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October 1, 2007

Other People's Letters

I joined the Modern Letter Project to practice the art of letter writing and to see if I could learn to connect with other people purely through pen and paper. However, I have to admit that letters have long fascinated me for other, less noble reasons. Reading through the correspondences of other people, even complete strangers, is one my most indulgent pastimes. This might strike some as an unsavory practice, but please bear with me.

As a child, I discovered love letters between my grandmother and grandfather and I could not help but take a few peeks. These furtive glances illuminated their relationship for me and taught me that reading a person’s writing can provide extraordinarily revealing (and moving) glimpses into the most private and guarded aspects of their identity. Reading a letter can often disclose how and to what extent the letter writer makes himself or herself vulnerable to their recipient. As someone who has always been interested in human stories, letters provide a way for me to see many facets of a person’s character that they may ordinarily protect and guard. Oftentimes, the letters are actually full of great stories—though you might have to use your imagination to fill in a few gaps.

One book that I have recently discovered promises to provide great guilty-pleasure reading for the month of October: The Oxford Book of Letters, edited by Frank and Anita Kermode. This unique compilation of letters, presented in chronological order, includes entries from writers as varied as immigrants to America, famous writers, Presidents, anonymous lovers, and royalty. The editors provide very helpful context for the letters-- having relevant background and biographical information helps you to gleefully and effortlessly jump right into these intimate dramas. The editors hope that the book will “celebrate the glories of the written word and what may well be a dying art form.”

The Oxford Book of Letters is available at Amazon.com for $17.95