Letters to the Editor : Two Hundred Years in the Life of an American Town

by Tom Byrn, James Goode, Jerry Matheny

The voices of America's past and present live on in this timeless portrayal of small-town America, which, through two hundred years of letters to one town's newspapers, evokes the most memorable moments in our history and the passions they engendered. Since the days of the Founding Fathers, the citizens of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, have recorded their impressions of such dramatic events of national significance as the ratification of the Bill of Rights, the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, the rise of Andrew Carnegie, the assassinations of President John F. and Senator Robert Kennedy, and the Clarence Thomas hearings -- as well as their opinions on genuinely local concerns like building good schools and roads, seeing the sights at the Bloomsburg Fair, romantic intrigue in a trailer park, and finding a home for a lonely puppy. By turns hilarious and contemplative, here is a book so genuinely representative of the American experience that each page will bring memories of home and family, friends and neighbors, and our own hometowns sharply -- and honestly -- into focus. Beneath it all, Letters to the Editor is about how a community negotiates with itself, how it talks and how it listens.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

272 pages, Paperback

First published June 25, 1998

Reviews

[Sarah Gerdes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book I picked up on a trip to the East Coast about twenty years ago, and so glad I did. It was one of the books that kept (and still keeps) my creativity flowing. Why I love this book:
1) it's authentic. 4 men from a theatrical company compiled and selected 200 yrs worth of letters to the editor in the town of Bloomsberg, PA, a town I've never visited.
2) it represents so many perspectives that I felt transported to that point in time when the letters were written
3) it's hilarious. some of the petty, crappy and otherwise delightfully written letters (and call-in comments) are worth the price of purchase
4) I cried. Some letters were so heartbreakingly honest I just sat and wondered about the life of an individual.
Yes, this one influenced my writing, gave me ideas--many of which I'm still holding on to.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the concept of this book: a history of a town told entirely through letters to the editor of its local papers. The scope is intense, going back to the 1700s. I wish it had been a little better organized, and it makes me want to read a similar book set in my town! Or one with a wider scope that covers the whole country.

[Rie Sadler Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this collection of letters! It gives insight to not only things affecting this town over the decades, but also how thoughts and issues are common across the country and in many cases, repeat over decades. I have never lived in this area, but can totally relate to many things. It's a great little glimpse of history.