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Marcel's Letters: A Font and the Search for One Man's Fate
A graphic designer’s search for inspiration leads to a cache of letters and the mystery of one man’s fate during World War II.
Seeking inspiration for a new font design in an antique store in small-town Stillwater, Minnesota, graphic designer Carolyn Porter stumbled across a bundle of letters and was immediately drawn to their beautifully expressive pen-and-ink handwriting. She could not read the letters—they were in French—but she noticed all of them had been signed by a man named Marcel and mailed from Berlin to his family in France during the middle of World War II.
As Carolyn grappled with designing the font, she decided to have one of Marcel’s letters translated. Reading it opened a portal to a different time, and what began as mere curiosity quickly became an obsession with finding out why the letter writer, Marcel Heuzé, had been in Berlin, how his letters came to be on sale in a store halfway around the world, and, most importantly, whether he ever returned to his beloved wife and daughters after the war.
Marcel’s Letters is the incredible story of Carolyn’s increasingly desperate search to uncover the mystery of one man’s fate during WWII, seeking answers across Germany, France, and the United States. Simultaneously, she continues to work on what would become the acclaimed P22 Marcel font, immortalizing the man and his letters that waited almost seventy years to be reunited with his family.
Seeking inspiration for a new font design in an antique store in small-town Stillwater, Minnesota, graphic designer Carolyn Porter stumbled across a bundle of letters and was immediately drawn to their beautifully expressive pen-and-ink handwriting. She could not read the letters—they were in French—but she noticed all of them had been signed by a man named Marcel and mailed from Berlin to his family in France during the middle of World War II.
As Carolyn grappled with designing the font, she decided to have one of Marcel’s letters translated. Reading it opened a portal to a different time, and what began as mere curiosity quickly became an obsession with finding out why the letter writer, Marcel Heuzé, had been in Berlin, how his letters came to be on sale in a store halfway around the world, and, most importantly, whether he ever returned to his beloved wife and daughters after the war.
Marcel’s Letters is the incredible story of Carolyn’s increasingly desperate search to uncover the mystery of one man’s fate during WWII, seeking answers across Germany, France, and the United States. Simultaneously, she continues to work on what would become the acclaimed P22 Marcel font, immortalizing the man and his letters that waited almost seventy years to be reunited with his family.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2017
294 people are currently reading
1615 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Porter
1 book42 followersCarolyn Porter is a graphic designer, typography geek, and founder of the graphic design company Porterfolio. She designed the font P22 Marcel Script, which garnered five awards, including the prestigious Certificate of Typographic Excellence from the New York Type Director’s Club. She lives in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.
Note: As of June 2018, I have decided to only star/review books that, in my opinion, are five-star books. I am doing this in an effort to promote positivity.
Note: As of June 2018, I have decided to only star/review books that, in my opinion, are five-star books. I am doing this in an effort to promote positivity.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews
January 18, 2018
The story Carolyn weaves of her discovery and subsequent path tracing Marcel's letters back to their roots is an interesting account, no doubt, but I had an incredibly hard time getting through this book.
As an avid reader, graphic designer, and font lover, I thought it would be right up my alley (with an interesting story to boot) but I couldn't shake the consistent feeling that in her "re-telling" of this journey she over-exaggerated nearly everything in an attempt to turn this into a more memorable account than it actually was. As a result, the writing came off as banal and cliche, and every little misstep or success seemed to necessitate her shedding tears of joy, tears of pain, or someone else tearing up. It was like an awful soap opera writer was given the premise of this story and asked to turn it into a book.
Quite simply, I think Carolyn had a great story on her hands here, but ruined it by insisting on interjecting her own unnecessarily over-amplified emotional trauma for the sake of attempting to spice things up. If she had told this in a more matter-of-fact pattern, and let the intrigues of the story itself rule the narrative, I think this would have been a wonderful piece (at about half the length, too).
Overall, this was a disappointing read, doubly so because it had so much potential. I simply can't understand the glowing reviews on here, and if this book hadn't come highly recommended to me, I wouldn't have bothered finishing it. Someone else with similar sentiments suggested this would have been an excellent magazine piece, and I'm inclined to agree as I found the book dragged on and on - remove all the exaggerated emotional trauma, and you're left with an interesting (though not quite as miraculous of a story as Carolyn tries to paint) of someone with slightly above-average determination doing some interesting historical research.
As an avid reader, graphic designer, and font lover, I thought it would be right up my alley (with an interesting story to boot) but I couldn't shake the consistent feeling that in her "re-telling" of this journey she over-exaggerated nearly everything in an attempt to turn this into a more memorable account than it actually was. As a result, the writing came off as banal and cliche, and every little misstep or success seemed to necessitate her shedding tears of joy, tears of pain, or someone else tearing up. It was like an awful soap opera writer was given the premise of this story and asked to turn it into a book.
