The paperback outing of this engaging and enlightening history of letter-writing and our relationship with the mail, from the bestselling author of Just My Type and On the Map

Every letter contains a miniature story, and here are some of the greatest. From Oscar Wilde's unconventional method of using the mail to cycling enthusiast Reginald Bray's quest to post himself, Simon Garfield uncovers a host of stories that capture the enchantment of this irreplaceable art (with a supporting cast including Pliny the Younger, Ted Hughes, Virginia Woolf, Napoleon Bonaparte, Lewis Carroll, Jane Austen, David Foster Wallace and the Little Red-Haired Girl). There is also a brief history of the letter-writing guide, with instructions on when and when not to send fish as a wedding gift. And as these accounts unfold, so does the tale of a compelling wartime correspondence that shows how the simplest of letters can change the course of a life.

"Garfield being Garfield, there's a rich cull of curiosities . . . A shining success" - * The Sunday Times *

"Wonderful . . . One of the things which makes this book so attractive is Garfield's enjoyment of his subject. He writes with a winning informality and freshness" - * Literary Review *

"A wonderfully elegant history" - * Observer *

"A brilliant account of a lost art . . . funny letters, sad letters, pompous letters, famous letters, farewell letters, saucy letters, letters from soldiers and letters from swindlers: they are all here" - * Mail on Sunday *

"A hymn of praise to twenty centuries of letter-writing. It spurs a desire to reach once more for the pad and envelope...Garfield's knowledge is wide and his enthusiasm matchless" - * The Times *

"Excellent, amusing and moving" - * Financial Times *

"Superb" - * Independent on Sunday *

"Garfield is an elegant and perceptive writer . . . his judgment is immaculate" - * Daily Mail *

"To the Letter thrills and engages most when it cuts to the core of human relationships, showing personalities pinned to the page in all their painful imperfections" - * Observer *

"Delightful" - * Daily Mail *

"An informative lament for the mail" - * Metro *

"From wooden tablets dug up at the ancient Roman garrison Vindolanda, UK, to the epistolary gems of novelist Virginia Woolf, this is a billet-doux to two millennia of the impassioned, often life-changing power of private correspondence" - * Nature *

"Garfield has a keen eye for what makes a good letter . . . he is a knowledgeable guide to his subject" - * Scotsman *

"A Paean to the dying art of letter writing...fascinating...moving and illuminating" - * Herald Scotland *

"Wonderful" - * Woman & Home *

"A love letter to what is already an outdated mode of communication . . . Cantering through two millennia of letters with Garfield as our guide, it's fun to spot the things that never change" - * Guardian *

"A well-timed, engrossing study of epistolary art through the ages ... an inspiring read" - * The Lady *

"Stuffed with marvellous anecdotes, fascinating historical tidbits and excerpts from epistolary masters both ancient and modern . . . infectious" - * New York Times *

"An addictive account of a dying artform" - * Red *

"A book to recommend" - * Spectator *

"A shining tribute to the dying art of letter writing" - * The Sunday Times *

"In digging through two centuries of letters, Garfield unearths a heap of epistolary ruins . . . fascinating . . . Quirky stories abound" - * Washington Post *

"Garfield has impressively condensed 2000 years and a lot of wonderful characters into an accessible, comprehensively-researched book bubbling with his customary wit and joy in the absurd . . . A fascinating book" - * We Love This Book *

"An endlessly informative book from one of Britain's best non-fiction writers" - * Reader's Digest *

"Fresh and informative throughout. It would be difficult for anyone to read this book without finding something they enjoyed or found incredibly interesting. I would recommend this book to anybody" - * Literature Works *

"Wonderful . . . vivid, witty and moving" - * Sunday Business Post *

"Utterly compelling and surprisingly moving . . . Full of fascinating facts and wonderful stories" - * Sunday Business Post *