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263rd out of 309 books
—
157 voters
Letters for Emily
by
Camron Wright (Goodreads Author)
Life has a strange way of repeating itself, and I want my experience to help you. My hope is that you'll consider my words and remember my heart.... LETTERS FOR EMILY
Harry Whitney is dying. He has Alzheimer's disease, and he knows his "good" time is dwindling. So he compiles a book of poems for his beloved granddaughter, Emily, hoping that his words of hard-won wisdom will...more
Harry Whitney is dying. He has Alzheimer's disease, and he knows his "good" time is dwindling. So he compiles a book of poems for his beloved granddaughter, Emily, hoping that his words of hard-won wisdom will...more
Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages
Published
July 25th 2006
by Pocket Star
(first published 2001)
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An intricate story based on the writings of a real grandfather in a losing battle with age and Alzheimer's. In the story, Harry has written letters to his granddaughter Emily by writing poems with secret codes to unlock the letters about life, love, family history, and more. And while Emily's parents, Harry's son and daughter-in-law are treading water as they contemplate divorce, Harry passes and the letters and mystery surrounding his life are discovered.
The opening of the book is haunting and...more
The opening of the book is haunting and...more
Der Titel des Buches und das Aussehen täuschen echt sehr: Zuerst dachte ich, gut, das ist sicher so ein Liebesroman, ohne richtigen Inhalt. Zum Glüpck bin ich ein Riesenfan von Briefromanen und so musste das Buch trotzdem mit.
Umso überraschter war ich, als ich zu lesen begann. Das Buch beginnt mit einer bewegenden Erzählung von Harry, der Alzheimer hat. Ab da war ich gefesselt.
Denn sein auftreten nach dem Prolog steht im gegensatz dazu. Er wirkt verrückt und zerstreut, wenn Laura ihn mit ihrer...more
Umso überraschter war ich, als ich zu lesen begann. Das Buch beginnt mit einer bewegenden Erzählung von Harry, der Alzheimer hat. Ab da war ich gefesselt.
Denn sein auftreten nach dem Prolog steht im gegensatz dazu. Er wirkt verrückt und zerstreut, wenn Laura ihn mit ihrer...more
Today I finished reading ” Letters for Emily”. It was very inspiring story and I really enjoyed reading it.
The story is like that an old man called Harry has a granddaughter whose name is Emily. Harry and Emily are best friends. Harry is suffering from Alzheimer’s diseases right now, so he has an idea that he wants to write a bunch of letters to Emily until he forgets everything.
In his letters he teaches lessons about life, love, friendship or other important topics. However, his disease isn’t o...more
The story is like that an old man called Harry has a granddaughter whose name is Emily. Harry and Emily are best friends. Harry is suffering from Alzheimer’s diseases right now, so he has an idea that he wants to write a bunch of letters to Emily until he forgets everything.
In his letters he teaches lessons about life, love, friendship or other important topics. However, his disease isn’t o...more
The letters are written by a Grandfather with Alzheimers (ostensibly) to his granddaughter. Grandpa Harry wants to leave letters and poems behind so that people can know him for the man he was in life, and not the man he was as his mind and conduct were claimed by disease.
There are additional story lines relating to his relationships with his wife, his children, and between his children and their families, but I was most struck by two things: his desperation to be remembered with fondness, and n...more
There are additional story lines relating to his relationships with his wife, his children, and between his children and their families, but I was most struck by two things: his desperation to be remembered with fondness, and n...more
After reading Wednesday letters, I remembered that a friend had given me Letters for Emily, also by Camron Steve Wright. So, I dug it off my shelves and read it this weekend. It was a poignant read for me. I lived next door to the "real" Harry Wright when I was growing up (he did live on Lincoln Street in Midvale, and "Old Man Ross" did live across the street from him!). My father was the Wrights home teacher for years. Harry Wright was a dignified, gentle, warm man--as I remember him. Of course...more
I'm a sucker for books about letters (or even better -- written in letters), so I picked this up. And to my surprise, this turned out to be much better than I anticipated. Judging from the cover (I know, the cliche says I'm not supposed to, but I totally do), I thought this would be a little hokey and poorly written. What I found instead was a readable, clever story. I found myself rooting for Laura and Bob's rocky relationship and appreciating Harry for his efforts in communicating with his fam...more
I really enjoyed this book, and I would read it again, possibly buy it if I ever saw it for sale.
The premise of the book is a grandfather passes away, leaving behind a book of poems (three copies) for his descendants. Inside the poems are clues that lead to the passwords of protected documents on his computer. The documents are all letters to his granddaughter, Emily. (They are password protected from himself. He has Alzheimer's and doesn't want to accidentally delete them as he deteriorates.)
It...more
The premise of the book is a grandfather passes away, leaving behind a book of poems (three copies) for his descendants. Inside the poems are clues that lead to the passwords of protected documents on his computer. The documents are all letters to his granddaughter, Emily. (They are password protected from himself. He has Alzheimer's and doesn't want to accidentally delete them as he deteriorates.)
