47 - A book told entirely through letters

[L Y N N]

A book told entirely through letters

Oooohhh...an epistolary novel! I am always fascinated by these. It seems to me that a person may indeed reveal way more intimate details via written correspondence than perhaps they would in person, or perhaps just different details than if the two people were speaking face-to-face!

One of my favorites that I would highly recommend is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer. I loved the book and still have not yet watched the movie adaptation.

Some lists that might help:
Epistolary Young Adult Novels
Epistolary Horror
Christian Epistolary Books (Fiction and non-fiction)
Epistolary Lesbians
Queer Epistolary Fiction
Children's Epistolary Historical Fiction
Epistolary Romance
Epistolary Fiction
Epistolary Novels
Letters To And From: Fan Mail, Hate Mail, Love Letters, Communique & Correspondence (Non-Fiction)
Women's Correspondence - Letters in History
Best Books of Letters (Non-Fiction)



Listopia: A book told entirely through letters

[Brandon]

I love epistolary books, but I also have a massive cheat for this prompt. If there are no pictures, then it is the letters that make up the words that are telling the story. Almost any novel or poetry collection could qualify for this.

[Nadine in NY]

Brandon wrote: "I love epistolary books, but I also have a massive cheat for this prompt. If there are no pictures, then it is the letters that make up the words that are telling the story. Almost any novel or poe..."


LOL!!!

[Nadine in NY]

Since "epistolary" can include diary entries, I'm checking. Do the following books count?

Griffin & Sabine
Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot
The Boy Next Door
The Flat Share

[Britany]

LOVE this prompt, added a few to the list that are on my TBR:

The Correspondent
Love & Saffron
A Letter to the Luminous Deep
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 1

[poshpenny]

I'm not a big re-reader but I've been thinking about reading Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters again recently and this would be perfect

[Dubhease]

Someone added Dracula by mistake. It's epistolary, but most of it is diaries. There are some newspaper reports. There are letters, but it's certainly not told entirely through letters.

[Nadine in NY]

poshpenny wrote: "I'm not a big re-reader but I've been thinking about reading Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters again recently and this would be perfect

Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Lette..."



The first thing I did when I saw this prompt was to check and see if he'd written anything else like that! (looks like: no?)

[Laura Ruth]

The Color Purple springs to mind.

I've been checking out the authors mentioned in Jane Austen's Bookshelf, and Frances Burney's Evelina or the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World was a delight - I could definitely see how she influenced Austen. I'm going to read Maria Edgeworth's Leonora.

There's also Pamela, but honestly I hated it. The whole second half is the couple paying each other compliments and regaling friends with their meet-cute (he held her hostage). The only reason to read it is to properly appreciate the parodies, Joseph Andrews and Shamela (Oxford World's Classics) by Henry Fielding

[Laura Ruth]

Almost forgot Les Liasons Dangereuses Dangerous Acquaintances .

[Laura Ruth]

Also, 84, Charing Cross Road, a WW2-era conversation about books.

I think Austen's Lady Susan qualifies.

And for SF fans, This Is How You Lose the Time War.

[Bluebelle-the-Inquisitive (Catherine)]

Laura Ruth wrote: "Also, 84, Charing Cross Road, a WW2-era conversation about books.

I think Austen's Lady Susan qualifies.

And for SF fans, [book:This Is How You Lose the Time War|433529..."

Omg yes! I fully recommend This Is How You Lose the Time War. It's a fantastic book.

[Bluebelle-the-Inquisitive (Catherine)]

For romance readers I suggest Thank You for Listening it's not entirely an epistolary novel but it's a pretty good cheat.
Dear Aaron is another I enjoyed
I like epistolary as a style but I know it can be off-putting.

[Ruth]

This Is How You Lose the Time War is a book I've been excited to read and never quite get to, so I'm definitely down to hold off at least a couple months so it'll count toward this one.

[poshpenny]

Nadine in NY wrote: "The first thing I did when I saw this prompt was to check and see if he'd written anything else like that! (looks like: no?)"

