I read a book by Simon Garfield a couple of years ago: "On the Map. Why the World Looks the Way it Does".
I really loved it. And since I love letters just as much as I love maps, I just had to get this one.
It is an interesting book about the development of letters, how they came into existence in the first place, how they changed over the centuries, what they mean today in a world of e-mails and phone messages.
I used to be a keen letter writer and was really looking forward to this book. And though it is a good survey into the habit of letter writing and contained some nice anecdotes, I found it a little boring at times. I don't mind jumping around in a story but this was all a little too haphazardly.
That might have been one of the reasons why I didn't read this in one go, I just couldn't get my head around his structure.
Also, he mentions a lot of authors and books in his work, a table of contents would have been nice.
I still like writing letters.
A nice quote:
"Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday."
He also mentions a letter subscripion where you receive an actual letter by one of your favourite authors twice a month. It still exists and you can find all about it here at "The Rumpus". I couldn't find out whether they also send something abroad but there are quite a few US readers here, so maybe something for them.
From the back cover:
"To the Letter tells the story of our remarkable journey through the mail. From Roman wood chips discovered near Hadrian's Wall to the wonders and terrors of email, Simon Garfield explores how we have written to each other over the centuries and what our letters reveal about our lives.
Along the way he delves into the great correspondences of our time, from Cicero and Petrarch to Jane Austen and Ted Hughes (and John Keats, Virginia Woolf, Jack Kerouac, Anaïs Nin and Charles Schulz), and traces the very particular advice offered by bestselling letter-writing manuals. He uncovers a host of engaging stories, including the tricky history of the opening greeting, the ideal ingredients for invisible ink, and the sad saga of the dead letter office. As the book unfolds, so does the story of a moving wartime correspondence that shows how letters can change the course of life.
To the Letter is a wonderful celebration of letters in every form, and a passionate rallying cry to keep writing."
I still like writing letters, too. Though I don't do it much these days. Sorry this book wasn't as good as you hoped.
ReplyDeleteThat's nice to hear, Lark. There are fewer and fewer letter writers in this world.
DeleteAnd well, maybe the other one was just too great and I expected more from this one.
When living abroad in the 1980s and 90s I used to write a lot of letters, and got letters as well. Unfortunately, the letter writing disappeared with the introudction of email and sms etc. It is always nice to read a letter. I have a box at home with letters I wrote to my parents which they saved. One day I will sit down and see what I wrote about in those days. It sounds like an interesting book. I will see if I can borrow it in the library.
ReplyDeleteI have written lots and lots of letters from when I was about 14. Our postman once said to my mother that I'd get more mail than the largest company in the village (and it was not a small one). I think he exaggerated but still ... I had pen friends and friends that moved away and I kept in touch with. Then I moved away and kept in touch with those that were left behind. But even then, not everyone would write back, some people just didn't bother.
ReplyDeleteBut all that was before the internet. Nowadays, I write lots of emails and make the same experience. If someone doesn't want to write, they don't write. Unfortunately.
Absolutely sounds like a non-fiction niche I would love.
ReplyDeleteI think so, as well, Sarah. As I said, I preferred The Map and am glad I read that first, I don't think I would have wanted to read another one of his had I read this first.
DeleteI will have to start looking for both. My library doesn't have this one but maybe the maps one.
DeleteUpdate: my library has the maps one, as well as his book about encyclopedias AND the one on fonts that's been on my TBR for ages. YAY!
DeleteWell, the maps one was my favourite, Sarah, so it's a good idea you start with that.
DeleteI have heard of The Rumpus, but have never used or know of anyone who has. I love letter writing too and this book sounds interesting!!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of it before, Lisa. I was still going to find out whether they also send letters abroad.
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