Reading other people's letters, like reading private diaries, offers thrilling and unexpected glimpses into the lives of others, and it is partly this guilty pleasure we take in such literary eavesdropping that makes The Oxford Book of Letters so compelling. More than three hundred letters spanning five centuries chronicle the affairs of correspondents from Elizabeth I to Groucho Marx, from politicans to poets, from the famous to the unknown. But whether the writers are educated or barely literate, whether their style is ...
Read More
Reading other people's letters, like reading private diaries, offers thrilling and unexpected glimpses into the lives of others, and it is partly this guilty pleasure we take in such literary eavesdropping that makes The Oxford Book of Letters so compelling. More than three hundred letters spanning five centuries chronicle the affairs of correspondents from Elizabeth I to Groucho Marx, from politicans to poets, from the famous to the unknown. But whether the writers are educated or barely literate, whether their style is polished and witty or stumbling and artless, these letters display an immediacy and intimacy not shared by any other form of writing. Here, for example, is Benjamin Disraeli, confiding to Lady Bradford the secret of his purchase of the Suez Canal for England ("not one of the least events of our generation"), and Charles Dickens to his son, Henry, regarding finances ("You know how hard I work for what I get, and I think you know that I never had money help from any human creature after I was a child"). Among the most moving letters are those from emigrants to America, Australia, and South Africa, describing the hardships they endured and the resolution with which they faced their new worlds. With subjects ranging from the mundane to the extraordinary, from the tragic to the hilarious, the Kermodes have included both isolated missives as well as exchanges of letters between regular correspondents, where familiarity and an ongoing saga add to the fascination. In an age where communication is instant and ephemeral, this volume celebrates the glory of the written word, and what may well be a dying art form.
Read Less
Add this copy of The Oxford Book of Letters to cart. $2.06, very good condition, Sold by 2VBooks rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Derwood, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by OUP Oxford.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Signed by previous owner. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. Contains: Illustrations, black & white. Audience: General/trade. previous owner's name. Clean, tight pages. No bent corners.
Add this copy of The Oxford Book of Letters to cart. $2.36, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1995 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Add this copy of The Oxford Book of Letters to cart. $2.36, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1995 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Add this copy of The Oxford Book of Letters to cart. $3.35, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1995 by Oxford University Press, Incorporated.
Add this copy of The Oxford Book of Letters to cart. $3.49, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brownstown, MI, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Add this copy of The Oxford Book of Letters to cart. $3.49, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Add this copy of The Oxford Book of Letters to cart. $3.49, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Add this copy of The Oxford Book of Letters to cart. $3.49, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Add this copy of The Oxford Book of Letters to cart. $3.50, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Ruby rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Oxford University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Oxford Book of Letters to cart. $3.51, good condition, Sold by Books From California rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Simi Valley, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Oxford University Press.