Quite simply, I think Carolyn had a great story on her hands here, but ruined it by insisting on interjecting her own unnecessarily over-amplified emotional trauma for the sake of attempting to spice things up. If she had told this in a more matter-of-fact pattern, and let the intrigues of the story itself rule the narrative, I think this would have been a wonderful piece (at about half the length, too).
Overall, this was a disappointing read, doubly so because it had so much potential. I simply can't understand the glowing reviews on here, and if this book hadn't come highly recommended to me, I wouldn't have bothered finishing it. Someone else with similar sentiments suggested this would have been an excellent magazine piece, and I'm inclined to agree as I found the book dragged on and on - remove all the exaggerated emotional trauma, and you're left with an interesting (though not quite as miraculous of a story as Carolyn tries to paint) of someone with slightly above-average determination doing some interesting historical research.
July 5, 2017
Do you have patience? The kind it takes to do genealogy or research with few, VERY FEW clues in a language you don't understand to ANY degree. And are you in love with printed and cursive font types as a specialty of your design work? That's the tale- a woman who owned all of these things and spent years and years in the course of designing a new font style. One she viewed each time she saw it with intense attachment. Her cursive font will be eventually perfected and assisted by the handwriting of a man named Marcel. Someone she never met. A Frenchman wrote with this spectacular handwriting in letters dated in 1943 and 1944. The book Carolyn wrote here centers on these 5 original letters she bought by happenstance in a flea market shop in Stillwater, MN.
Why were they written and how did they end up in Minnesota? Marcel was in Germany (Berlin) when he wrote them with very specific dates, times, moon cycles, name days etc. Why do they have pinkish and blue stripes upon their different types of paper? And the wife and the 3 or 4 little girls/daughters who they were written to as "his dolls"? So many years have passed? And this is another continent and another century? And why didn't Carolyn buy all of the letters she saw in that happenstance pile?
She becomes obsessed with the letters, her font invention, her originator of these curve perfections, Marcel. Her own 21st century marriage, her job, even her dog walks suffer because of this obsession. For years.
Do you know that there were 170 labor and concentration camps within Berlin itself during WWII?
After page 160 I could NOT put the book down. It is NOT an easy read because it is both emotionally and intellectually demanding. After that break/ near the half it becomes easier to context- before that point it was lengthy/dense to particular technical knowledge detailing and also so extremely tension pulled that it's a full concentration read. For something so post-2010 personal this is an unusual combination, IMHO.
What happened to Marcel? Did he ever return to France? To the wife with no name but my darling little wife and the trio? Does Daimler Corp. want the letters in 2012? WHY do they want the letters after she made a mere inquiry into their records? Question upon question upon question. Carolyn tries to get the answers, at least some answers- and it all takes TIME.
Can Carolyn ever go back to her self-employment in design and actually WORK hours for clients instead of using entire days in endless circles of seeking for her own desperation to KNOW what happened to Marcel!
Excellent non-fiction. This is WWII era real people and also the generations that follow. It's FAR, FAR beyond the current sludge of WWII fiction that has hit the market in the last 10 years.
REAL people, real details of their "choices"- real fates of outcomes.
Highly recommend.
Why were they written and how did they end up in Minnesota? Marcel was in Germany (Berlin) when he wrote them with very specific dates, times, moon cycles, name days etc. Why do they have pinkish and blue stripes upon their different types of paper? And the wife and the 3 or 4 little girls/daughters who they were written to as "his dolls"? So many years have passed? And this is another continent and another century? And why didn't Carolyn buy all of the letters she saw in that happenstance pile?
She becomes obsessed with the letters, her font invention, her originator of these curve perfections, Marcel. Her own 21st century marriage, her job, even her dog walks suffer because of this obsession. For years.
Do you know that there were 170 labor and concentration camps within Berlin itself during WWII?
After page 160 I could NOT put the book down. It is NOT an easy read because it is both emotionally and intellectually demanding. After that break/ near the half it becomes easier to context- before that point it was lengthy/dense to particular technical knowledge detailing and also so extremely tension pulled that it's a full concentration read. For something so post-2010 personal this is an unusual combination, IMHO.
What happened to Marcel? Did he ever return to France? To the wife with no name but my darling little wife and the trio? Does Daimler Corp. want the letters in 2012? WHY do they want the letters after she made a mere inquiry into their records? Question upon question upon question. Carolyn tries to get the answers, at least some answers- and it all takes TIME.
Can Carolyn ever go back to her self-employment in design and actually WORK hours for clients instead of using entire days in endless circles of seeking for her own desperation to KNOW what happened to Marcel!
Excellent non-fiction. This is WWII era real people and also the generations that follow. It's FAR, FAR beyond the current sludge of WWII fiction that has hit the market in the last 10 years.
REAL people, real details of their "choices"- real fates of outcomes.
Highly recommend.
