Letters of Note

On this day in 1970, Charles Schulz replied to a 10-year-old kid who had written and asked, “What makes a good citizen?"

Hope your day was better than Darwin’s, on this day 165 years ago

RIP David Hockney

On this day in 1977, Cary Grant wrote to his daughter as she turned eleven. (From 'Evenings With Cary Grant: Recollections in His Own Words and by Those Who Knew Him Best', by Nancy Nelson. With a foreword by Barbara and Jennifer Grant.)

Happy birthday to one of my favourite haters, Charles Darwin

Happy birthday Mozart!

Lovely piece in today's Observer (no paywall) about @lettersofnote.com's latest, DIARIES OF NOTE, which looks like it'll be as fascinating and well-made as the other books in the series. By Anthony Quinn. observer.co.uk/style/featur...

On this day in 1905, Virginia Woolf was doubting her abilities. Her debut novel, The Voyage Out, would be published ten years later.

On this day in 1955... open.substack.com/pub/letterso... @lettersofnote.com

On this day in 1858. #perpetualorgy

“I am writing this letter not only to thank you most gratefully, but also to ask you to remember that although I am no longer there, your books are still helping those who have remained.” A heartfelt letter to the Queen of Crime: news.lettersofnote.com/p/your-books...

On this day in 1913, Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote to a grieving friend. news.lettersofnote.com/p/his-life-h...

this this this... a beautiful letter from sol lewitt to eva hesse, written 60 years ago today ~ DO ~ (via @lettersofnote.com

Mrs. Slob of 1961 news.lettersofnote.com/p/mrs-slob-o...

IT WAS A BUSY YEAR AND THEN IT WASNT news.lettersofnote.com/p/it-was-a-b...

Magnificent letterhead once used by Bob Kane, co-creator of Batman www.letterheady.com/p/bob-kane

ELEVEN REASONS TO USE A TYPEWRITER, by Tom Hanks www.listsofnote.com/p/eleven-rea...

"I don’t know why people disturb me so much — They make me feel like a hobbled horse." Letters of solitude: news.lettersofnote.com/p/there-is-n...

"I don’t know so well what I think until I see what I say." The Letters of Flannery O'Connor: news.lettersofnote.com/p/i-dont-kno...

Magnificent stationery once used by Chuck Jones, co-creator of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner www.letterheady.com/p/chuck-jones

Hand-drawn letterhead used by French mime Marcel Marceau www.letterheady.com/p/marcel-mar...

He is the worst specimen I have met in 30 years’ service news.lettersofnote.com/p/he-is-the-...

Spring is an explosion news.lettersofnote.com/p/spring-is-...

"Most of your life will happen in the gray spaces between bliss and heartbreak." news.lettersofnote.com/p/most-of-yo...

Terrahawks www.letterheady.com/p/terrahawks

On this day in 1941. (From the book, 'Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera' by Gerry Souter)

"I will make an infinite number of items for attack and defence." —Leonardo da Vinci applies for a job: news.lettersofnote.com/p/i-will-mak...

Al Hirschfeld, 1962 www.letterheady.com/p/al-hirschf...

“Try never get drunk outside yr own house.” —Jack Kerouac’s list of essentials: www.listsofnote.com/p/belief-and...

Letterhead and envelope used by Bill Watterson when responding to fan mail: www.letterheady.com/p/bill-watte...

Quite a flex from Nikola Tesla. www.letterheady.com/p/nikola-tes...

The birds is coming! news.lettersofnote.com/p/the-birds-...

A personal favourite. Harpo Marx’s letterhead: www.letterheady.com/p/harpo-marx

"No, no, no, sir! A thousand times no!" A quite brutal letter from Manuela Sáenz: news.lettersofnote.com/p/no-no-no-s...

The unforgettable letterhead of John Cliff & Associates, 1979: www.letterheady.com/p/john-cliff...

On this day in 1933.

"I did not answer that question, for I have no doubt that sooner or later they will find their way, free of charge." —From Sendak's book, 'Caldecott & Co.: Notes on Books and Pictures'

A note David Lynch sent to his parents in 1977, the year Eraserhead was unleashed on the public. (From the excellent book, 'Room to Dream' – by David Lynch and Kristine McKenna. Published in 2018.)

On this day in 1972, John Cheever was going through it.

Letter printed in The Times, 1st Jan 2025.

Happy birthday to this unimprovable bunch of words.

"If you give in, nothing can help you."

Happy New Year!

Virginia Woolf on this day in 1932.

On this day in 1949. (From 'Edith Sitwell: Selected Letters 1919-1964'.)

All other pieces of writing advice can stand down. We have a winner.

This is glorious. And the video footage of her being told about the Nobel Prize is so exquisitely British, it feels like it's been directed by Mike Leigh. I'm off to read some of Doris Lessing's works immediately!

“Dame of what?” On this day in 1992, Doris Lessing turned down a damehood by letter: news.lettersofnote.com/p/dame-of-what

“Any better ideas?”