It...more
This was a sweet story about a grandfather's legacy to his family through the letters he left behind. I enjoyed the clues hidden in the letters and found it a clever device to move the story along.
This book made me want to write letters to everyone I left, of course I haven't gotten around to it quite yet.
This book made me want to write letters to everyone I left, of course I haven't gotten around to it quite yet.
What I didn't like about the book was that the couple was separated and struggling through the whole book. I did like the riddles and advice. Some of the advice from the grandpa was really good. My favorite was one of the old mule who fell into an abandoned well. The farmer decided he was as good as dead and started to bury him. The mule was confused and concerned about what was happening. He decided though to shake the dirt off his back and stomp it into the ground. He kept doing this and in ti...more
I really want to give this book a five star rating, and some parts of the book deserve it. I loved the letters and poems in this book! There are great life lessons to be had in each letter, and the poems are very clever and thought-provoking. I stayed up late finishing this quick and easy read.
I hesistate to give this book a higher rating for personal reasons. The main characters are in the middle of a separation with the possibility of divorce looming. Divorce in general just bothers me, so rea...more
I hesistate to give this book a higher rating for personal reasons. The main characters are in the middle of a separation with the possibility of divorce looming. Divorce in general just bothers me, so rea...more
An old man struggling with losing his mind writes letters to his granddaughter, Emily. Much more complicated than it seems as he hides clues in his poetry and sets up a treasure hunt. Humor and wisdom. Loved it.
Overall, I thought it was a nice story, but honestly I was bored by it. It was an easy read, and just when it seemed like we were going somewhere, the book ended. We got a little bit of insight about Alzheimer's and about depression, but it seemed both issues weren't utilized in the story or even researched well enough. Again, the end was just too quick and everything seemed to wrap up neatly. There was very little character development. The writing was mediocre. There was a nice message, and I...more
This is an awesome book based on a true story. The advice he gave his grandaughter is advice we all could use. Keep some tissues close!
Opens your eyes to depression and how it can destroy relationships. Touching tidbits of advice nestled in the grandfather's stories.
This book begins with what could be a depressing story-line. The main character is dying, with Alzheimer's disease. But the story takes an interesting turn when he leaves a book of poems and connected letters for his granddaughter, Emily. These are life messages that connect with both Emily and the adults in her life. Beautifully written and a joy to read. When I find something this hope-filled I can't help but recommend it. Our choices today are so negative, generally, and this is quite refresh...more
Beautiful story!
A dying man leaves his words of wisdom to the person that matters most to him in the world - his best friend and granddaughter Emily. At 7, she is a little young to understand all that the book of poems and puzzles means however it becomes obvious that some are not for her.
I love the stories woven into this book. It was a quick read for me and I loved every minute of it. Aside from the message of love and wisdom. It felt like the ultimate story was one of knowledge. More specific...more
A dying man leaves his words of wisdom to the person that matters most to him in the world - his best friend and granddaughter Emily. At 7, she is a little young to understand all that the book of poems and puzzles means however it becomes obvious that some are not for her.
I love the stories woven into this book. It was a quick read for me and I loved every minute of it. Aside from the message of love and wisdom. It felt like the ultimate story was one of knowledge. More specific...more
At first, I thought that this book would just be a trite rewriting of "The Notebook" except the letters would be to a granddaughter not to the loved one. But soon it turns into a puzzle book where complex emotions get worked out with the remaining living relatives. Emily, actually was not the main character in this novel. Her parents, who had a crumbling marriage, took front stage. I was glad in the end that Bob wasn't as horrible a person as the entire book made him out to be. The same I couldn...more
This was a very sweet book, and although I knew how it would turn out from the very beginning, the actual letters were sweet. I loved the connection between grandpa and granddaughter. I also loved the honesty about mental illness and alzheimers. It really caught me because my mom had it, so maybe my emotional connection was stronger than it might have been. Also, this was my mom's book, I got it quite a few years ago, even before she became ill and just got around to reading it because I ran out...more
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Harry Whitney hat Alzheimer. Nach seinem Tod finden sich verschlüsselte Briefe, die er an seine kleine Enkelin Emily geschrieben hat. Die Briefe verändern das Leben der ganzen Familie - und die verlorene Liebe kehrt zurück.
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"Atme tief durch, kühle den Wespenstich, wisch deine Tränen ab und setz ein Lächeln auf. WEnde dich wieder deinem Garten zu und erfreue dich an seiner Schönheit."
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+ gute Grundidee
+ schöne Briefe
- Familienstreit und Scheidung der Mutter steht teilweise zu sehr im Vordergru...more
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"Atme tief durch, kühle den Wespenstich, wisch deine Tränen ab und setz ein Lächeln auf. WEnde dich wieder deinem Garten zu und erfreue dich an seiner Schönheit."