December 23, 2017
I expected to like this more than I did, it sounded right up my alley. And it was okay, hence the rating. Mainly it was just too long. It would have made a great article in a history magazine. But there was too much technical stuff about font creation,etc., too much detail about the author herself. And then she tries way too hard to create dramatic suspense at the prospect of uncovering information about people who were alive in the 1940s. If it was the 1540s, sure, but it just wasn't that long ago and I would expect that the information would be available if anyone looked long and hard enough. So I wasn't blown away with wonderment like I was obviously supposed to be. Like the MYSTERY of HOW ON EARTH letters written in France ended up in antique store in MINNESOTA which is like, way far away from France! Answer: the seller bought them in France. (Hope that wasn't too big a spoiler.)
March 19, 2018
I clearly recognize that each book has an audience, not every reader will find what they want in between the covers of a given book. That said, I am a bit confounded by some of the negative reviews this book has received. Of the readers who didn't appreciate this book, I noticed two themes. First was that the some reviewers felt the memoir format was inappropriate. They opined this book should have been shortened down to a factual, historical story. And yes, it would have made a fascinating magazine article. I would have read it and wished to have known more. Secondly, the author was criticized for displaying too wide of a range of emotion, of perhaps even aggrandizing it for the book. Well, we're human, we're designed to feel a wide range of emotions. Yes, the book might have been edited differently, it might have been tightened up. But in this memoir we are hearing her experience in her words She's a graphic designer, not a polished up MFA that had years of workshops to hone her authorial skills. Her experience in her words, the definition of memoir. So if that isn't a reader's cup of tea, perhaps he/she should set it down and try another. Carolyn Porter's heart and soul poured into her creation of the Marcel font. Its elegance, her thorough commitment to the detail in perfecting it is her gift, her art. Her heart, understandably captured, by the story revealed, bit by bit, over time and dedication. I, for one, am thankful to have had the opportunity to have experienced this story through her words. Congratulations Carolyn Porter, on a task well completed.
May 7, 2018
Oh, this book was a delight. Carolyn Porter, a graphic designer in Minnesota, buys five letters written in French from an antique store because she likes the handwriting and decides to make a font based off of them. Designing a font turns out to be more than she anticipated, and the font gets tabled as other projects take precedence.
One day, years later, she pulls the letters out and decides to have one translated. Turns out that the letter, from Marcel, is a tender missive written to his wife and daughters from a work camp in Berlin. Her interest piqued, the author delves into finding out who Marcel was, what his life was like as a conscripted worker during World War II, and answering a question that became more and more burning: Did Marcel survive the war?
Pretty soon Porter is officially obsessed with Marcel and his letters. She pays to translate all of the letters she has and then searches for more. She researches how, once Germany had occupied France, they transported French people to work camps to provide labor in machine shops for their war effort. She hires a genealogist to help her find Marcel's relatives. And all the while, she continues working on the font.
Marcel's Letters is a winner on several levels. It's a great history research story of a woman who was so entranced by a man she knew just from a few letters, that her life became wrapped up around finding him. It's an interesting look into the work of type design; who knew there were Type conventions and Type competitions? And it's the honest story of how relationships are forged, between family, friends, and total strangers. This book deserves a wider readership than it has gotten so far. I highly recommend getting to know Carolyn Porter and her dear Marcel.
By the way, Carolyn did eventually create her font, called Marcel Script. You can see an example of it on her website.
One day, years later, she pulls the letters out and decides to have one translated. Turns out that the letter, from Marcel, is a tender missive written to his wife and daughters from a work camp in Berlin. Her interest piqued, the author delves into finding out who Marcel was, what his life was like as a conscripted worker during World War II, and answering a question that became more and more burning: Did Marcel survive the war?
Pretty soon Porter is officially obsessed with Marcel and his letters. She pays to translate all of the letters she has and then searches for more. She researches how, once Germany had occupied France, they transported French people to work camps to provide labor in machine shops for their war effort. She hires a genealogist to help her find Marcel's relatives. And all the while, she continues working on the font.
Marcel's Letters is a winner on several levels. It's a great history research story of a woman who was so entranced by a man she knew just from a few letters, that her life became wrapped up around finding him. It's an interesting look into the work of type design; who knew there were Type conventions and Type competitions? And it's the honest story of how relationships are forged, between family, friends, and total strangers. This book deserves a wider readership than it has gotten so far. I highly recommend getting to know Carolyn Porter and her dear Marcel.
By the way, Carolyn did eventually create her font, called Marcel Script. You can see an example of it on her website.
November 10, 2019
This is one of those books that sounded better as an idea than an actual book...
I picked Marcel's Letters up on a whim at the library because the title intrigued me and I loved the font, so when I read the blurb and figured out that it was about the font, I thought it'd be super cool and decided to give it a go.
And I have to say, considering that this is a true story, it's pretty darn good.
