Born in Prague when it was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire and recognized today as a master of verse, poet Rainer Maria Rilke was considerably less well known in 1902 when he received a heartfelt letter from an aspiring poet. A 19-year-old student sent Rilke some of his verses, seeking an opinion of their worth. Rilke declined to offer a critique, instead encouraging the student to rely upon his own inner judgment: "Nobody can advise and help...

This charming classic love story, first published in 1970, brings together twenty years of correspondence between Helene Hanff, at the time, a freelance writer living in New York City, and a used-book dealer in London at 84, Charing Cross Road. Through the years, though never meeting and separated both geographically and culturally, they share a winsome, sentimental friendship based on their common love for books. Their relationship, captured so acutely...

""In this collection of interviews and letters spanning three decades, poet Gary Snyder talks with South African writer and scholar Julia Martin. Over this period many things changed -- globally, locally, and in their personal lives -- and these changing conditions provide the backstory for a long conversation and a lasting friendship" --

Though completely unappreciated during his lifetime, Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) is one of the most recognizable names in the art world today. Though it would make sense that Van Gogh's life would be greatly undocumented, this is not the case. "The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh" is a collection of the correspondences between Van Gogh and his brother, Theo, that gives an incredibly enthralling look into the life of this genius. Tormented by loss of...

The first entry in a planned four-part autobiographical series presents sensory letters written to the author's unborn daughter that describe his childhood and daily life with his wife and older children in rural Sweden.

Dear Sam, As your only living grandfather, I want to welcome you into this world. Always remember that... life is a gift and a blessing. In the tradition of such bestsellers as “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “Riding the Bus with My Sister”, this emotionally powerful collection of letters from grandfather to grandson will touch readers right down to their core. Award-winning radio host, newspaper columnist, and psychologist Daniel Gottlieb has...

"In Eliza Davis's day, Charles Dickens was the most celebrated living writer in England. But some of his books reflected a prejudice that was all too common at the time: prejudice against Jewish people. Eliza was Jewish, and her heart hurt to see a Jewish character in Oliver Twist portrayed as ugly and selfish. She wanted to speak out about how unfair that was, even if it meant speaking out against the great man himself. So she wrote a letter to Charles...

The Italian Letters lies in the sensuous curvature of ancient, 20th and 21st century Italy. The sequel to The Cairo Codex follows the adventures of anthropologist Justine Jenner after she is expelled from Egypt in the wake of discovering the diary of the Virgin Mary. Exiled into Tuscany, Justine finds herself embroiled in three interwoven stories of discovery: the long-lost letters of D.H. Lawrence to her great grandmother, Isabella; an ancient tomb...

"A graphic designer's search for inspiration leads to a cache of letters and the mystery of one man's fate during World War II. Seeking inspiration for a new font design in an antique store in small-town Stillwater, Minnesota, graphic designer Carolyn Porter stumbled across a bundle of letters and was immediately drawn to their beautifully expressive pen-and-ink handwriting. She could not read the letters -- they were in French -- but she noticed...