11 Comments
User's avatar
Mike Dougherty's avatar

That’s a great one that hits home on the value of books and letters.

<Julia Henri>'s avatar

This is the ultimate compliment that any writer might receive. Thank you for sharing this vivid and personal correspondence. It is truly remarkable and I will always remember it.

Jean Harkin's avatar

As we head into what looks to be another horror time with an out of control President and his followers we need to see and hear these truths. We in the U.S. have become politically lazy. This letter is an excellent reminder of what can easily happen if we keep our finger on "snooze."

Helen's avatar

Human spirit buoyed by a writers stories, in circumstances we would find hard to comprehend. Incredible and humbling, thank you for this

Cate Salenger's avatar

This is so incredible. The power of good stories. It reminds me of what I read long ago. Both John Muir and Vincent Van Gogh had to memorize he entire Bible when they were children. That's something I can't fathom. It also reminded me of the book and movie Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. In the end of this story of dystopian horror, there are characters roaming in the forests reciting novels verbatim. (All the books have been burned.) Amazing what this woman did.

Quicksilver's avatar

Absolutely wonderful. What a gift she had, and how brilliantly she used it.

Wendy McWaffle's avatar

I hope this is framed somewhere!

Carol Ann Power's avatar

Precious share. As Miss Maya Angelou once said: they may forget your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel.

Authors don’t realise the importance of their impact even when they are no longer able to receive thanks and accolades for their beautiful works.

Kindest regards

Carol Power

Johannesburg

South Africa

Shubhi Dixit's avatar

Not allowed reading or writing material did not stop them from retelling the stories that stayed within. What a beautiful discovery for a writer. Haunting, but beautiful.

Leara's avatar

How devastating. And how utterly lucky and charmed I am -- as many of us are -- in the land of the free.

Sue Cauhape's avatar

The memory of some people, especially those who lived before the electronic distractions of the late 20th century and current times, is truly remarkable. It is how people passed culture and history. This story reminds me of Ray Bradbury's "Book people" in Fahrenheit 451, the people who found a remote place of safety and memorized whole books to recite constantly. Thank you, Shawn, for this post.