The author, Caroyln Porter, is a graphic designer who created the P-22 Marcel font (as used in the title) based on a stack of old WWII letters she bought at an antique shop. The letters are in French and written by one Marcel Heuzé, a Frenchman who ended up in a German labour camp during the war, and who wrote beautiful letters to his wife and daughters.
At first, Carolyn is content just admiring the letters and the pretty handwriting, but as the years go by, she embarks on a passionate - dare I say, obsessive - search for Marcel, desperately seeking to know anything she can about him, and most importantly, if he managed to survive the war and come home to his family.
Her journey is very interesting and the bits about Marcel himself, especially his wonderful letters, were very poignant, but overall for all its amazingness at being a true story, there was a certain depth, a certain connection missing for me. I'm not sure if it was the slow pace, the repetition and minute details of designer work and font creation (it was interesting...up to a point), or the fact that it often boiled down to just reading about an exhausted, overworked woman, or a combination of all these things - but suffice it to say that the blurb made it sound more exciting than it was in practice.
I'm still really glad I read it because I learned a lot about many things and it was mostly fun to follow Carolyn's journey (AND DESPITE EVERYTHING THIS BOOK ENDED WELL!!!), but I'm afraid I can't award it much more than a 3 star rating.
I picked Marcel's Letters up on a whim at the library because the title intrigued me and I loved the font, so when I read the blurb and figured out that it was about the font, I thought it'd be super cool and decided to give it a go.
And I have to say, considering that this is a true story, it's pretty darn good.
The author, Caroyln Porter, is a graphic designer who created the P-22 Marcel font (as used in the title) based on a stack of old WWII letters she bought at an antique shop. The letters are in French and written by one Marcel Heuzé, a Frenchman who ended up in a German labour camp during the war, and who wrote beautiful letters to his wife and daughters.
At first, Carolyn is content just admiring the letters and the pretty handwriting, but as the years go by, she embarks on a passionate - dare I say, obsessive - search for Marcel, desperately seeking to know anything she can about him, and most importantly, if he managed to survive the war and come home to his family.
Her journey is very interesting and the bits about Marcel himself, especially his wonderful letters, were very poignant, but overall for all its amazingness at being a true story, there was a certain depth, a certain connection missing for me. I'm not sure if it was the slow pace, the repetition and minute details of designer work and font creation (it was interesting...up to a point), or the fact that it often boiled down to just reading about an exhausted, overworked woman, or a combination of all these things - but suffice it to say that the blurb made it sound more exciting than it was in practice.
I'm still really glad I read it because I learned a lot about many things and it was mostly fun to follow Carolyn's journey (AND DESPITE EVERYTHING THIS BOOK ENDED WELL!!!), but I'm afraid I can't award it much more than a 3 star rating.
January 29, 2018
This book is reminiscent of “Sarah’s Key” and “All the Light We Cannot See” in that it is set in WWII and tells the story of two different people who end up having intersecting lives. The difference is, this story is actually true. Learning about Marcel, who he was, his WWII experience, and what happened to him was completely fascinating. I was invested in knowing about him and hearing his story. I also appreciated learning about Marcel’s family and the relationship that Carolyn Porter created with all of them. It was sad to learn that the family had fractured since you always hope for the happy ending but it was true to life and how families deal with varying issues.
I also absolutely loved Aaron, Carolyn’s husband. He had the best responses of anybody in the book. Most of the time I was laughing when he was quoted. I saw Aaron as me (and most people) in this situation. I appreciate that he loves his wife and is happy to support her in her passions, but I really loved when he made fun of her for it with gems like “I’m sure it’s a great time—if you think it’s fun to debate how much you love or hate Helvetica.” I envisioned him being deadpanned in his delivery and laughed.
With that said, I struggled a lot with Carolyn. To me, she was the worst part of this story which is weird because it is her story. I feel bad speaking poorly of her since she is a real person and this is her own life experience, but throughout the book I found her to be frustrating, annoying, overly dramatic, and obsessive. She was frustrating because I felt like she was incredibly naïve about WWII history. Too often she seemed surprised by events that happened or what that Nazis did. I reached my breaking point with this when she questions why Marcel didn’t run away, walk back to France, or “do something—anything!—to avoid going to Germany in the first place?” I’m sorry, but really?!? What would ever make you think that non-Jews were given a choice during the Nazi regime? I found myself letting out many heavy sighs and rolling my eyes during these parts.
What also annoyed/worried me was how obsessive Carolyn became about Marcel’s letters. I can appreciate her sticking through the process of tracking Marcel down and persevering through considering how difficult it was. Not giving up does take a lot of patience and fortitude but at one point Carolyn tried to say finding the truth was an “irrevocable responsibility” but make no mistake this was an obsession. The search consumed her to the detriment of those around her. It annoyed me at first, but then I just became worried about her mental health. She definitely pushes everything and everyone else aside in her pursuit to find the truth. That did not come across as “Good for her for never giving up!” and instead made me think “This is incredibly unhealthy and I wonder how her marriage is doing.” When she talked about seeing Marcel in her dreams I honestly became worried for her. I felt like Aaron tried to help and was pushed away or yelled at for his efforts. None of this endeared Carolyn to me as a reader which made me struggle to get through parts.
