An Appreciation of Library Donors: Manuscript Edition

If it were not for philanthropic donors the library’s Rare Book Room would be lacking some very special materials.  Thanks to wealthy patrons such as Charles Clifton (President of Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Co.) and Mrs. Frederick Pratt, the collection would not have our copies of the four folio editions of William Shakespeare’s comedies, histories & tragedies (1623-1685), or Audubon’s Birds of America (1827-1838), just to name a few.

We are also grateful for our more typical donors who collected unique items as a hobby, or by accident, or just by their everyday actions, such as writing letters to more famous people.  One such donor is local man Tim Denesha, who wrote to famous writers, actors and musicians and passed these little treasures on to the library.

Denesha, who very likely attended Bishop Fallon High School in Buffalo, gifted letters from as early as 1960 to as recently as 2017.  Among the famous who received his correspondence are local celebrities like Joann Falletta (the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s longtime Musical Director), as well as another BPO alumnus, German-American composer and musician, Lukas Foss. A brief response to Denesha’s request for a favorite book left nationally renowned literary critic, Leslie Fiedler, himself a longtime Buffalo resident and teacher at the University of Buffalo, unable to find a copy in print.

Joann Falletta’s card to Tim Denesha

Lukas Foss letter sharing a mutual love for Mahler

Other manuscript letters from Tim include the English composer and musician Benjamin Britten; Welsh actor Emlyn Williams; the American writer and illustrator of over 250 children’s books, Tomie dePaola; and Ray Bradbury, the American screenwriter and sci-fi author. Bradbury corresponded twice with a young Denesha, actually reading some fragments of his stories, and though it was against his policy to read stories sent in the mail, he was impressed enough to encourage him to keep writing and learn his craft.

Emlyn Williams letter from Jamaica

Tomie dePaola thanks for kind words, etc.

Britten’s note from Suffolk, England.

Emlyn Williams signed program from the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy

So a hearty “Thank You” to Tim and all of our patrons who have entrusted us with your generous donations of manuscripts that we are fortunate enough to preserve for generations to come.