Yours Always

May 1, 2017

Reading love letters can offer a window into the minds of some of history's most well-known people, and it's the immediacy of these letters, argues freelance writer Bass, that serves as one of their main draws. Another huge draw? Angst. Using 26 different sets of brief selected correspondence, Bass compiles a collection that contextualizes the essence of longing. (Poet W.B. Yeats, physicist Marie Curie, and novelist Franz Kafka are all here, among many others.) The editorial notes at the start of each section are often longer than the letters themselves, as Bass's bibliography is meticulous. Yet readers may wish that she'd delved more deeply into fewer couples. The pairings are organized by their "resonances," so "Andre de Dienes to Marilyn Monroe" directly precedes "Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn," and it works. Notably affecting exchanges include "Rebecca West to H.G. Wells" and "Loretta Young to Spencer Tracy." Readers exploring the painful side of love will find much to appreciate. VERDICT The letters themselves tell part of each pairing's tale, but Bass makes sure the emotional punch hits home.--Audrey Snowden, Orrington P.L., ME

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