Series I. BIOGRAPHICAL AND PERSONAL, 1966-2007 (#1.1-17.5, F+D.1, E.1)

Series I, BIOGRAPHICAL AND PERSONAL, 1966-2007 (#1.1-17.5, F+D.1, E.1), includes Shulman's resumé, personal journals, and extensive correspondence. The correspondence with Shulman's extensive network of friends traces her life in Austin, Texas (1972-1981), Paris, France (1981-1993), and in California (1993-). The correspondence is also with family members, such as her stepsister Melodie (Geraldine); her brothers, particularly Max; her father; and her stepmother, Mary Gordon Shulman, whom she affectionately called Mumsie or Mumz. Shulman had a close relationship with her stepmother who taught Shulman how to cook and supported her career throughout her life. Shulman's letters, as well as her personal journals, include descriptions of her daily life and activities, relationships and friendships, and career. The letters from Austin, Texas particularly address her early professional life, including teaching cooking classes, her start in catering work through the founding of Moondream Catering Service and Moon House Supper Club, selling food to co-ops and modeling for artists to make ends meet, as well as writing articles and cookbooks, including her first cookbook, The Vegetarian Feast (1979) and the associated television/radio appearances and book signings. She also writes about her bout with hepatitis beginning in the late 1970s, which informed the focus of at least one of her food columns (#24.10). In her letters from France she writes about her travels; coordinating her Supper Clubs; working catering jobs; her work in general; friendships; and her romantic relationships, including her marriage to Bill Grantham in 1987. Correspondence files from California also include about the birth of their son Liam (1998). There are also many holiday cards, birthday cards, postcards, birth announcements, and family updates from friends. This series also includes correspondence with Christine Ruiz-Picasso (#14.8-15.6). Picasso and Shulman met in 1980 and became friends. Picasso, who is the widow of Paulo Picasso, the son of Pablo and Olga Picasso, rented her Paris apartment to Shulman from 1981 to 1992. Their correspondence is mostly in French. Of note is a key to Shulman's primary correspondents (#1.3) where she identifies and describes her relationship with many of these friends and family members. In Shulman's personal journals she comments about her work, meals she has eaten, recipes, dinner parties, and travel, as well as personal observations, descriptions of her dreams and moods, poetry, and her relationships and sex. The journals often contain loose materials such as clippings and correspondence. Also included is Shulman's web site, which is being captured periodically as part of Schlesinger Library's web archiving program. Series is arranged alphabetically.