Books of letters

smallholder · Books of letters

Just started a very poignant book. Its called 'The Lost Generation' and is a collection of letters between Vera Brittain, her brother and his three friends - one of which becomes her fiance. Poignant because the letters begin before outbreak of the first world war when they were planning to go to Oxford - and take the reader from joining up to the war itself -sadly none of the four men survived the war - hence the title. The letters between the friends form the background to Vera Brittain's book 'Testament of Youth' - which I have to say I have never read but will do now.

I love books of letters. I read one that was made up of the letters between Edward and Mrs Simpson and it gave me new insights into that historic relationship.

Any one else read any that they would recommend?

magpie nic

That sounds like a book well worth reading SH. Will look out for it.
I cannot think of anymore at the mo apart from the Guernsey one. Will keep thinking!

Over40

Have you read '84 Charing Cross Road' ? It made me realise how little literature I hadread myself!

smallholder

Yes I have - its on my on my all times favourites list - such a 'charming' book.

tui

I love books of letters as well but don't know of any apart from those already mentioned. I loved 84 charing Cross Road very much so I was overjoyed to find Guernsey P P Society.

Louiw

I like the sound the this book too! I loved Guernsey PP society and have never read 84 Charing Cross Rd either!! I'm reading Blitzcat as a recommendation for my literacy next term and it's really good!

smallholder

Loui you must try and read 84 Charing Cross Road- it was a film too and is a light but wondeful read. My Vera Brittain Book is not such a light read but I am enjoying it, although now one of the characters has just set off for the front so I know it won't be easy.

Louiw

I remember it as a film and I think it is my sort of book! I'll go and see if I can get a cheap copy on Amazon marketplace.

Louiw

smallholder

Hope you enjoy it - let me know what you think.

cofnchoc

Did you ever read Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain Smallholder? I think BBC televised it years ago. I found it intensely moving and remembered it as soon as I saw your post.

smallholder

No I haven't but it is now on my to do list. I love the reading journeys different books take us on.

The full title for anyone who wants to look out for the book I'm currently reading is

'Letters from a Lost generation: First World War Letters of Vera Brittain and Four Friends.'

I'm also going to reread 84 Charing Cross Road!

tui

Helene Hanff also wrote Letter from New York which is a collection of her radio vignettes which were aired on BBC Radio in the late 70s.
i enjoyed reading more about her life after Charing Cross Road. There was quite a lot about her on a website as well but I can't remember how i found it now. She died a few years ago.

smallholder

Thanks for that Tui.

smallholder

I've been exploring the digital archive for the first world war today- seeing some of the photographic images and films is really bringing the book I am reading to life.

http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/

tui

It is amazing what is online. Ihope it all stays free and freely available.

tui

Letters from the fire by Alma A Hromic and R.A. Deckert is the correspondence on a writers forum about Kosovo in 1999.

Their user names are sasha and dave. Sasha is in Serbia and Dave is in NZ. They have quite different views of what is happening and why. Sasha is suffering under the bombs and is outraged but doesn't know sbout the killing of people in Kosovo.

smallholder

I have looked that up Tui and made a note to look out for it.

Loui - I have just begun re-reading 84 Charing Cross Road - its just as lovely as I remember!

smallholder

I have a new book of letters to read now! Its an anthology, given to me by my step mum. It is of royal letters - not state ones, but personal ones. Goes from William 1st 1079 to George 5th 1935. It includes Henry V1 watching the trial of Joan of Arc, Anne Boleyns last letter from the tower, Queen victoria's own description of her coronation. Although a hotchpotch, and not a series taking place over a period of time, it is nonetheless fascinating. A lovely gift.

tui

Sounds fascinating.especially if they were letters intended for close family only. They would express their true thoughts perhaps.

smallholder

Just finished Charing Cross Road and the Duchess of Bloomsbury that follows it in my edition. Had forgotten quite how short Charing Cross Road is!

tui

it's always a shock when a book finishes too soon! Having the other book after it would have masked its brevity.

JD1970

Letters From A Lost Generation sounds really good. I'll have to put it on my list. Thanks smallholder.

smallholder

I have just got another book of letters - 'Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett - The Courtship Correspondence' edited by Daniel Karlin. This was spurred on by reading a novel about the lady's maid to the Brownings.

Wizz

Have any of you read 'Remembrance' by Theresa Breslin? - probably intended for 12 years old plus really but a clever book and a good read. (Well, I thought so!)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Remembran...TF8&qid=1281215086&sr=1-1

smallholder

No I haven't read that, thanks for the recommendation - have looked it up and it sounds good - will look out for it.

smallholder

Well the Barrett Browning correspondence was hard going. Beautiful in parts but very tedious in others. I am glad I read it, but it needed a holiday to have the patience to plough through to get to the gems. Better editing of the collection would have helped.