Writer on the Rocks, was published in 1999, and explores how physical labor can contribute to removing metaphysical obstacles such as writer’s block. Her novel and third book to be published was Yes & No (2003). She is also a regular commentator on National Public Radio and is involved with community outreach projects through the Maine Humanities Council.