Letters of Note: Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience

By (author) Shaun Usher; Edited by Shaun Usher

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.

Reviews of Letters of Note: Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience

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 * The 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 truly extraordinary reading experience * Big Issue * The volume is so well-produced it could become an heirloom, passed down through generations * Huffington Post * Witty, tragic, educational, inspirational * The List * This wonderful volume features letters for the great and the good, including Mick Jagger, Roald Dahl – and the Queen, with her personal recipe for drop scones! Some are witty, some are wicked and others will move you to tears * Bella *