Syme’s Letter Writer: A Guide to Modern Correspondence About (Almost) Every Imaginable Subject of Daily Life, with Odes to Desktop Ephemera and Selected Letters of Famous Writers

Anyone interested in stationery, ephemera, or the art of correspondence will be captivated by journalist Syme’s first book. This collection of ideas for contemporary letter writers includes tips on how to write letters for different occasions and to specific recipients, using nice stationery and pens, potential enclosures that can be sent through the postal system, scenting one’s letters, and the joy of pen pals in this digital age. Inspired by Victorian instructional collections for letter writers, Syme shares many hilariously out-of-date form letters from those works. The book is beautifully produced, incorporating color and images of stamps, letter enclosures, wax seals, papers, and handwriting, along with excerpts from famous letter writers of the past. Syme’s own text is tucked in among all these images and color blocks, which can be slightly visually overwhelming at times. It’s a light but informative visual feast that could inspire readers’ own letter-writing journeys.