As an author who mined historical personages and events for his plays, Barrie Stavis spent countless hours doing scholarly research; in the process he amassed an extensive library of literary and historical sources. A substantial portion of this library is housed with his papers at the University of Delaware Library. Below is a selection of books he acquired while doing research for Harpers Ferry.
Aptheker, Herbert. 1960. John Brown: American martyr. New York: New Century Publishers. Inscribed by the author to Barrie Stavis.
Aptheker, Herbert. 1938. The Negro in the Civil War. New York: International Publishers. Inscribed by the prominent American Marxist historian to Barrie Stavis.
Avey, Elijah. 1906. The capture and execution of John Brown; a tale of martyrdom. Elgin, Ill: Brethren Pub. House.
Gold, Michael. 1960. Life of John Brown: centennial of his execution. New York: Roving Eye Press.
Keller, Allan. 1958. Thunder at Harper's Ferry. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
Mechem, Kirke. 1939. John Brown: a play in three acts. Manhattan, Kan: The Kansas Magazine, Kansas State College. Inscribed to Oswald Garrison Villard.
Sanborn, F. B. 1891. The life and letters of John Brown: liberator of Kansas, and martyr of Virginia. Boston: Roberts Brothers.
Webb, Richard Davis, and John Brown. 1861. The life and letters of Captain John Brown: who was executed at Charlestown, Virginia, Dec. 2, 1859, for an armed attack upon American slavery ; with notices of some of his confederates. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
United States, J. M. Mason, and Jacob Collamer. 1860. Report [of] the Select committee of the Senate appointed to inquire into the late invasion and seizure of the public property at Harper's Ferry. [Washington, D.C.]: [publisher not identified].
