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Love Letters: An Anthology of Passion
Featuring letters from famous lovers in envelopes, an elegant gift book offers readers the experience of opening a love letter and includes reproductions of letters from Isadora Duncan, Robert Browning, Dylan Thomas, and others. 100,000 first printing. Lit Guild Alt. IP.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
4 people are currently reading
222 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Lovric
112 books169 followersMichelle Lovric is a novelist, writer and anthologist.
Her third novel, The Remedy, was long-listed for the 2005 Orange Prize for Fiction. The Remedy is a literary murder-mystery set against the background of the quack medicine industry in the eighteenth century.
Her first novel, Carnevale, is the story of the painter Cecilia Cornaro, described by The Times as the possessor of ‘the most covetable life’ in fiction in 2001.
In Lovric’s second novel, The Floating Book, a chorus of characters relates the perilous beginning of the print industry in Venice. The book explores the translation of raw emotion into saleable merchandise from the points of view of poets, editors, publishers – and their lovers. The Floating Book, a London Arts award winner, was also selected as a WH Smith ‘Read of the Week’.
Her first novel for young adult readers, The Undrowned Child, is published by Orion. The sequel is due in summer 2010.
Her fourth adult novel, The Book of Human Skin, is published by Bloomsbury in Spring 2010.
Lovric reviews for publications including The Times and writes travel articles about Venice. She has featured in several BBC radio documentaries about Venice.
She combines her fiction work with editing, designing and producing literary anthologies including her own translations of Latin and Italian poetry. Her book Love Letters was a New York Times best-seller.
Lovric divides her time between London and Venice. She holds a workshop in her home in London with published writers of poetry and prose, fiction and memoir.
Her third novel, The Remedy, was long-listed for the 2005 Orange Prize for Fiction. The Remedy is a literary murder-mystery set against the background of the quack medicine industry in the eighteenth century.
Her first novel, Carnevale, is the story of the painter Cecilia Cornaro, described by The Times as the possessor of ‘the most covetable life’ in fiction in 2001.
In Lovric’s second novel, The Floating Book, a chorus of characters relates the perilous beginning of the print industry in Venice. The book explores the translation of raw emotion into saleable merchandise from the points of view of poets, editors, publishers – and their lovers. The Floating Book, a London Arts award winner, was also selected as a WH Smith ‘Read of the Week’.
Her first novel for young adult readers, The Undrowned Child, is published by Orion. The sequel is due in summer 2010.
Her fourth adult novel, The Book of Human Skin, is published by Bloomsbury in Spring 2010.
Lovric reviews for publications including The Times and writes travel articles about Venice. She has featured in several BBC radio documentaries about Venice.
She combines her fiction work with editing, designing and producing literary anthologies including her own translations of Latin and Italian poetry. Her book Love Letters was a New York Times best-seller.
Lovric divides her time between London and Venice. She holds a workshop in her home in London with published writers of poetry and prose, fiction and memoir.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 27, 2025
I love books with mixed media elements and this one is no exception. Filled with love letters from throughout the ages, this is a perfect read for February. I love the reproductions of actual letters as well as the seals used to close them, it is such a lovely touch.
This reminds me how the art of letter writing really seems to have died and makes me want to pour out my thoughts and send them to someone. How sad that we no longer send these missives and there will be no surviving records of our words to one another.
This reminds me how the art of letter writing really seems to have died and makes me want to pour out my thoughts and send them to someone. How sad that we no longer send these missives and there will be no surviving records of our words to one another.
March 1, 2011
If you are a true romantic, such as I am, and attend all those romantic period independent films from abroad, as I do, then you will savour this book. Lavish artwork and illustration caress and enhance the personal prose of the famous and infamous, writers and characters of history,in this tempestuous presentation. I can only describe it as opening a lavishly designed box, to find the most luscious array of the finest chocolates in the world, being handed a goblet of the nectar of the best wines, and savouring each one, as you sit with your feet up gazing out a multipaned window, onto a lush landscape,and lanquish in the afterglow of having read the long awaited letter from your true love. Many letters ,you can remove from their envelopes and read in the hand of the famous composer of passion. The romance melts over the fingers, to be licked with relish. Delicious.
February 13, 2022
This is a beautiful book filled with love letters. Most of the letters are from the 1800's. The writing is sweet and poetic. The pages are illustrated with old paintings too. This is a great book to read at Valentine's day. (My Valentine gave it to me over 22 years ago!)
August 28, 2023
4.50 stars
❤️🤝🙋♀️🙋
❤️🤝🙋♀️🙋
November 6, 2020
Love letters all seem the same because love is a disease that affects us all the same. Suddenly we found someone that makes us feel better than we have ever felt before. The only way this can be sustained is by maintaining distance, this "love letters."
Once couples have no distance between them, familiarity steps in. And even in the 1300s, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote, "Familiarity breeds contempt."
