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QUILLS AND QUEUES The joys of letters Comment By Angela Decker DailyTidings.com By Angela Decker Posted Dec. 31, 2014 at 6:06 PM By Angela Decker Posted Dec. 31, 2014 at 6:06 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Siskiyou Prize honors environmental scientist's memoirs • Quills & Queues: Art, language and the brain » Social News In these days of ubiquitous texts and tweets and, for us older people, emails, getting a handwritten letter in the mail feels extra special. Jan. 8 to 14 is Universal Letter-Writing Week, the perfect opportunity to grab pen and paper and write to someone you care about. It's also a good time to read books that celebrate the joys of writing and receiving a letter. Below are some favorites for kids and adults.  “Letters of Note: Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience,” edited by Shaun Usher. Usher is a curator of written correspondences that he finds in archives, attics and libraries. He's compiled his findings in a blog, as well as a thick and compelling book. It contains personal letters by well-known figures including Emily Dickinson, