
As promised, it's The Missive Maven's first-ever BLOG GIVEAWAY!
In a delightfully ironic twist, I received two brand-new copies of this book as holiday gifts, one from a dear friend and one from a dear relative. I could send this book as a gift to someone else, but I don't want to repeat my situation of having someone end up with two of the same book.
*In the unlikely event that one of the original givers is reading this blog post - as my dear husband warned might happen - I am sure they will understand. I am delighted with this book and can't wait to read it, but I only need one.
The book, just published on November 10, is Yours Ever: People and Their Letters by Thomas Mallon. You can read all about it at the linked Amazon description, but here's a wee blurb:
"This companion volume to prolific Mallon's 1984 study of diaries, A Book of One's Own, surveys several epistolary subgenres, including friendship, advice, complaint, love, confession, war-zone dispatch and pleas from prison. A 25-year correspondence between Mary McCarthy and Hannah Arendt pleasurably mixes world politics and personal foibles, musings about the Eichmann trial with an unwanted pregnancy and literary gossip. Henry Miller bullied his patient publisher James Laughlin for 30 years (Why should I compromise?... to please you?); Florence Nightingale's angry, agitated letters from the Crimean War show a respect for the suffering soldier and a contempt for complaining nurses; E.M. Forster confides to a friend his homosexual initiation at age 37 by an Egyptian tram conductor; and Winston and Clementine Churchill's long correspondence blends patriotism, ambition and shared tenacity. They stand in marked contrast to the duke and duchess of Windsor's baby talk and self-pity. This smart, witty and lively account with excerpts of a not-yet-extinct literary genre will whet our appetites for published collections of letters—a selected bibliography is included—while motivating us to put pen to paper to rediscover a satisfying means of communication."
If you'd like a chance at getting this book in this here giveaway, just leave a comment on this post. (DON'T comment on the post if you don't want the book! As such, I won't throw off the numbers by responding in the comments section to comments.) I will select a winner from a random number generator. No anonymous comments allowed, sorry - it's easy enough to fill out a blogger profile if you don't have one already.
A FINAL CLARIFICATION: DA RULES
Because I've already had some anonymous comments, let me just end with the rules.
1. No anonymous comments will be approved. You need a blogger profile to enter this one (simply because I need to know who you are - I'm not going to count through "anonymous #7"), and if you don't have one yet, just make one. It's fast, easy and free, doesn't require a blog, and I think only requires a valid email address.
2. The deadline for comments/entries is 12pm (Eastern Standard/NYC time) on Wednesday, December 30.
Surfing over from Fountain Pen Network to drop a virtual line- looks like another book to add to my reading list!
ReplyDeleteThis seems like it is a very interesting book. hanks for your generosity, and please enter my name in your drawing. TIA.
ReplyDelete-Sid aka Wolverine1 on FPN
What a cool giveaway! Thanks Ilona :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a very interesting book and what a great idea to give your extra copy to one of your loyal blog readers!
ReplyDeleteCongrats and Thanks for this first giveaway of yours - This book seems really neat, and I love reading letters! I'd like to enter :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book. Thanks for offering the giveaway. I recently added your blog to my RSS reader. Looking forward to more great posts.
ReplyDeleteI've had my eye on this book lately too. What great people to send it to you. even more than once. I hope whoever wins enjoys it!
ReplyDeleteSurprisingly I have not heard of this book until I saw your blog post, it sounds really interesting!
ReplyDelete- L
It looks jolly interesting, and should I win it I might be able to overcome the sheepishness which restrains me from obeying your "Go ahead and write" injunction (honestly, all the art shown here which goes in a letterish disguise is very intimidating).
ReplyDeleteWow, that looks like a really interesting book, I would love to have a chance to read it!
ReplyDeleteyes I would love a copy of this book since I am an avid letter writer and voracious reader . Thanks for doing this for us and that is great .
ReplyDeleteI looked for this book at an area bookstore, but I couldn't find it or any of the other letter-writing books I was looking for. Thanks for having the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI've had this book on my list since it came out. I would love to have a copy! How thoughtful of you to share your bounty with your readers.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great giveaway! I would love a copy, since I love to both read and write letters!
ReplyDeletewoohoo! your very first giveaway, and what a great giveaway it is! thanks for being so generous!
ReplyDeleteLoooooove books of letters. I would be pleased as punch to read this book. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun item for your first giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThis is the 10th time I'm trying this-ugh! I just saw this book on Amazon last night it is one of the top 100 books to read for the year. Yes, please enter me in the giveaway. I hope this works.
