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170 reviews for:
Letters of Note: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience
Shaun Usher
4.28 AVERAGE
170 reviews for:
Letters of Note: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience
Shaun Usher
4.28 AVERAGE
Like [b: Lists of Note|23123095|Lists of Note|Shaun Usher|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1409325539s/23123095.jpg|42671897] before it, Letters of Note is a wonderful and rich read. There is an incredibly diverse range of letters in this book — from Queen Elizabeth II to Groucho Marx to Hitler's nephew to [a: Ray Bradbury|1630|Ray Bradbury|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1445955959p2/1630.jpg]; from wives of Japanese Kamikazi pilots to teachers to librarians to people long forgotten. Each letter is beautiful in its own way, too — whether it's Annie Oakley's letter on gorgeous letterhead to the beautifully written yet terribly sad suicide letter of [a: Virginia Woolf|6765|Virginia Woolf|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1419596619p2/6765.jpg] to the humor in a Wil Wheaton fan letter replied to after ~20 years. Many of the letters are scanned, too, so you can see the handwriting, letterhead, and character of the original.
Particular favorites of mine include:
- Eudora Welty's cover letter for employment at The New Yorker
- [a: Hunter S. Thompson|5237|Hunter S. Thompson|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1206560814p2/5237.jpg]'s advice on creating and being yourself
- [a: Ray Bradbury|1630|Ray Bradbury|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1445955959p2/1630.jpg]'s letter to a friend who was concerned about potential robot overlords
- Clementine Churchill's letter to her husband politely asking him to take a chill pill
- John F. Kennedy's incredible "message in a bottle" that was really carved into a coconut
- [a: Kurt Vonnegut|2778055|Kurt Vonnegut|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1433582280p2/2778055.jpg]'s witty and pointed letter to a school board censoring his books
- [a: Henry James|159|Henry James|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1202237907p2/159.jpg]'s letter on sorrow and overcoming it
- Alec Guinness's letter to a friend, hinting at this new movie he's working on with Mark Hammill and Harrison Ford
- Charles Bukowski's wondrous and perfect response to censorship, which everyone must read
Overall, a fabulous, educational, and contemplative book brimming with the insights and experiences of men and women throughout the ages. A true must-read.
Particular favorites of mine include:
Spoiler
- Eudora Welty's cover letter for employment at The New Yorker
- [a: Hunter S. Thompson|5237|Hunter S. Thompson|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1206560814p2/5237.jpg]'s advice on creating and being yourself
- [a: Ray Bradbury|1630|Ray Bradbury|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1445955959p2/1630.jpg]'s letter to a friend who was concerned about potential robot overlords
- Clementine Churchill's letter to her husband politely asking him to take a chill pill
- John F. Kennedy's incredible "message in a bottle" that was really carved into a coconut
- [a: Kurt Vonnegut|2778055|Kurt Vonnegut|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1433582280p2/2778055.jpg]'s witty and pointed letter to a school board censoring his books
- [a: Henry James|159|Henry James|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1202237907p2/159.jpg]'s letter on sorrow and overcoming it
- Alec Guinness's letter to a friend, hinting at this new movie he's working on with Mark Hammill and Harrison Ford
- Charles Bukowski's wondrous and perfect response to censorship, which everyone must read
Overall, a fabulous, educational, and contemplative book brimming with the insights and experiences of men and women throughout the ages. A true must-read.
I had completely forgotten that I used to look at this blog/website regularly in between being given this book as a gift and actually sitting down to read it. As we have moved out of the era of blogs becoming books and into era of podcasts becoming books, I'm delighted to have what I am convinced is one of the finest artifacts from this earlier epoch.
This is a coffee table book, there is no other way of describing it, but it is very well constructed. Beautiful fonts, layout, and the visuals really compliment the letters without overwhelming them. The book is beautiful, but I'm not crazy about the dust jacket.
The only real criticism I could level was the seeming lack of organization. I would have liked just a bit more flow to the letters. Perhaps not chronological, but perhaps some loose thematic groups. I think this is because I sat down and read through the book from start to finish, usually only a letter or two at a time, but if you do try and read a big chunk of these letters in a sitting there are some jarring transitions. Overall, a book I am glad to have tucked on my shelf. Recommended.
This is a coffee table book, there is no other way of describing it, but it is very well constructed. Beautiful fonts, layout, and the visuals really compliment the letters without overwhelming them. The book is beautiful, but I'm not crazy about the dust jacket.
The only real criticism I could level was the seeming lack of organization. I would have liked just a bit more flow to the letters. Perhaps not chronological, but perhaps some loose thematic groups. I think this is because I sat down and read through the book from start to finish, usually only a letter or two at a time, but if you do try and read a big chunk of these letters in a sitting there are some jarring transitions. Overall, a book I am glad to have tucked on my shelf. Recommended.
Words cannot even express how delighted I was to find this collection of letters while grazing the history section of Barnes & Noble. Some letters made me angry, some made me blissfully happy and a few made me feel so desperately sad. I feel like I got to experience the world from the beginning of time to the modern age. I only wish we still wrote each other letters so things like this could continue on. I gained so much I sight and wisdom from my literary idols from this book. I felt like the advice they gave each other was actually directed at me! I am beyond thrilled this book exists and I HIGHLY recommend it to everyone!
This book is great! A fascinating collection of correspondence from history. My only complaint is that he starts with the wrong material, giving the work a bit of a slower start than it could have had. Hemingway tells Steinbeck his new novel sucks! The guy who shot John Lennon tries to get his signed CD valued! Crazy stuff.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
I loved every page. Some of the letters were particularly touching in their content. I miss writing letters.
This one is truly amazing.
Such a beautiful collection of inspiring letters.
Will reread this many times, I think.
Wish I had the physical copy, I would treasure it forever.
Just lengthening my already humongous wishlist, I guess.
Update April 2017:
Did in fact get a physical copy and reread it! Still great.
Such a beautiful collection of inspiring letters.
Will reread this many times, I think.
Wish I had the physical copy, I would treasure it forever.
Just lengthening my already humongous wishlist, I guess.
Update April 2017:
Did in fact get a physical copy and reread it! Still great.
A well-curated collection of letters across a broad range. At its best, the book humanizes history, making the towering (and the anonymous) figures of the past seem a bit less foreign. It is best read slowly instead of all at once. So many works here are distinct and meaningful, but too many at a time will make them blend together.