Letters of Note: New York City

by Shaun Usher

An exciting new volume of letters about the Capital of the World--from George Washington, Kahlil Gibran, Audrey Hepburn, Martin Scorsese, and more--from the author of the bestselling Letters of Note collections

Peter Schagen writes to the Dutch West India Company about the purchase of "Manhattes." Mayor Ambrose Kingsland urges the city council to create what became Central Park. E. B. White bemoans taxi cab design to Harold Ross, cofounder of The New Yorker. Bianca Jagger sets the record straight about that white horse in Studio 54. New York City goes by many names--Gotham, Empire City, the City That Never Sleeps--and once served as the capital of America. It came together as we know it in 1898 and has become one of the world's most powerful, most important megacities, shaping art, culture, finance, and media across the globe. This iconic collection of thirty letters smartly explores the history of life in the five boroughs. You'll need more than a New York minute to enjoy it all.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, History, New York

Audible Audio

Published November 2, 2021

About the author

Shaun Usher is a writer, editor, and compulsive collector of remarkable words. He is the author of Letters of Note, an international bestseller that began life as a blog and grew into a celebrated series of books and inspired the live stage show Letters Live, which he has co-produced since 2013. He has published 16 books so far, covering everything from love and grief to music, dogs, and outer space, and in October 2025 will release his 17th, Diaries of Note: 366 Lives, One Day at a Time, a curated journey through a year’s worth of diary entries from history. He lives in Manchester with his wife, Karina, and their three children.

Reviews

[Erin Liang · Rating 3 out of 5]

dbq vibes

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letters of Note: New York is a fascinating compilation of letters written to/from famous people referencing New York in some way.

This book really impressed me:

I laughed out loud at the letter from Andy Warhol’s landlord, and Fred Allen’s account of his disastrous ‘5 accidents in 2 minutes”.

I was powerfully moved by Saum Song Bo’s letter about the ostracising of Chinese people in New York, and Helen Keller’s account of what she saw and heard from atop the Empire State Building.

I was blown away with what I learned in the eyewitness account of the Stonewall Riots, and the letter from the Mayor of New York proposing the city needed a large central park worthy of the city’s status.

This book is part of a series, and I will definitely be purchasing others as this compilation was truly fascinating.

The only reason I knocked off a star from my rating is because, being from England, there were a lot of references (usually historical famous people) that I didn’t recognise within the book. I generally felt more engaged reading letters to/from people I knew about, or referencing events/places I was familiar with.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Libro.Fm for this audiobook ARC.

I love letters. I write letters to my best friends, and love epistolary novels. So when I saw that there are collections of letters on various topics (in this case all about New York City) I was interested.

The letters are by various people- some famous, others not. If you listen to the audiobook, they are read by several different narrators, including people like Stephen Fry. I really enjoyed this collection. I think one of my favorites is about a woman who is scathing about the American people she sees as untidy and unattractive. She's awful, but I couldn't help but laugh. There is also a letter from the mayor of NYC pleading for Yoko Ono and John Lennon to be allowed to stay in the US, and other from Helen Keller describing the Empire State Building.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a treat! It definitely helps to have spent time in NYC to fully appreciate this compilation of letters between and about famous people, all with a NYC connection. It's really about NYC, the city, the attitude, the foibles. Usher has curated a collection that touches both the well known and the not so much- Andy Warhol's landlord, the Stonewall riots, Central Park and so on. This is perfect to keep on the night table or elsewhere to read one or two at a time (it's a very slim volume). You, like me, might find yourself doing a tad more research about a person or place. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. It made me smile.

[Marilu · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I could say is that each section has a side of NYC that has given my city a fresh vibe, but also a city that I know, hate sometimes, and love with all my heart, A fantastic compilation!

Many thanks to the author and to NetGalley for my arc for my honest opinion.I just reviewed Letters of Note: New York City by Shaun Usher. #LettersofNoteNewYorkCity #NetGalley

[Tracett · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Covid afoot, I don't know when I'll be back in New York City again. This read was a reminder of what I'm missing now, and what I missed from not living in many decades past as NYC grew and further developed its soul.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small insight into how others have views the city in the past. It was a quick easy read!

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great concept with quality narrators, but it didn't quite impress like I hoped it would. Maybe my expectations were too high?

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were way too many letters by men and white people in here, but I will say the couple of letters by women were wildly funny and interesting. I truly am a sucker for anything epistolary.

[Gopal Sadagopal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful collection of letters.

[Emily Mellow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting enough, and some of the letters were really amazing
I think I'd appreciate it more if I'd ever been to NYC

[Kronprinz Willi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shaun Usher - Letters of Note: New York City - 2020

Such an amazing compilation of 29 letters about NYC! I felt like a stalker reading the letters of strangers... I love you, NYC!

[Polen Türkmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letters from personalities across history and modernity connected to New York.
To note: Dylan Thomas, Alexis de Tocqueville, Rebecca West, Ralph Ellison.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uma jornada tecida por palavras que desenham Nova York em cada linha. Cartas que ressussitam história, política, amor e cultura da cidade que nunca dorme. Caminhei pelos sonhos do Strawberry Fields e toquei o céu no topo do Empire State. E esta é minha dedicatória à cidade que sempre será minha.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shaun Usher's Letters of Note: New York City is an collection of correspondences that each capture something about the spirit, history, and/or character of the city, through the words of those who have lived in or been inspired by it. The letters range from heartfelt personal notes to historical documents, showcasing a variety of voices, including the original proposal for Central Park from an early Mayor, an inspiring account from Hellen Keller of what she could 'se and hear' from atop the Empire Statement, a humorous note from Andy Warhol's landlord politely reminding him that parties are in breach of his tenancy agreement, and many more besides.

It's a fairly simple book, that you could comfortably read all in one or take your time with and work through one letter at a time. However you choose to read it, you'll no doubt appreciate the range of perspectives and emotions that make this an interesting and engaging read. I'd like to see the same format replicated for other main cities too, as it was a novel but worthwhile way of learning some history and culture. 7/10

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible concept- beautiful moments. I think it would have been five stars for me if I had been to New York.