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays
Cindy
Sounds like an interesting read. Please sign me up for a chance. Thanks. Patty
ReplyDeleteI love epistolary books. I recently purchased London House Publishing's version of Austen's, "Lady Susan". It's delightfully packaged like a collection of handwritten/folded/sealed letters. Thanks for making this giveaway available!
ReplyDeleteThis book looks great. Our library has it on order so I put it on hold when I first heard about it. How sweet of you to give your extra copy away.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a good read! Dropping by from FPN to say hi. :) Thank you for spreading the holiday cheer!
ReplyDeletewhat a great book! i'd love to have a chance to read it. i miss sending and receiving real letters... and still have tons of notes and letters from when i was a kid. :) thanks for being so generous and sharing your book! maybe it'll get me writing letters more often than just the Easter and Christmas cards i send every year.
ReplyDeleteI'm so in :) Looks like a great book. What a great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win this book. I loved Mallon's previous book (it's one of my most cherished books in my library) and am looking forward to reading this one.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing info about a great read ... and hosting a super give-away. I will make sure our library has this book! (my son is librarian, so I have inside assistance in this)
ReplyDeleteMele Kalikimaka, Ilona!
This is a really cool giveaway and it sounds like an interesting book I'd love to read, here's to throwing my name in the pot!
ReplyDelete-Your Canadian penpal who owes you a letter
I love letters! I also really can recommend Mallon's "A Book of One's Own," which is about personal diaries/journals (published before the age of the blog).
ReplyDeleteThank you for the contest!
I'd love to read this! Mallon's book about journals was wonderful, and I love letters at least as much as journals!
ReplyDeleteGee, this book does look wonderful! How lucky are you, that 2 of your dear friends chose the same thing - they must really know you. Many thanks and Best Wishes for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a terrific read to me. Count me in. Let me also take the chance to tell you how much I enjoy following your blog. Keep it up, please.
ReplyDeletePick me, pick me - the book looks really interesting. Not sure if you'll mail to the UK but if I'm lucky, I could help with postage!
ReplyDeleteI saw your post over on the Fountain Pen Network. I'd love to read this as well!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this. I would love to win this book.
ReplyDeleteyour flickr and blog makes me want to write a million letters!
ReplyDeletethank you for a chance - this book looks great!
Happy Holidays!
Sounds like such a fun book! Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy. Have a great holiday!
ReplyDeleteJenn
At least I have stopped stalking you now :)The book sounds very interesting,would love to get my hand on it ;)
ReplyDeletePalak.
Sounds interesting, must see if I can pick up a copy sometime.
ReplyDeleteThat book sounds really cool.
ReplyDeleteOooh, what a great giveaway! Please put my name in the hat! Happy Holidays, :]
ReplyDeleteesashamartinez [at] gmail [dot] com
this sounds great. that's funny you got two copies of this. I guess they know you well. happy holidays,
ReplyDeleteLauren
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com
please add me into this drawing -- I would love to get a copy of this book. Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeletenot sure if my previous comment went through, sorry if i double comment!
ReplyDeletehopkinsb [@] umd [.] edu
Oooh! I'd love to read the letters, a glimpse into their lives!
ReplyDeleteThe book looks very interesting, so sign me up ... ! :-)
ReplyDeleteWell I can't pass this chance so sign me up as well...
ReplyDeleteNot very easy to get around here.
Hope to get a chance
Hello,
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a fun book to read. Please sign me up.
Stephanie R.
Wonderful giveaway! I have A Book of One's Own and would love to have a copy of this new one. Thank you for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteI heard an interview with Tom Mallon on NPR a few weeks ago; sounds like this is a fascinating book!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a good read, sign me up!
ReplyDeletesounds great thanks minsthins at optonline dot net
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book. Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteeswright18 at gmail dot com
Don't you just love "stumble upons"? I got here via Mistressdebrina's blog. I am one of the only people in my family who still writes letters, makes and sends cards and usually forgoes emails. I remember how to pick up a phone! W/O texting, I might add. I love the idea of this book and may just have to hunt down the author's first book on diaries. Thanks for the generous re-gifting of Mallon's book. Tina
ReplyDeletesounds like a great book. I would love to read it.,
ReplyDeleteI'm in! Didn't know the book, but it's pretty interesting. Sometimes I dream with some friends, and if some day our letter turn into a book, a book about two lives from different points of the world who never saw each other. It's at least beautiful, the "romanticist" idea.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Joana
I saw this book at B&N over the holidays and put it on my wishlist. Thanks so much for the give away. Throughly enjoy this blog, it's my fav!
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be a nice story, and I' d like to read and have it for sure!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this cool offer!
Greetings from Brazil!
beingbrunoathotmaildotcom
I work in a library, love books and fountain pens - winning this book would be perfect!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful entertaining book.
ReplyDeleteTheresa N
weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com