As for the font creation, let me say that I am not a type/font person. I know nothing about fonts nor is it a passion of mine. My eyes definitely got that glassy blank stare look every time Carolyn went into font specifics or talked about her troubles with kerning for the millionth time. But I will say the font she created is absolutely beautiful and I understand why she won awards. It’s a gorgeous font and overall a wonderful way to honor Marcel.
I also absolutely loved Aaron, Carolyn’s husband. He had the best responses of anybody in the book. Most of the time I was laughing when he was quoted. I saw Aaron as me (and most people) in this situation. I appreciate that he loves his wife and is happy to support her in her passions, but I really loved when he made fun of her for it with gems like “I’m sure it’s a great time—if you think it’s fun to debate how much you love or hate Helvetica.” I envisioned him being deadpanned in his delivery and laughed.
With that said, I struggled a lot with Carolyn. To me, she was the worst part of this story which is weird because it is her story. I feel bad speaking poorly of her since she is a real person and this is her own life experience, but throughout the book I found her to be frustrating, annoying, overly dramatic, and obsessive. She was frustrating because I felt like she was incredibly naïve about WWII history. Too often she seemed surprised by events that happened or what that Nazis did. I reached my breaking point with this when she questions why Marcel didn’t run away, walk back to France, or “do something—anything!—to avoid going to Germany in the first place?” I’m sorry, but really?!? What would ever make you think that non-Jews were given a choice during the Nazi regime? I found myself letting out many heavy sighs and rolling my eyes during these parts.
What also annoyed/worried me was how obsessive Carolyn became about Marcel’s letters. I can appreciate her sticking through the process of tracking Marcel down and persevering through considering how difficult it was. Not giving up does take a lot of patience and fortitude but at one point Carolyn tried to say finding the truth was an “irrevocable responsibility” but make no mistake this was an obsession. The search consumed her to the detriment of those around her. It annoyed me at first, but then I just became worried about her mental health. She definitely pushes everything and everyone else aside in her pursuit to find the truth. That did not come across as “Good for her for never giving up!” and instead made me think “This is incredibly unhealthy and I wonder how her marriage is doing.” When she talked about seeing Marcel in her dreams I honestly became worried for her. I felt like Aaron tried to help and was pushed away or yelled at for his efforts. None of this endeared Carolyn to me as a reader which made me struggle to get through parts.
As for the font creation, let me say that I am not a type/font person. I know nothing about fonts nor is it a passion of mine. My eyes definitely got that glassy blank stare look every time Carolyn went into font specifics or talked about her troubles with kerning for the millionth time. But I will say the font she created is absolutely beautiful and I understand why she won awards. It’s a gorgeous font and overall a wonderful way to honor Marcel.
July 21, 2017
This is a must read tale of geeky typography development, graphic design know how, peace. love and war. The epic story of Marcel's Letters starts in small town Minnesota as Carolyn searches for the perfect handwriting to start designing her very own font. We travel with her to war torn Berlin and small quaint villages in France as she searches for the man behind the beautiful script that will one day become a beautiful font. With each chapter, we dive deeper back in time to World War Two and the devastating effect it has on a man and his family.
I was equally intrigued with the process of font design as I was to learn the fate of Marcel through his letters and the cast of characters who brought him to life.
I loved everything about this book. Bravo Carolyn, thank you for such a good read.
I was equally intrigued with the process of font design as I was to learn the fate of Marcel through his letters and the cast of characters who brought him to life.
I loved everything about this book. Bravo Carolyn, thank you for such a good read.
September 4, 2017
There aren't a lot of books that I literally can't put down, but this was one of them. It's an unlikely page-turner at first glance - a book about making a font? But that is just the tip of the iceberg, the McGuffin that draws us into a real-life mystery, a genealogical treasure hunt with people as the payoff at the end. If you like fonts, that's a bonus, but even if you have never given a moment's thought to the letters that make up the pages of books, ads, and everything else in print, you'll be drawn in.
Ms. Porter does a wonderful job of setting the scene, casual at first, and then gradually increasing the intensity until it's almost impossible to put it down. I read half the book the first night, then stayed up until 2 a.m. finishing it the second night, and my only regret was that it wasn't longer.
Highly recommended.
Ms. Porter does a wonderful job of setting the scene, casual at first, and then gradually increasing the intensity until it's almost impossible to put it down. I read half the book the first night, then stayed up until 2 a.m. finishing it the second night, and my only regret was that it wasn't longer.
