Stuart David and Sophia Belzer Engstrand Collection, 1929-1961 | Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Series 1: Correspondence

Series 2: Writing

            Subseries: Short Stories

            Subseries: Novels – Sophia Belzer Engstrand

            Subseries: Novels – Stuart David Engstrand

            Subseries: Stage and Screen

            Subseries: Miscellaneous Writings

Series 3: Personal

Series 4: Published Novels

Series 1 and 2 are organized alphabetically by title. Series 3 is organized by a combination of alphabetical and choronological. Series 4 is organized aphabetically by English title and by date printed. If there was a non-English title, it was located with the English equivalent.

Stuart David Engstrand was born in Chicago in 1904. He was the son of John Engstrand (1871-1948) and Johanna “Hannah” Thompson (1874-1948), who immigrated from Sweden in 1895, and was one of six children. He married Sophia Belzer in 1935.

In 1937, Engstrand published his first novel, The Invaders, which offered commentary on Marxism through the story of American Southwest farmers and the "invaders" who come to organize their labor. In 1947, Engstrand published The Sling and the Arrow, his most well-known work, which tells the story of a man whose struggles with his gender and sexuality contribute to his unconscious attempt to kill his wife. Engstrand also authored numerous short stories, as well as works for the stage and screen. Stuart David Engstrand took his life in 1955 as a result of depression, and is buried in Los Angeles.

Sophia Belzer Engstrand was born in Chicago in 1908. She was the daughter of Louis (1883-1971) and Rose (1885-1971) Belzer, Jewish immigrants from Russia, and was one of six children. She married Stuart David Engstrand in 1935. In 1940, Engstrand published her first novel, Miss Munday, which portrayed the titular school teacher in her quest to balance social convention and personal happiness. Engstrand authored short stories, poetry, and works for the stage and screen, and also served as her husband's editor. Sophia Belzer Engstrand died in Los Angeles in 1963.