Customer Reviews

Other People's Love Letters: 150 Letters You Were Never Meant to See

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Finally, a way to read other people's love letters without betraying someone you know or risking getting caught, hurt, or overcome by guilt. But the pleasure isn't simply voyeuristic. These letters pull you into the world of the writer/recipient/lover/loved (It's the experience of reading novel, but with nicer graphics and way fewer words!), but also make you reflect on your own relationships, the things you do and don't express, the complex range of feelings you have all at once, the way feelings change over time ... They run the gamut from tear-jerking to shocking to laugh-out-loud funny and represent a range of relationships at all the different stages--which makes reading them not only illuminating but also reassuring: All these people, old and young, effusive and reticent, articulate and, um, less so have experienced the intense highs and lows of new love, unrequited love, lustful love, lost love, etc. and survived (at least enough to have contributed a letter to this book). Bottom line: great read, excellent gift.

Other People's Love Letters by Bill Shapiro is a fascinating peek into love: its beginnings and endings, and the twisted path between. Shapiro, whose website has many more of these letters, asked his friends and exs for old love letters. They, in turn, asked others giving Shapiro a huge range of letters to choose from in making this book. From sweet text messages, to post divorce rants, these letters are enjoyable and insightful. It's amazing how similar letters written in the first throes of love are: you're amazing; I can't live without you. But Shapiro tried to pick letters that said something deeper and love and the human condition. It's not a book you want to read in one sitting; reading too many back to back makes them lose their potency. But taken in small doses, it's a great way to remember how good love feels in the beginning and how sweet it can be after many years. Some of my favorite letters were the ones written by married couples several years in. Shapiro includes a short epilogue with brief stories about some of the couples who wrote the letters. Reading these made the letters even more powerful, especially the one from a husband serving in Vietnam in 1969. A great read, perfect as a Valentine's Day gift; give it with your own love letter!

I really enjoy this book. There is something both sweet and scandalous about the idea of reading snippets of other peoples' love letters. Each time I pick it up I find something new that I hadn't noticed the last time I read it. The imagination whirls wondering about the writers and the recipients. It's the perfect Valentines Day!

I thought this was a great book...however, it's not "juicy" love letters like you would expect, but more unique love letters. In some instances, you only get to see a portion of the letter instead of seeing it in it's entirety, and in other portions the letters you are reading aren't at all about love. Either way, I am a big fan of "Found" and "PostSecret" and I think this book is right up there with them and hope to see more editions.

Accidentially on purpose, Bill Shapiro read a love letter left on his girlfriends counter, not once, but three times. Thus began his collecting of love letters. Not your usual collection of letters, not always the undying love type, these letters will make you laugh, cry and at times make you glad that crazy obsessed stalker like people have found others to write to.

At the end you will find a post script to some of these letters that will warm you heart all over again. Designed in very much the same way as the Post Secret Books, this is a great gift to share with your friends.

I bought this as a gift for a friend, but after browsing through it, was quite tempted to steal it back from her. There are some really adorable heart-warming notes, & some notes of love gone awry. Not just a book for the romantic, but for the skeptic too--some discourage and show love's pitfalls, but also many leave you terribly optimistic. I highly recommend it.

i got this book for valentine's day and i found it really interesting. the best part is the descriptions at the end of what happened with the people who wrote and received the letters.

I called every bookstore the day Bill Shapiros novel came out to see how many copies they had in stock. I then bought it for everyone on my Christmas list. Not one person was dissappointed. Each read it in one sitting and could read it over and over again! I hope he comes out with many volumes of this because it is such a silent pleasure to be able to experience the romance, the loss and the heartbreaks of other peoples love lives.

bought this for my daughter's bday and i enclosed my personal love letter to my daughter. she was really moved by it and i hope that she will cherish this book even after im gone

I thought that this was going to be pretty cheesy, but it's now one of my favorite books to pick up when I have some time to spare. The letters are all very original and none of the stereotypical stuff. It's an interesting read. I'd recommend it.