---
+ gute Grundidee
+ schöne Briefe
- Familienstreit und Scheidung der Mutter steht teilweise zu sehr im Vordergru...more
For a year, I have been trying to figure out the name of this book. It suddenly just popped in my mind last night while watching a special on tv about this subject. I am so glad I remembered it finally. I read this book several summers ago and was really touched by it. This disease has affected my family personally. I watched my grandmother suffer. This book was just beautiful and heart-wrenching. I don't remember all the fine details at this point (maybe I will read it again) but I do remember...more
This was a very unique book about an old man who lives a lonely life and writes his life's lessons in letters to his granddaughter Emily. He writes them in poems and there are passwords hidden in each one that when typed into his computer, brings up a story of this man's life and what he learned. His son, who was never close to him learns about his Dad and learns lessons about relationships that eventually help heal his own marriage. The only thing that was disappointing was that there are some...more
"Harry Whitney is dying. And in the process, he's losing his mind. Afflicted with Alzheimer's disease, he knows his "good" time is dwindling. Wishing to be remembered as more than an ailing old man, Harry realizes the greatest gift he can pass on is the wisdom of his years, the jumbled mix of experiences and emotions that add up to a life. And so he compiles a book of his poems for his favorite granddaughter, Emily, in the hope that his words might somehow heal the tenuous relationships in a fam...more
Well this book certainly was the change I was looking for after Anna Karenina. I read the entire book in one day of just picking it up now and then as a break from something else I was doing. It's quick, light and easy, which leads me to a question I want to ask.
Do you review books you'd class as literature and this lighter kind of novel in the same way? I always struggle with that and would like to hear some of your opinions on it. It seems almost unfair to use the same criteria for a book like...more
Do you review books you'd class as literature and this lighter kind of novel in the same way? I always struggle with that and would like to hear some of your opinions on it. It seems almost unfair to use the same criteria for a book like...more
Such a poignant story. A story about a family on the verge of divorce and the relationship between a little girl,Emily, and her grandfather. When grandfather Harry passes. The family discovers a book of poems that Harry has written for Emily. However the poems have messages for everyone in the family.I loved the underlying messages in all of Harry's poems. Finding out the the book is based on the writer's grandfather and the gift of poems he wrote is extremely touching. What a great legacy to re...more
This book is about a grandfather who passes away and leaves a book of poems for his granddaughter, Emily. The poems are really riddles, and they contain the passwords to get into locked letters on his computer. As the families read the poems and letters, they feel they come to understand Harry, the grandfather, more, and solve some of the problems in their own lives.
"Letters for Emily" is a quick, easy read. It's a sweet story and worth reading. It's not one I would read over and over again, tho...more
"Letters for Emily" is a quick, easy read. It's a sweet story and worth reading. It's not one I would read over and over again, tho...more
A dying grandfather's advice to his family in the form of poems, which give clues to letters found on his computer. These are written to a grandaughter, but have things for all the family members that he was not able to tell them himself. The poems bugged me, but the letters were good and it had a nice, neat happy ending for those who love that. The author obviously wrote this because of some family letters he found, and encourages readers to look for similar ties to their family's past.
This was a cute book. As I was reading, I suspected that this guy might be from UT before I checked the back cover. It's a feel good. I really liked the book much better once the letters came to play. I liked that there was a personal basis for the author to write this book too. My favorite part of the book is definitely the letter where Harry describes how he met his wife. Very cute. My favorite character was actually Harry's wife...who is never actually in the book!
This is one of the few books that actually brought tears to my eyes, yet I could not put it down.
It is based on the authors letters from his grandfather. In the book an old man come to terms with his alzheimer's disease and decides to write letters to his granddaughter before he not able to. In doing so his family learns so much about him that they never knew.
I borrowed this book from the library, but I am going to buy a copy for my daughters to read.
It is based on the authors letters from his grandfather. In the book an old man come to terms with his alzheimer's disease and decides to write letters to his granddaughter before he not able to. In doing so his family learns so much about him that they never knew.
I borrowed this book from the library, but I am going to buy a copy for my daughters to read.
This was a fun book to read. A dying man spends his coherent times writing letters to one granddaughter. When he passes away, his kids find books of poems he has written, and each poem has a clue that becomes a password to open a file with yet another letter. The letters are a treasure to the granddaughter, but also to his two children, who discover things they never knew about their parents, and in the process, discover things about themselves and what love is.
Loved...loved...loved this short story! Couldn't put it down once I started it. Loved how the author used the letters from Grandpa to Emily to capture and maintain your interest. You had to keep reading in order to find out what words of wisdom he was going to impart to her next. It made me think of my Grandfather and how I wish I could have his words of wisdom to take with me through my life and then pass them on to my children. What an amazing gift!!
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Camron Wright was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has a master’s degree in Writing and Public Relations from Westminster College.
He has owned several successful retail stores, in addition to working with his wife in the fashion industry, designing for the McCall Pattern Company in New York.
He currently works in public relations, marketing and design.
Camron began writing to get out of...more
More about Camron Wright...
He has owned several successful retail stores, in addition to working with his wife in the fashion industry, designing for the McCall Pattern Company in New York.
He currently works in public relations, marketing and design.
Camron began writing to get out of...more
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