Letters of Note: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience (Historical Nonfiction Letters, Letters from Famous People, Book of Letters and Correspondance)

I must begin by saying that the review claiming this is a book of difficult to read images only is incorrect. All letters come with a "transcript," with the letter images included to add interest. Please see the photo I've attached of a favorite of mine from the book, as an example of how the book proceeds. If you have any interest, I'd say, please get thisboom. It is a larger format, somewhat like a coffee table book; but the collected letters inside are funny, moving, intimate, inspiring, fascinating. Unlike so many "pretty" books that are done in about 20 minutes, this one has already provided so much enjoyment - reading, rereading, and sharing with my best friend and my family. The person who compiled the letters also provides background that further brings these letters to life. Can hardly wait to receive book 2!

This is a hefty book, as heavy as my old accounting textbooks. A necessary consideration, since some of the actual letters are showcased here. Not all of which are that noteworthy, though, thus the 3-star rating. But there are some letters of note here, and below are my personal choices, aka "unforgettables:"- Jack the Ripper's letter, which came with a token of half a kidney preserved in wine- E.B. White's inspiring letter to "wind the clock"- Francis Carr-Gomm's letters to The Times concerning his hospital's guest, John Merrick (literally, the elephant in the room)- A savvy application letter by one Robert Pirosh- Virginia Woolf's unsentimental letter of farewell to her husband- Jourdon Anderson's letter of response to his former slave master's letter asking him to return as a paid employee- A teenaged Fidel Castro's letter to President Roosevelt, asking for $10 and offering to point out the locations of the iron mines of Cuba- Two mothers' letters to The Founding Asylum, explaining why they had to give up their babies- Katharine Hepburn's letter to Spencer Tracy, eighteen years after his death- Charles Schultz's deadpan letter to a fan, acquiescing to her request to do away with an apparently unlikeable character named Charlotte Braun- Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus- Three teenyboppers' desperate letter to President Eisenhower, asking him NOT TO TOUCH Sergeant Elvis Presley's sideburns- Amelia Earhart's pragmatic letter to her groom, written the night before their wedding- Convicted WWII deserter Eddie Slovik's futile plea to President Eisenhower- Missionary and survivor of the first order Lucy Thurston's agonizing letter to her daughter, detailing her breast cancer surgery on a Hawaiian island, sans anaesthesia and antibiotics- Emily Dickinson's cryptic letter to her sister-in-law- Alec Guinness cheeky letter to a friend, with a jibe at the movie that would re-introduce him to a new generation, and which he was filming at the time the letter was written- Flannery O'Connor's response to a pedantic professor's questions (insistence?) of allegories in her short story A Good Man is Hard to Find- Slave owner Sarah Logue's letter to her former slave Jermain Loguen, chiding him for his escape but insisting on his return, and his fitting riposte- Robert T. Lincoln's letter to a magazine editor, clarifying a curious coincidence involving the brother of the man who killed his father, Abraham Lincoln- Alleta Sullivan's surprisingly composed letter to President Eisenhower, inquiring about her five drafted sons, who were rumored to have perished at sea- The letter that will most likely make me read Slaughterhouse-Five is the writer Kurt Vonnegut, Jr's candid letter to his father immediately after his 5-month captivity by the Germans

I bought both Letters and Lists of Note as a Christmas present for my mother-in-law, and when they arrived I couldn't help myself and began to read. I've been reading eBooks on the main for a while, and everything about these books was enthralling - the library-book smell, the feel of the heavy stock pages, and the gorgeous dust jackets. And the content, so thoughtfully curated... once I started reading, I couldn't stop. Unable to part with them, I have ordered another copy of each to wrap up and give away, and am keeping these copies for myself. There is something for everyone here, so my recommendation is to do what I did - buy a copy for yourself, and one for someone you love.

Letters of Note by Shaun UsherNOVEMBER 7, 2017 ~ LEAVE A COMMENT ~ EDITLetters of Note: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider AudienceLetters of Note: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience by Shaun UsherMy rating: 5 of 5 starsIt was from “A Way with Words” a public radio show about the English language, including the origins of words, the usages, and good books that I came to know this lovely book. It’s a stupendous compendium of letters from the famous and the ordinary from the ancient to the modern with beautiful photo copies of the letters reproduced in the book. The letters span the whole range of human emotions from kindness, passion, love, joy to heartbreak, anger, disappointment, and longing as the contents of the letters reveal the writer’s’ innermost thoughts, feelings, and emotions through the vehicles of pen and paper.Reading each of the letters made me feel deeply touched by the universality of humanity and reflective of the human nature manifested in writing without prejudice on the grounds of appearances and social standings, which influence our perceptions of individuals. Readers can find lots of very interesting letters in this book. Of all the letters in the book, the following three letters resonate in my mind: (1) E. B. White’s letter to his gentleman acquaintance regarding the importance of having hope for humanity; (2) Anaïs Nin’s rebuking letter to a faceless collector of her co-authored “Erotica” for his demand of more prevalent racy contents; and (3) a nameless German’s woman’s letter to her husband asking him to take her back home from a dreadful mental hospital she was in. It was so heartbreaking to read her brief letter to her husband that I could feel her pain, fear, and sadness alone in the grim place… I commiserated with her….Mr. Usher in his foreword states that if the readers are inspired to put pen to paper by reading the letters in the book, his intention of compiling the book will be fulfilled and greatly appreciated. That’s a very noble intention and sublime aspiration in this digital age. This book is a lovely work of art which the readers will never tire of.

Excellent book! Arrived in stated timeframe.

Totally absorbing. One can learn a great deal about the true character of numerous well known figures from their letters. Amelia Earhart was a woman before her time in ways other than flying!E mail is going to totally erase this form of self expression. What a loss!

A fascinating read, which makes you yearn for more, this is a carefully curated book of letters. I love reading other people's letters; in fact this book makes me want to explore so many more. It's a beautiful book, too, a lovely present and diverse enough to be appreciated by many.

This book gives you a more private look into historical events and characters through the very personal reports and perspectives given on the letters. A must read.

Wonderful collection