Letters of Note: Fathers

by Shaun Usher (Compilation)

A fascinating new volume of messages about fatherhood, from the author of the bestselling Letters of Note collections

TK

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook

144 pages, Paperback

First published May 11, 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

[Pixee Pea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this collection of letters, the book wasn’t as heavy as I was anticipating however it was filled with emotions & an interesting read 🤍

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to say what I really thought since they are all so different and this is a compilation. I enjoyed the selection and it was heartening to read that so many have my own feelings, and also selfishly, I was proud I have yet to fail where others had.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed these much more than the sex letters of note. Some really beautiful ones, poignant ones and funny ones. Loved it

[Leila Barrani · Rating 5 out of 5]

در ادامه ی کتاب دیگر (نامه هایی بنام: مادر) خواندن این کتاب هم مثل قبلی دوست داشتنی و لذتبخش بود! بخصوص متوجه احساس پنهان پدرانه شدن لابلای نوشته هایی که برخلاف نامه های مادر، خیلی سخت ابراز شده بودند.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fatherhood makes me all soft and mushy inside - yes that means that I have a good relationship with my dad lol. Would be a really good Father’s Day gift, and also makes a great commute read since the letters and accompanying context are quite short. The tenderness within this book is tear-jerking and I shamelessly cried multiple times reading it.

[Mim Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a privilege to have an insight into relationships between fathers and their children. The book is a collection of letters that widely span time and culture from Ancient Greece to 2016. Some a funny, some significant, some poignant.

A few of my favourite moments:

William Wordsworth to Robert Southey on the loss of his son, 1812 “I loved the boy with the utmost love of which my soul is capable, and he is taken from me - yet in the agony of my spirit in surrendering such a treasure, I feel a thousand times richer than if I had never possessed it.”

Ted hughes to his son, Nicholas, 1986 “So when you realise you’ve fine a few weeks and haven’t felt that awful struggle of your childish self - struggling to lift itself out of its inadequacy and incompetence - you’ll know you’ve gone some weeks without meeting new challenge, and without growing, and that you’ve gone some weeks towards losing touch with yourself.”

Richard Harding Davis to his daughter Hope Davis, 1915 - “They have no mother like you, of course; they have no mother like yours - for except my mother, there never was a mother like yours; so loving, so tender, so unselfish and thoughtful. If she is reading this, kiss her for me. […] Be very good. Do not bump yourself. Do not eat matches. Do not play with scissors or cats. Do not forget your dad.”

An Ancient Egyptian letter on papyrus written from a teenage son to his father: “If you don’t take me with you to Alexandria, I won’t write you a letter, I won’t speak to you, and I won’t wish you well […] It’s a good thing you sent me some big presents on the 12th, the day that you sailed. I am asking you to send me a lyre. If you don’t send one, I won’t eat, I won’t drink. So there. I pray you are well.”

[🌶 peppersocks 🧦 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reflections and lessons learned:
“But there's no use sulking about it, I guess, and I might as well try to make the best of it and welcome vou into the ranks of the adult. I'm sure you'll like our little club. As you've probably found out by now, this world of grown-ups into which you have been admitted is a very, very superior world indeed, inhabited only by people of sound, mature and mellow mentality - all of which they can of course provide simply by showing the dates on their birth certificates.”

So many different types of interactions between father-son, son-father and about fathers. Littered with strong thoughts, life lessons, the occasional anger and some good reading recommendations! Quite melancholic reading, made me hum Shatner/Folds/Mann as a backdrop soundtrack… trying is all we can do

“Don't shrink from new experiences and custom. Take the cold bath bravely. Enter into the spirit of your big bed-room. Enjoy what is and not pine for what is not. Read some good, heavy, serious books just for discipline: Take yourself in hand and master yourself. Make yourself do unpleasant things, so as to gain the upper hand of your soul”

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started off loving this collection, however it soon got a bit stale.
I’m a nosy kind of person, so to read letters intended for others does bring me joy. I felt there’s too many heavy subjects and longed for a silly letter from children or a made up nonsense story sent home. Overall it was okay, I enjoyed my read.

[Pro Mukherjee · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, the choice of letters somehow didn’t connect to the gift of communication between a parent and a child. It might for someone else…

[Phil Whittall · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting collection of letters by or to fathers but not always about fatherhood. Some are outstanding, some are funny, some are heartbreaking and others are instantly forgettable.

[Olga Dietze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Великолепная, душевная подборка писем от отцов к детям, от детей к отцам. При прочитывании некоторых улыбаешься, другие заставляют плакать.

[Ralce · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

[Richie Cartwright · Rating 5 out of 5]

beauty

[Julie-Anne Borgias · Rating 3 out of 5]

a gentle read

[Chandler Elmore · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thought provoking and inspiring thread of stories on different facets of fatherhood from across the ages.