LOVE LETTERS

by Antonia--Ed. Fraser ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 19, 1977

This book consists of two parts. The first 216 pages contain Lady Antonia's selection of love letters exchanged by the famous--Heloise and Abelard, Henry VII and Anne Boleyn, James Joyce and his Nora--and a few by less wellknown suffering or ecstatic hearts; 26 pages at the end are devoted to ""Biographical Details."" This imbalance is a defect; almost no question a reader might ask is answered. Much more should be said, for instance, about Julie de l'Espinasse, the blue-stocking hostess of a renowned salon, than that she died of love for an obscure Frenchman named de Guibert. And poor old Anonymous, whose suicide note is published on page 122! he is not placed at all. The editor is perhaps not to be blamed, as the reference work is attributed to Rosemary Canter. Lady Antonia herself has simply rambled and browsed through many secondary works and selected the pieces that suit her self-imposed categories, as: ""Declarations,"" ""Pleas,"" ""Rejections,"" ""Fears and Worries,"" and thirteen more. Titillation will of course produce for this book an impressive sale, and, of course, many of the letters have great interest.

Pub Date: Oct. 19, 1977

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Knopf

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1977

Categories: NONFICTION