Highly recommended.
May 18, 2022
Never really thought about where 'new' computer fonts come from so this was actually a very enlightening read. Carolyn Porter is a graphic designer and upon purchasing some old letters with a script which sparked an interest in creating a font based on - basically - an elaborate 'M', she tells of the immense amount of work involved in creating a font. Especially the most minor details involved when dealing keeping the flow of letters uniform and connected to each other in a graceful and elegant way.
But she also became obsessed with finding out about Marcel Heuze, who was writing profoundly tender love letters to his wife and children while working for Daimler in Berlin - she paid for the translation from French. Forced to re-locate under the Nazi order of STO (Service du travail obligatoire or compulsory work service), Marcel was not a 'prisoner' per se but he could not leave the area under the threat of fines and prison terms. Admittedly, I am not an expert or even that overall knowledgeable about World War II but I had never heard of this before.
Her determination to discover Marcel's fate literally steps well over the line into obsession and yes, she finds her answer but seriously, looking back from a couple days distance, her focus - admittedly on Marcel and his family - had her business, the font and family (save when spouse was supporting her) taking a distant second. Yes, the search took place over years but with all the compression of time due to maintaining the storyline, it was mildly disturbing.
It's an interesting and illuminating story especially regarding the font construction but the reader should be prepared for Porter's focus on the search for Marcel.
2022-104
But she also became obsessed with finding out about Marcel Heuze, who was writing profoundly tender love letters to his wife and children while working for Daimler in Berlin - she paid for the translation from French. Forced to re-locate under the Nazi order of STO (Service du travail obligatoire or compulsory work service), Marcel was not a 'prisoner' per se but he could not leave the area under the threat of fines and prison terms. Admittedly, I am not an expert or even that overall knowledgeable about World War II but I had never heard of this before.
Her determination to discover Marcel's fate literally steps well over the line into obsession and yes, she finds her answer but seriously, looking back from a couple days distance, her focus - admittedly on Marcel and his family - had her business, the font and family (save when spouse was supporting her) taking a distant second. Yes, the search took place over years but with all the compression of time due to maintaining the storyline, it was mildly disturbing.
It's an interesting and illuminating story especially regarding the font construction but the reader should be prepared for Porter's focus on the search for Marcel.
2022-104
May 25, 2020
2020 bk 175: I spent most of Memorial Day reading this book. It is the story of relationships and the everyday kind of deep love and affection one would hope for in friendships/relations/marriage. Carolyn Porter is a graphic designer. Do you remember the first time you realized all of the different font types you could use in word processing programs? Those have to be created by someone, and Carolyn Porter is among those someones. Her font, Marcel, was begun in the early 2000 and completed and ready for launch in 2014. This book tells the story of how this font began and the processes that led to its completion. BUT, it is also the story of a man's survival during WWI. Marcel Heuze was a forced laborer sent to the Daimler factory in Berlin from France. He had beautiful handwriting and that is what caught Carolyn's attention when she spotted the letters in an antique store. It took several years of working his writing style into font's before Carolyn became interested in what he was saying. This in turn led to years of research, making connections, and realizing how truly she was loved by her husband and friends and Marcel's family for unearthing the letters.
October 8, 2017
Memoirs can deal with different subjects in the author's life. "Love", "family", "history", and, of course, that biggie, "the development of a new font". In Carolyn Porter's memoir, "Marcel's Letters", she deals with all those. I'm a font geek - as is Porter - but as it is her business, she's much closer to development than I would ever be. Porter's memoir is a delightful tracing of her search for the man-behind-the-handwriting she hoped to make into a new font.
Carolyn Porter found some letters and a postcard in French for sale in an antique store about 10 years ago. She was attracted by the handwriting - and it is indeed a lovely, elegant hand - and began the process of making a font, based on the writing. But she also wondered what the card and letters said and to who and from who they were written. The swastika on them, along with the dates, indicated they were mailed from Berlin during WW2. They were mailed to a small town in France, a bit outside Paris. Porter, with some help, translated the material and then began to track down Marcel Heuze, a Frenchman who was sent to work for the Germans in a work factory in Berlin.
In Porter's book she eventually finds the story of Marcel and his family. And, her font "Marcel", is a prize winner. The book is fun to read and I'd love to be able to use the beautiful font, but I think it's only available commercially.
Carolyn Porter found some letters and a postcard in French for sale in an antique store about 10 years ago. She was attracted by the handwriting - and it is indeed a lovely, elegant hand - and began the process of making a font, based on the writing. But she also wondered what the card and letters said and to who and from who they were written. The swastika on them, along with the dates, indicated they were mailed from Berlin during WW2. They were mailed to a small town in France, a bit outside Paris. Porter, with some help, translated the material and then began to track down Marcel Heuze, a Frenchman who was sent to work for the Germans in a work factory in Berlin.
