Letters of Note, the book based on the beloved website of the same name, became an instant classic on publication in 2013, selling hundreds of thousands of copies. This new edition sees the collection of the world's most entertaining, inspiring and unusual letters updated with fourteen riveting new missives and a new introduction from curator Shaun Usher.
From Virginia Woolf's heart-breaking suicide letter to Queen Elizabeth II's recipe for drop scones sent to President Eisenhower; from the first recorded use of the expression 'OMG' in a letter to Winston Churchill, to Gandhi's appeal for calm to Hitler; and from Iggy Pop's beautiful letter of advice to a troubled young fan, to Leonardo da Vinci's remarkable job application letter, Letters of Note is a celebration of the power of written correspondence which captures the humour, seriousness, sadness and brilliance that make up all of our lives.
Publisher: Canongate Books
ISBN: 9781838853174
Number of pages: 384
Weight: 1100 g
Dimensions: 220 x 190 x 25 mm
Edition: Main
This book was brilliant in written form and it's even better in audio, with a cast of famous voices elevating hilarious, horrifying and moving historical epistles . . . An eclectic treasure trove of letters . . . The letters are variously life-affirming, devastating, wilfully mundane, subtly acidic and sometimes downright creepy - Guardian
Quite literally the most enjoyable volume it is possible to imagine. Every page is a marvel - Spectator
Addictive, like dipping into a bag of variously tempting assorted candies, knowing that the next one will always bring surprise and pleasure - New Yorker
A gloriously presented compilation - Financial Times
The literary equivalent of a box of chocolates - bite-sized and pure addictive pleasure . . . The result is beautifully produced, with photographs and colour facsimiles of much of the correspondence. A gorgeous Christmas present - Sunday Times
It is hard to see how Letters Of Note could ever be surpassed - Mail on Sunday
Funny, tragic, brilliantly incisive, historic, lyrical, romantic and studiedly offensive, this stupendous compendium of letters ancient and modern is my book of the year. You will never tire of it - Stephen Fry
It is inspiring, and often sad, funny, and occasionally quite surreal - GQ
A wonderful collection of magical missives . . . It'll have you reaching for pen and paper - Evening Standard
As a guide to letters that deserve a wider readership, Usher's compilation is hard to beat - Scotland on Sunday
A stunning collection of letters that will keep you entertained for hours, a must have for any bookshelf!!! I was made aware of 'Letter of Note' through Twitter and am a huge fan of Shaun's work. I keep... More
I stumbled across this book by total chance, due to planning a trip to a talk at the 2014 Hay Literary festival, and this book happens to be the subject. I have been totally blown away by it. To be honest I was going... More
I have tried showing this book to friends and family, but I keep getting distracted by it. It contains a huge number of letters - typed up where the print is hard to read and placed in context by the editor. It has... More
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