The Art of the Handwritten Note : A Guide to Reclaiming Civilized Communication

Rating:
Summary: paean to letterwriting, but don't trust the etiquette advice
Review: Average five stars and one star, and you get three stars. If you've heard of delectable cookbooks being referred to as "food porn," you'll understand why I might refer to the first four chapters of The Art of the Handwritten Note as "stationery porn." Shepherd describes beautifully why and how to handwrite a variety of notes and letters. I've written hundreds myself and can vouch for the soundness of her advice. And I love reading different authors on the beauties of pens and papers, as I am one of those addicts.

However, in Chapter Five, "Opportunities to Write the Note That Counts," she goes seriously astray in discussing the etiquette of letter writing. She presents her own preferences as etiquette rules, when they certainly aren't. For instance, one does not need to write thank-you letters when gifts are exchanged in person, though it is a nice touch. And one sample shows a thank-you letter for a baby shower gift signed by - ugh! - the baby. The text contradicts this sample letter, saying "You write these as the parent, acknowledging your gratitude for gifts given to your children, until the children learn to write for themselves," but the lack of captions for the sample letters makes one wonder if this was supposed to be an example of misguided cuteness. But then she says you can phone or email these thanks instead. No, no, no!

And a "printed card in the mail or an announcement in the newspaper" to respond to condolence notes? Hardly! She even allows "frank" responses to gifts one doesn't like, suggesting that you may ask the giver to exchange it for you - WHAT IS SHE THINKING??

"Dear Lytton, I already own the volume of Miss Eden's letters which you so kindly sent, but perhaps you could exchange it for a copy of `The Princesse de Cléves,' which I do not yet have. Yrs., Virginia" -- Oh yes, your family and friends are just going to love getting THOSE sort of letters.

However, at the end there are some (intentionally) funny lists of "do's" and "don't's" for such categories as breakup notes and notes requesting help. In the phrases to use and avoid in fan letters, for example, she sagely advises the letter writer to say, "I have every one of your books," but don't say, "I bought your book for a dollar from a store that sells rejects."

This could have stayed a five-star book if the author had researched the etiquette of correspondence. Nobody but Miss Manners gets to just "make stuff up," and even Miss Manners uses that right sparingly. What one feels is natural and right may not always coincide with what one should do correctly, and I do wish the author had taken the time to learn the difference.

Rating:
Summary: paean to letterwriting, but don't trust the etiquette advice
Review: Average five stars and one star, and you get three stars. If you've heard of delectable cookbooks being referred to as "food porn," you'll understand why I might refer to the first four chapters of The Art of the Handwritten Note as "stationery porn." Shepherd describes beautifully why and how to handwrite a variety of notes and letters. I've written hundreds myself and can vouch for the soundness of her advice. And I love reading different authors on the beauties of pens and papers, as I am one of those addicts.

However, in Chapter Five, "Opportunities to Write the Note That Counts," she goes seriously astray in discussing the etiquette of letter writing. She presents her own preferences as etiquette rules, when they certainly aren't. For instance, one does not need to write thank-you letters when gifts are exchanged in person, though it is a nice touch. And one sample shows a thank-you letter for a baby shower gift signed by - ugh! - the baby. The text contradicts this sample letter, saying "You write these as the parent, acknowledging your gratitude for gifts given to your children, until the children learn to write for themselves," but the lack of captions for the sample letters makes one wonder if this was supposed to be an example of misguided cuteness. But then she says you can phone or email these thanks instead. No, no, no!

And a "printed card in the mail or an announcement in the newspaper" to respond to condolence notes? Hardly! She even allows "frank" responses to gifts one doesn't like, suggesting that you may ask the giver to exchange it for you - WHAT IS SHE THINKING??

"Dear Lytton, I already own the volume of Miss Eden's letters which you so kindly sent, but perhaps you could exchange it for a copy of 'The Princesse de Cléves,' which I do not yet have. Yrs., Virginia" -- Oh yes, your family and friends are just going to love getting THOSE sort of letters.

However, at the end there are some (intentionally) funny lists of "do's" and "don't's" for such categories as breakup notes and notes requesting help. In the phrases to use and avoid in fan letters, for example, she sagely advises the letter writer to say, "I have every one of your books," but don't say, "I bought your book for a dollar from a store that sells rejects."

This could have stayed a five-star book if the author had researched the etiquette of correspondence. Nobody but Miss Manners gets to just "make stuff up," and even Miss Manners uses that right sparingly. What one feels is natural and right may not always coincide with what one should do correctly, and I do wish the author had taken the time to learn the difference.

Rating:
Summary: I loved this book!
Review: I really enjoyed this book & it has been helpful in starting me to write NOTES. I guess I thought that you had to fill up a whole page with "something". It is a lot easier to write a short amount on some nice note paper. Not as frightening as a full size sheet of paper.
I had just finished the book, when I had to write a condolence note & a welcoming note to my daughter's mother-in-law before she came to the US for a visit. The book was a big help.
I gave to all my kids for Christmas.

KM

Rating:
Summary: I loved this book!
Review: I received this book for Christmas and it is excellent. Combined with "The Handcrafted Letter" it has inspired me to take up writing to my friends and relatives.

I plan on buying a copy of "The Art of the Handwritten Note" for all of my nieces and nephews who have yet to learn the necessity of a thank you note.

Rating:
Summary: Necessary and Informative
Review: I received this book for Christmas and it is excellent. Combined with "The Handcrafted Letter" it has inspired me to take up writing to my friends and relatives.

I plan on buying a copy of "The Art of the Handwritten Note" for all of my nieces and nephews who have yet to learn the necessity of a thank you note.

Rating:
Summary: Inspired me to write again
Review: What a pleasant and useful little book this is! I heard the author on National Public Radio and she was extremely interesting to listen to, and she took calls from people all around the country who are still writing notes and letters to each other and keeping the spirit of humanity and kindness alive in the process. It was a heartening show that led me to ordering this book from Amazon.com.

The book starts off by listing basically every known excuse we have as a society about why we don't take pen in hand and write to each other, be it letters or thank you notes, and then gives us the excuses we need to break those bad habits of not communicating with our fellow colleagues with personal handwritten thoughts.

The book gives you all of the help you might need to get your note writing back in shape and off the ground. Tips on rescuing handwriting, advice on writing utensils and types of paper to use, ideas on managing your time in order to have time to write, and a whole section on appropriate language and basic etiquette for notes in basically every important social situation you might come across.

The Art of the Handwritten Note is an invaluable resource in our era of continuing technological isolation.

Rating:
Summary: A much needed book for today
Review: When I first heard of the existence of this book, I immediately ordered it. It turned out to be both inspiring and instructional (practical).

First, it gives you many reasons why it is so important to make the effort to send handwritten notes and how valuable they are to the recipient. It inspires you to go sell all you have and get some nice stationery and start sending notes to everyone.

It also goes over the practical aspects of note writing from the different kinds of writing instruments and stationery available, to penmanship lessons (there are tips to show you how you can refine your handwriting, repair it, or rescue it if it is really bad!). It gives examples for constructing various types of notes (useful formulas, and what to avoid) so your notes will most effective and classy.

There are many photos and facsimiles of actual handwritten notes including some by past presidents.

It is the kind of book you will want to loan out to a friend after you are finished.