Lockdown Secrets: Postcards From The Pandemic

by Eleanor Tattersfield

A compelling collection of anonymous postcards sent during lockdown, revealing hilarious, salacious, relatable and sometimes heartbreaking secret confessions.

In the thick of the 2021 coronavirus lockdown, designer and shopowner Eleanor Tattersfield put out a call on 'I'll send you a postcard, you send me a secret'. Lockdown Secrets is an astonishing record of what happened next.

Postcards poured in, some beautifully decorated, some simply handwritten, but each one anonymously sharing a very personal confession. They came from people of all ages and all walks of life, including some celebrities. Prominent themes began to relationships, sex, masturbation, food, rebellion, loneliness and, surprisingly, a lot of love for lockdown itself.

This beautiful book brings together the best of the postcards Eleanor received, and all human life is furtive infidelities, bad behaviour in the local bakery, sneaking off for baths during a busy homeschooling schedule, rediscovered marital bliss, and, occasionally, poignant moments of sadness and despair.

We've all been through the lockdown experience, and every reader will find something to relate to in this fascinating collection, a perfect snapshot of an extraordinary time.

Genres: Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

Published October 7, 2021

Reviews

[🌶 peppersocks 🧦 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reflections and lessons learned:
“I’ve gone fully feral and stopped using cutlery…”

“We got married in lockdown so we wouldn’t have to invite you”

“No secrets only fond memories”

Thoughts, feelings and artwork from all over the shop! Amazing insights into so many elements of humanity and unusually quieter communication - like a secret ballot to the ultimate maker. Overall this book makes me feel very happy as a concept but is also a complete roller coaster of emotions displayed and hidden within the contributions. If only all of life was this honest as there is no normal or straight forward.

Read with care, love and a lack of judgement, as these authors are baring some deep parts of themselves - we shall be contributing soon too as of course there are always secrets…

[Adam Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

The editor of this collection had the idea of sending unused 1930's postcards out to her Instagram followers and asking them to send them back to her anonymously with whatever lockdown secret they care to mention written on the blank side. This book is a collection of these. They are the secret thoughts or activities of what people did during the lockdown. Some of the secrets are very funny, some painfully sad and some just disgusting. The collection is attractively produced and makes light but entertaining reading.

[Wayne Huntley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good fun book with an interesting insight into people's lives during lockdown.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I saw this I was reminded of the PostSecret project of Frank Warren. The origin story in the introduction makes no reference to this, instead offering an earlier influence. I find it hard to believe nobody noted the similarity.
But, that aside, this is an interesting collection, with the UK-centric nature and the lockdown theme giving it enough of an identity to make it worthwhile. Derivative then, but in a good way.
It is a lovely book too.

[Steven Severance · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK sort of disposable, but the book does also celebrate how different people are and how varried our lives during COVID lockdown were.

It was not fare who died and who suffered in the extreme. It was not fair how easy i had it . My employer was great!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating, funny and heartbreaking.

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely idea, entertaining and interesting

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun fun fun !