Even I fell for unsustainable love, by the purchase date of this book. One year before I was married. But if one feel in love with a quality person, rest easy because a mature loving relationship will develop instead.
Characteristics of a healthy relationship:
Instead what a person needs to look for in love, is NOT how you feel when this person is in love with you. One should ask, "Is this person likely to be a good partner?" Is he/she honest, thoughtful, trustworthy, and reliable? "Or is this person likely to be a good mother or father? " Is he/she able to forego immediate gratification for the sake of the well-being of another? Is he/she able to sacrifice for another? Is he/she able to nurture another person?
Once couples have no distance between them, familiarity steps in. And even in the 1300s, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote, "Familiarity breeds contempt."
Even I fell for unsustainable love, by the purchase date of this book. One year before I was married. But if one feel in love with a quality person, rest easy because a mature loving relationship will develop instead.
Characteristics of a healthy relationship:
Instead what a person needs to look for in love, is NOT how you feel when this person is in love with you. One should ask, "Is this person likely to be a good partner?" Is he/she honest, thoughtful, trustworthy, and reliable? "Or is this person likely to be a good mother or father? " Is he/she able to forego immediate gratification for the sake of the well-being of another? Is he/she able to sacrifice for another? Is he/she able to nurture another person?
January 28, 2022
I hate to say it, but I did not like this book. I love that it exists, I think it’s a really cool thing that they put together, it’s just that since most of these letters are really old, the language is largely inaccessible. I was hoping to come out of this with writing inspiration for some love stories or some new favorite quotes, but pretty much all of the letters were too flowery. I liked the background information on who these people were and where the letters came from. I love books like this with little flaps and envelopes and things. I have nothing against this book. I think it was a great idea to gather all these letters and put them together into a book and I like the way it was done. I just do not get along well with classical, old language. I didn’t love this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2017
I recently found this book packed away and, instead of dismissing it as the fancy of a younger me, realized how clever and beautiful it is. The facsimiles of love letters, with their tactile nature (you can pull some out of their envelopes or unfold others) are complemented by quotations from historic personalities and images of paintings. It's fun on many levels and encourages the reader to learn more about the people who wrote the letters to discover more about their context.
December 13, 2018
A beautiful, well-designed book of letters and art as well as short, informative captions about the writers and receivers. A lovely little book!
Want to read
August 6, 2023I gave this to Charles for Christmas 2009.
September 15, 2024
Fantastically beautiful letters, wonderfully romantic and so very special to read.
Read
April 28, 2025Can't review. I mean, how many diverse letters of love can be written?
August 8, 2012
"This was thoroughly enjoyable to read. I especially loved the excerpt from Benjamin Franklin's letter to Madame Helvetius under the "Proposition" chapter.
"If that Lady likes to pass her Days with, he in turn would like to pass the Nights with her; & as he has already given her many of his days, though he has so few left to give, she appears ungrateful never to have given him a single one of her nights ..."
*sigh*.....One of the original founding fathers of these United States, leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat but underneath it all, he is still just a man. ^_^"
"If that Lady likes to pass her Days with, he in turn would like to pass the Nights with her; & as he has already given her many of his days, though he has so few left to give, she appears ungrateful never to have given him a single one of her nights ..."
*sigh*.....One of the original founding fathers of these United States, leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat but underneath it all, he is still just a man. ^_^"
August 18, 2008
I bought this book back in the late nineties. It's one of those fun, interactive books that look collage like and have actual pieces of paper printed with words of love letters that you can extract out of an actual envelope.
It's got some good stuff in it. Definitely for the romantic.
It's got some good stuff in it. Definitely for the romantic.
February 6, 2015
Perfect reading for Valentine's Day, or any day when you want to immerse yourself in true romance. Especially love the small inscription below the letters describing who wrote to who, and the occasion.
June 14, 2016
I'm a hopeless romantic, what can I say. I do not hold out much hope anymore that romance will continue on, but at least the great love letters of those with un-dieing passion for each other will live on forever.
January 2, 2009
Sweet book. Gift from my husband when we were dating.
July 5, 2009
"I can neither Eat nor Sleep for thinking of You my dearest love, I never touch even pudding." Nelson to Lady Hamilton.
August 12, 2011
Beautiful, beautiful book.
January 4, 2012
This book wasn't really fascinating to me because,it had different types of story's. This book had a few good stories.
February 3, 2016
It's so much fun to read other people's mail...especially when it's such a personal topic!
August 11, 2008
I really enjoyed the faux handwritten letters that you could take out of the book and read.
December 12, 2015
Enjoyed, although it would've benefited from more full letters instead of excerpts.
April 13, 2017
Not only is the volume beautifully laid out, and printed, it is also very intelligent and thought provoking.
This isn't some little book you'd pick up at a gift shop for Valentines day. It's a real work of art and a excellent education on the humanities and the human heart.
This isn't some little book you'd pick up at a gift shop for Valentines day. It's a real work of art and a excellent education on the humanities and the human heart.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews