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171 reviews for:
Letters of Note: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience
Shaun Usher
4.29 AVERAGE
171 reviews for:
Letters of Note: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience
Shaun Usher
4.29 AVERAGE
I read the sequel first, and that was more to my tastes.
This is still good, but I feel like there are two, albeit overlapping, categories in each book-
The wonderous human experience, as seen throughout history
&
Celebrities! They're just like us!
This book seems to lean towards the latter.
Which is fine, if that's your thing, but personally I think if you're looking to pick up one of these books, then the second still has plenty of famous people but it's more discerning and less starstruck.
Nevertheless, this is still a good read, and much recommended for presents etc.
This is still good, but I feel like there are two, albeit overlapping, categories in each book-
The wonderous human experience, as seen throughout history
&
Celebrities! They're just like us!
This book seems to lean towards the latter.
Which is fine, if that's your thing, but personally I think if you're looking to pick up one of these books, then the second still has plenty of famous people but it's more discerning and less starstruck.
Nevertheless, this is still a good read, and much recommended for presents etc.
I remember coming across the website that birthed this book many years ago. I loved it then, and I love this book. So many great letters, and it was a particular joy to see copies of the actual correspondence in many cases. The concluding letter from Kurt Vonnegut Jr to his family was a suitable climax; incredible.
It made me want to write letters, and wish that it were still common practice...
It made me want to write letters, and wish that it were still common practice...
This book has been on my radar for a while due to its unique nature, and I finally picked it up after seeing it in a bookstore and feeling a magnetic pull towards it.
The curation of this book is superb, for one, in that the layout makes it enjoyable and easy to read and decipher the letters - it doesn't over face you in the quantity of information surrounding the letters which ensures that the focus of the book remains on the letters themselves, rather than the context and further information of the letters. I've read many a non-fiction book wherein the information at the side of a document has absolutely deflated the document for me, and I think there's a certain kind of magic in reading the letter for yourself and trying to understand what it was about, why it was written in a certain way, and what the writer was trying to get at. Information is kept brief purely discussing who wrote the letter, the date, roughly what was going on during the time of the letter, and that was pretty much it. I really enjoyed being able to openly interpret the letter and found it interesting to see the stark differences in mannerisms between letters from the 1800's to letters to the 2000's. Another element of the format that I appreciated was that the letter was scanned in its original form and then written out in 'regular' font on the other side of the page which allowed for easier reading and prevented any of the letters being difficult to get through due to the penmanship being too harsh to decipher. The way the letters are laid out is brilliant and allows the book to flow from one letter to another quickly and simply, and it doesn't ever feel overly stodgy with info.
This is an utterly fascinating book with the wide array of letters that it has stocked within its pages - it has the weird and the wonderful, and letters that you never thought existed nor never imagined could exist. It offers a fascinating insight on the past of letter writing and the people that wrote them, and definitely offers a wide portrayal of history of the written word.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this one - whether you're reading it from cover to cover or reading a letter a day, it will definitely stay with you and is a very entertaining, enthralling read.
The curation of this book is superb, for one, in that the layout makes it enjoyable and easy to read and decipher the letters - it doesn't over face you in the quantity of information surrounding the letters which ensures that the focus of the book remains on the letters themselves, rather than the context and further information of the letters. I've read many a non-fiction book wherein the information at the side of a document has absolutely deflated the document for me, and I think there's a certain kind of magic in reading the letter for yourself and trying to understand what it was about, why it was written in a certain way, and what the writer was trying to get at. Information is kept brief purely discussing who wrote the letter, the date, roughly what was going on during the time of the letter, and that was pretty much it. I really enjoyed being able to openly interpret the letter and found it interesting to see the stark differences in mannerisms between letters from the 1800's to letters to the 2000's. Another element of the format that I appreciated was that the letter was scanned in its original form and then written out in 'regular' font on the other side of the page which allowed for easier reading and prevented any of the letters being difficult to get through due to the penmanship being too harsh to decipher. The way the letters are laid out is brilliant and allows the book to flow from one letter to another quickly and simply, and it doesn't ever feel overly stodgy with info.
This is an utterly fascinating book with the wide array of letters that it has stocked within its pages - it has the weird and the wonderful, and letters that you never thought existed nor never imagined could exist. It offers a fascinating insight on the past of letter writing and the people that wrote them, and definitely offers a wide portrayal of history of the written word.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this one - whether you're reading it from cover to cover or reading a letter a day, it will definitely stay with you and is a very entertaining, enthralling read.
dnf @ 61%
książka ta szła mi opornie; nie jest zła i doceniam pomysł na nią, jednak to chyba po prostu nie moja bajka. wahałam się nad zaprzestaniem jej czytania, ale mój e-book podjął decyzję za mnie i postanowił się zepsuć.
może kiedyś zrobię jeszcze jedno podejście.
książka ta szła mi opornie; nie jest zła i doceniam pomysł na nią, jednak to chyba po prostu nie moja bajka. wahałam się nad zaprzestaniem jej czytania, ale mój e-book podjął decyzję za mnie i postanowił się zepsuć.
może kiedyś zrobię jeszcze jedno podejście.
A delightful collection of often beautiful letters. Will make you wish we lived in an era of letters still.
(3.5 stars) Meh...I thought this would be more interesting than it was. Took me a long time to finish because despite being quick letters, it just didn't keep my interest. The concept of this book is challenging because you have to assume that the ad some letters whose content is just not relevant to you.
funny, poignant, maddening, heart-breaking, witty, warm....
I thoroughly enjoyed the collection. it is so sad the most "correspondence"today is under 140 characters
I thoroughly enjoyed the collection. it is so sad the most "correspondence"today is under 140 characters
As a fan of epistolary novels and anything connected to letters, I could not wait till I got my own copy of this book. The book turned out to be something even more exciting and engorssing than I expected. It is a collection of the most interesting, moving and impressive letters ever written, some witty, some touching, but I enjoyed all of them, separately and also together, as a set of the most characteristic property of every human being - ability to use language and write, in such a manner, as to entertain and to charm, to fool and to explain.
It is quite a long read, especially when the reader does really want to enjoy every single letter, till the very last line. Short descriptions and explanations to each letter make it easier to understand the context and familiarise oneself with each person, be it an author or a recipient of a letter.
I admire the effort of Usher and his idea to show the world those genuine letters. I especially like the letters written by famous writers, which often differ from their books, novels, poems etc. but which are also proof of real talent and wit. The fact that all those people experienced and felt the same as we do nowadays is surprising but also comforting. Each letter brings something new and unexpected, leaving the reader with itch for more.
It is quite a long read, especially when the reader does really want to enjoy every single letter, till the very last line. Short descriptions and explanations to each letter make it easier to understand the context and familiarise oneself with each person, be it an author or a recipient of a letter.
I admire the effort of Usher and his idea to show the world those genuine letters. I especially like the letters written by famous writers, which often differ from their books, novels, poems etc. but which are also proof of real talent and wit. The fact that all those people experienced and felt the same as we do nowadays is surprising but also comforting. Each letter brings something new and unexpected, leaving the reader with itch for more.