In Porter's book she eventually finds the story of Marcel and his family. And, her font "Marcel", is a prize winner. The book is fun to read and I'd love to be able to use the beautiful font, but I think it's only available commercially.
July 2, 2019
When I went to hear Carolyn Porter speak at a local AAUW meeting, I knew two things about her book Marcel’s Letters: That she had designed a font based on World War II letters written in French, and she’d become obsessed with the story and the people behind those letters.I work in marketing as a writer, which is to say I’ve spent nearly 20 years in partnership with designers to make sure words look right on the page. That means getting the words right as well as the kerning.
There’s also the mystery of getting the story right, an obsession that fell on Porter as a writer and a designer. Marcel’s Letters refers to the handwriting that called to Porter from a Stillwater antique shop as well as the substance of his writing. Marcel was imprisoned in a German labor camp, writing to his wife and young daughters.
As she gave her talk, before I read the book, she spoke of how her curiosity was piqued several years into the project of designing the font. She wanted to know who Marcel was, the circumstances of his life in Germany, whether he survived to see his beloved family again.
And then I read the book. Like a detective on a cold case, over several years Porter pursued every lead until she was able to understand Marcel’s story and give life to the legacy that might have been lost to his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Her writing is honest: the annoyed but supportive husband; the fear of getting caught up in the rabbit hole of research at the expense of “productive” work; the frustration of leads and promises that ultimately disappoint. For anyone who loves a good love story, is prone to obsession with history and genealogy, or is drawn to beautiful letters (in both senses), I recommend Marcel’s Letters: A Font and the Search for One Man’s Fate.
There’s also the mystery of getting the story right, an obsession that fell on Porter as a writer and a designer. Marcel’s Letters refers to the handwriting that called to Porter from a Stillwater antique shop as well as the substance of his writing. Marcel was imprisoned in a German labor camp, writing to his wife and young daughters.
As she gave her talk, before I read the book, she spoke of how her curiosity was piqued several years into the project of designing the font. She wanted to know who Marcel was, the circumstances of his life in Germany, whether he survived to see his beloved family again.
And then I read the book. Like a detective on a cold case, over several years Porter pursued every lead until she was able to understand Marcel’s story and give life to the legacy that might have been lost to his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Her writing is honest: the annoyed but supportive husband; the fear of getting caught up in the rabbit hole of research at the expense of “productive” work; the frustration of leads and promises that ultimately disappoint. For anyone who loves a good love story, is prone to obsession with history and genealogy, or is drawn to beautiful letters (in both senses), I recommend Marcel’s Letters: A Font and the Search for One Man’s Fate.
March 27, 2018
A glimpse into the thoughts of a conscripted WWII factory worker pulled Carolyn Porter into a mystery she had to solve. Who was this man named Marcel, and what happened to him? Porter brings readers along on an emotional roller coaster of loss, hope, love, and joy as her years-long work on a font turns into a years-long search for the fate of a man and his family. Beautiful, authentic, and touching, Marcel’s Letters is a great read.
November 2, 2019
This was an AMAZING book! A graphic designer found some old letters written during WWII and decided to use the handwriting as the basis to create a font — and along the way, she ended up tracking down the family of the man who wrote the letters. It was fascinating and emotional both, and I tore through it.
February 24, 2019
My friend loaned this nonfiction book after author Carolyn Porter read from it at my friend's book club. I wasn't sure what to expect because I hadn't read any reviews about this local author. I'm not a graphic artist, but I love fonts, having worked on newspapers early in my career. Even if fonts don't matter a bit to you, the book is quite interesting. The author purchases some letters written in the early 1940s at a local antique store. The letters are written in French, but the author is drawn to them for their beautiful script. She sets out to use the script to design a new font; the process is very difficult and it takes her several years to perfect a font. In the meantime, she gets the letters translated and that sets her off on a very interesting journey to find out what happened to the man who penned the letters. Hint: he was removed from his hometown in France and sent to Germany during WWII to work on building German aircraft. The letters are written to his wife and children back home in France.
The effort Ms. Porter put into her pursuits are incredible and will keep you interested in getting to the end of the book. I applaud her tenacity which ultimately brought her to write this captivating book.
The effort Ms. Porter put into her pursuits are incredible and will keep you interested in getting to the end of the book. I applaud her tenacity which ultimately brought her to write this captivating book.
April 9, 2019
Carolyn Porter is a graphic design artist who searches antique stores for inspiration. She finds letters written with beautiful script but they are in French. Even so, she purchases five of them. They serve their purpose as she works for years on developing a new font but eventually, she decides she needs to know the content of the letters. That leads to an obsession with finding out who Marcel was and if he survived World War II. The book is set in Minnesota and that's part of the mystery. How did the letters come to the Midwest? How could a family not hang on to such treasures? I enjoyed the book with its blend of Carolyn's personal struggles in her work combined with Marcel's story. I had no idea that a new font could be such a big deal. This might be a one time book for Porter as she is more artist than author. That may be why we are left with a few questions. For example, why was Carolyn so obsessed with finding out Marcel's story? She doesn't flesh that out well enough. I also thought her husband's role was a bit disjointed and could have been better. If editing this, there would have been some easy, minor fixes. Still, Marcel's Letters is an enjoyable read, almost a page turner!
