Letters of Note
Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience
📘 About This Book
Letters of Note is a collection of over one hundred of the world's most entertaining, inspiring and unusual letters, based on the seismically popular website of the same name – an online museum of correspondence visited by over 70 million people. 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.
📖 Summary
Letters of Note by Shaun Usher is a sweeping, deeply engaging literary collection that gathers over one hundred of the world's most entertaining, inspiring, and unusual pieces of correspondence. Born from the seismically popular online museum of the same name, which has drawn tens of millions of visitors, this substantial volume serves as a tactile monument to the art of letter writing. Spanning centuries, the book captures the full emotional spectrum of human existence through the personal, professional, and profound words penned by historical figures, artists, scientists, and everyday people alike. Within its pages, readers encounter a startlingly intimate cross-section of history. The collection features devastating moments of finality, such as Virginia Woolf's heartbreaking suicide note, alongside surprisingly domestic dispatches, like Queen Elizabeth II sharing her personal recipe for drop scones with President Eisenhower. The letters bridge immense historical divides, juxtaposing the trivial with the monumental. Readers can discover the first recorded use of the expression OMG in a piece of mail sent to Winston Churchill, read Mahatma Gandhi's earnest appeal for peace and calm addressed to Adolf Hitler, absorb Iggy Pop's compassionate and wise advice to a troubled young fan, and marvel at the self-assured brilliance of Leonardo da Vinci's remarkable job application letter. Through this eclectic curation, Usher celebrates the enduring power of written correspondence. Each entry acts as a time capsule, preserving the distinct voice, tone, and vulnerability of its author at a specific crossroads in time. Rather than presenting a dry historical archive, the book offers a vibrant mosaic of human communication, highlighting how a physical letter can convey humour, seriousness, sadness, and brilliance with a permanence that modern digital communication often lacks. It invites readers to slow down and appreciate the deliberate craft of putting ink to paper, reminding us that behind every historical event and cultural masterpiece are real individuals grappling with the same timeless emotions, anxieties, and joys that define all of our lives.
🎯 Key Lessons
⚖️ Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
Offers a deeply engaging and varied selection of historical correspondence.
Combines monumental historical moments with intimate, everyday human experiences.
Presents each letter with rich context that brings the historical moment to life.
Appeals to a wide range of readers interested in history, literature, and human nature.
⚠️ Cons
The sheer physical weight and page count of the book may be cumbersome for casual reading on the go.
Readers looking for a linear historical narrative might find the episodic nature of a letter collection disjointed.
❓ FAQ
What is Letters of Note about? +
It is a curated collection of over one hundred entertaining, inspiring, and unusual letters from various historical figures and everyday people.
Who is the author of Letters of Note? +
The book was compiled and edited by Shaun Usher, based on his popular website of the same name.
How many pages are in Letters of Note? +
The book spans 864 pages of rich historical correspondence and commentary.
When was Letters of Note published? +
The book was published in 2013.
What kinds of letters are included in the book? +
The collection features everything from job applications and suicide notes to royal recipes, political appeals, and fan mail.