We could only be so lucky!


Address Unknown is very short but really packs a punch

[LeahS]

I recommend Meet Me at the Museum

[Sasha]

I'm not a big fan of epistolary fiction, but I had a non-fiction book on my TBR that consists entirely of letters, Briefe an einen jungen Dichter (Letters to a Young Poet). I love Rilke's poetry, so it will be interesting to read something different from him.

[Ellie]

Does anyone know if the sequel to A Letter to the Luminous Deep is also epistolary? I didn't love the writing style but I am vaguely intrigued to know what happens next...

[Joanna G]

Add me to the fans list for This Is How You Lose the Time War. I'd absolutely recommend it for this prompt, or novella.

[Jennifer W]

I only ever got a few chapters in, but The Turn of the Key started as letters. Does it remain that way? I'm honestly not a huge fan of this style.

[Acidic Quagga]

I think World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks might fit this category? I haven't read it yet, but my understanding is it's told in letters and journal entries and the like. I'll be reading this one if that turns out to be the case.

[Chelsea]

Ellie wrote: "Does anyone know if the sequel to A Letter to the Luminous Deep is also epistolary? I didn't love the writing style but I am vaguely intrigued to know what happens next..."

It is. I didn't enjoy it, but it does fit.

[Dubhease]

Jennifer W wrote: "I only ever got a few chapters in, but The Turn of the Key started as letters. Does it remain that way? I'm honestly not a huge fan of this style."

The vast, vast majority is told as a flash back through a letter. There is some framing in the very beginning and end, but I would count it here.

[Jennifer W]

Awesome! Thanks a bunch!

[Stina]

It's pretty obscure, but The Fabulous Saga of Alexander Botts and the Earthworm Tractor is a really fun read, composed of the wacky correspondence between an unusual salesman and his corporate bosses.

[blueberry_wee]

Daddy-Long-Legs - also takes place at college

P.S. Longer Letter Later - middle grade that is entirely of made of letters between 2 best friends after one moves away.

To Night Owl from Dogfish - I haven’t read this but I heard it’s a Parent Trap retelling. I think it is all made up of letters.

[Jennifer]

I think I’m going with this one that I just bought



I highly recommend Janice Hallett’s books, I think almost all of them fit this prompt.

[Ellen]

I am going to read by Heather Fawcett.

[Denise]

Nadine in NY wrote: "Since "epistolary" can include diary entries, I'm checking. Do the following books count?

Griffin & Sabine
Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot
[book:The Bo..."

Technically speaking, no The Flat Share doesn't count. I don't remember it being told in diary entries, though I could be wrong. If you want to bend the definition a bit it's a very cute book that I recommend. The two communicate via writing on post-it notes a lot.

It could also work for "A book about new beginnings" since of course she moves in near the start of the book.

[Denise]

I'm going with 84, Charing Cross Road.

[Theresa]

@Nadine:

The prompt specifies letters - so it has to be letters not diaries but I would count postcards as letters, note cards too. My recollection is that Griffin and Sabine are postcards --images play a big part - I have the full set of books here -- can look.

I would also count books that are told by emails/texts --- those are today's electronic letters. I've read one or two in last 18 months or so. Will try to add them. A couple off the top of my head:

Letters from Father Christmas
Frankenstein: The 1818 Text
Daddy-Long-Legs

A few years ago they had the broader prompt of 'epistolary'. That's partly why I think this really means letters and not the broader category that includes diary.

[Nadine in NY]

Theresa wrote: "@Nadine:

The prompt specifies letters - so it has to be letters not diaries but I would count postcards as letters, note cards too. My recollection is that Griffin and Sabine are postcards --image..."



Yes I'm aware of the distinction which is why I was worried - I found those books on "epistolary" lists and didn't know if they'd work for this or not! I've penciled in The Boy Next Door for me, I'm PRETTY SURE that's told in emails. (Please someone correct me if I'm wrong!)