Finding a letter in mailbox is a treat I never tire of, and while it is exciting to get a decorated envelope, it is the message inside that means the most. Some of my favorite letters have nothing on the envelope but a canceled stamp and my address, but inside is a handwritten message that catches me up with what is going on in a friend's life.
I'm interested in this book by Nina Sankovitch after reading Leslie Stahl's comment:
“How sad to think our children may never get a letter from a friend or a lover, the art of both—the sentiment and penmanship—fading away like an old Polaroid. Nina Sankovitch’s lovely, elegant book about the intimacy of letters is rich with treasures from politicians, soldiers, mothers, prisoners, husbands, and wooers. It is a joy to read, savor, and remember.” – Lesley Stahl
I try to write my grands pretty regularly, mostly with postcards, so they will have had the experience of receiving personal mail addressed to them. Only one of my grands has ever written back, but I treasure those few letters. It is difficult to compete with technology, which is why I find the InCoWriMo term "vintage social media" especially appealing.
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| A postcard to my granddaughter. |
This is an excellent article: 9 Reasons Not to Abandon the Art of the Handwritten Letter
Some of my favorite books are written in epistolary style: Dracula, 84, Charing Cross Road, Griffin & Sabine, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Historian, Sorcery & Cecelia.... And I enjoy letters written by famous people, and fan letters to authors and the replies, and The Graceful Envelope, and hand illustrated letters on Pinterest, and more mail art on Pinterest.
The next letter writing challenge is in April--The National Card and Letter Writing Month sponsored by the United States Postal Service. Not that you have to wait to write letters or send cards through the mail. I like the idea of setting my own challenges--a letter a week or two a month or whenever I feel like it! :)
Do you write letters or send cards?
Is letter writing really too old-fashioned in the world of email and text messaging?
What are your favorite books about letters or written in the form of letters?
I've not read a book about letter writing and Nina Sankovitch's book sounds interesting. :)
ReplyDeleteI do like the sound of Sankovitch's book, and I'll be checking the library for it on my next visit.
DeleteI'm not much of a letter writer, but my Mother was champ in that area. She was not a reader at all. She wrote letters and sent cards to people all the time. The book you shared above looks interesting and I do like epistolary books. I even like books told in emails and tweets and memos - anything unusual. I think it's great that you send postcards and letters to your grands.
ReplyDeleteI love reading letters from a previous generation. Do you have any of the letters your mother received? Oh, yes, I like books told in emails, memos, journals, too. :)
DeleteI've always loved writing letters and sending postcards to friends and family. I rarely get any back...but I still send them out. 'Cause who doesn't like getting good mail? :)
ReplyDeleteI think everyone loves getting something personal in the mail! It worth sending cards and letters even when they get no reply. :) It is so much fun to find something other than junk mail in the mailbox!
DeleteI admit that I am no longer a letter writer. I used to send letters all the time, but in this digital world it's so much easier to send an email. I DO jot my sister notes when I want to convey something to her since I'm not sure she can hear well when I phone her, though she would never admit it. I know a couple of kids that made mistakes and spent a little while in jail. I wrote to them just about every day, even if it was to send a page of jokes, but I admit to typing them. Not matter, they got mail and that's what counts to let them know they are not forgotten and are loved.
ReplyDeletexx, Carol
I wish I had my father's huge old typewriter! Getting a typewritten letter has its own charm, doesn't it? I love that you send mail to kids who were in jail--a reminder of a world that still cares about them.
DeleteI used to write long letters many years ago, but anymore I don't have time. If I start a letter, it usually gets set aside because something 'urgent' comes up. By the time I get back to it, it's outdated. So it's usually email or text for me. If I need to actually write something longer, I do it in my word processor so that I can come back and update when necessary, without losing my effort from before I was interrupted!
ReplyDelete:) One reason I like postcards is that I don't have to say much. My letters to friends often take place over several days, and I just add a new date before continuing a letter. Messaging and texting are great for immediacy...and I do that, too!
DeleteWonderful post - how great that you send your grans letters/postcards. I still have all my letters that I received from my family growing up and of course letter writing is special in my book as that's how my husband and I met as we were pen pals! And, yep, I still have all of those :) I still owe you a letter so be on the look out for that one!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that you and your husband were pen pals! Now, that is a romantic story in the making. :) I'll be watching my mailbox for your letter.
DeleteYou are so right. Kids today will probably never experience the trill of getting new mail from someone far away. I did have a good friend from my childhood who went to love with her father on the other side of the country every other school year. It was such fun sharing our lives in letters. I wish I could re-read some of what I wrote and cared about when I was a kid. That's the only thing these kids will have...a never deleted history on the internet. Such a great topic! Thanks for all the book recs!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting! I wish I had some of the letters I wrote to friends at gymnastic camp and their replies, but have no idea what happened to them. Maybe only now that letter writing is almost a thing of the past do we realize how important those letters were.
DeleteWow, you are so talented! Getting a card like yours in the mail would be such a treat. I have to admit, I almost never send letters or cards in the mail. My kids do light up whenever they get a card from the grandparents for their birthday or Christmas, and my son has a little pen pal to practice writing with. I'm not artistic at all, so I can't help but feel that I don't have anything really cool to send in the mail so why bother? Still, a nice handwritten note alone is special. You've inspired me to pick up my pen a bit more!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read many epistolary novels, but I've been wanting to try Sleeping Giants!
Yay for your son who is participating in the practice of writing letters! I do enjoy decorating envelopes, but the main point of my postcards and letters to my grands is just keeping in touch. With old friends the fun is in catching up with what is going on in their lives whether the envelopes are decorated or not. Thanks for visiting my blog!
DeleteI joined Postcrossing again this year and am enjoying getting fun mail, too.
ReplyDeleteI've never done Postcrossing, but I look at their blog sometimes. :) Happy mailing, Kailiana!
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