July 6, 2018
I loved this true story of a graphic designer who buys a few letters in an antique store because she liked the cursive handwriting and thought she could develop a script font based on that handwriting. I did have trouble wading through the parts where she explained font development; my eyes began to cross during those pages....but I stuck with the story and am very glad that I did. When the author begins to study the handwriting in the letters, she finds herself wondering about Marcel, the Frenchman who wrote the letters in the 1940s. She pays to have the letters translated and thus begins a quest to find out what happened to Marcel and his family.
October 19, 2017
I now know how difficult it is to design a font for Word projects after reading this book but there are multiple layers in this book - first the font discovered in old letters from France - WWII era in an antique shop , then who was the man who wrote the letters, the history of the Daimler corporation in Germany's exploitation of foreign workers, the development of the font, her personal life and the ultimate search for relatives and family. She should have hired a genealogist in the first place which would have saved her considerable time and angst!! Spoken by a genealogist!!!! I did enjoy reading this book although it caused me to feel her high level of anxiety at each turn and twist. I did enjoy reading about the development of a font and how it is transcribed to be typed easily on a computer!! A good book for genealogy and history and art lovers.
August 8, 2021
Carolyn Porter's fascination with typography and fonts began at an early age. She majored in graphic design. After abandoning the corporate graphic design work, she went to work for herself. She wanted to design her own font. Inspired by French letters found in an antique shop in her home state of Minnesota, she began this challenge. She found it was a lot more work than she anticipated. She eventually had the letters translated. She found he worked as a turner for Daimler in Germany during the war, but she knew he missed his family back home in France. She thirsted for more information about the man and his family and became obsessed with finding Marcel's outcome. This compelling story captivated my attention from the beginning to the end
July 26, 2021
This is the story of the birth of a beautiful, scrolling, sweeping, romantic font, inspired by the handwriting of a Parisian named Marcel Heuze in his love letters to his wife during his WWII separation from her due to forced labor in Germany. Who he was, how his letters ended up in a flea market in France, how they migrated to White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and who found them—therein lies the tale. I consider the content of this book to be a “5” but the execution to be a “3” (too long, repetitive, even occasionally boring). Hence, overall, I give it a “4.”
October 23, 2019
Porter is a graphic designer who creates a font based on the beautiful cursive writing she discovers in a treasure trove of letters she buys in an antique shop. Along the way, she becomes obsessed with finding out about the man who wrote them. By obsessed, I mean obsessed. Obsessed as in Captain Ahab starts to look like a Sunday fisherman.
Good story.
Good story.
March 30, 2019
This book could have been great. It had everything it needed but the focus seemed to be in the wrong spot. It was also far too long or, at least, it felt very long. I would find myself checking my percentage complete on my kindle and think "wow, I'm not even half way yet".
There was a good story weaved through the pages but unfortunately there was also a lot of filler and drama that wasn't required.
I would love to see a version that was just about Marcel and his family and his journey.
There was a good story weaved through the pages but unfortunately there was also a lot of filler and drama that wasn't required.
I would love to see a version that was just about Marcel and his family and his journey.
December 30, 2019
Glad I read it but the author continually reframed Marcel’s life with the kind of hokey “nobility of the common people” theme we tend to hang upon all WW2 non-Nazis. It’s clear his family was not the roses-&-hugs picture she insists on. Cool details about typography tho.
February 20, 2018
A remarkable story, adequately told. I’d give it 3.5 stars if I knew how..
August 17, 2018
I just absolutely loved this book. So engaging and such a great ride the author takes us on. I am so bummed I missed meeting her at the Mount Horeb Historium!
October 5, 2017
This brought together two daily lives from fifty years apart. One, the rather mundane routine of a graphic designer who discovers a mystery under her nose, and the other, a family man caught up in the back-home nitty-gritty of WWII. But the "home" is Germany, and the secrets are obscured by time and neglect and the French language. The events unfold. The font is designed. And for better or worse, life goes on.
January 2, 2019
Fascinating to learn about fonts. The mystery of Marcel was compelling reading.
February 23, 2023
...rounded down from 3.5 stars. I thought that the first third dragged a bit due to the sometimes too-detailed description of the science of font design. It picked up when the author started really digging into the search for Marcel's history. I grew a bit tired of the author's description of her anxiety and various other moods. I appreciated the fact that this introduced me to two topics I knew nothing about: font creation and the conscription of foreign workers in Germany during WWII
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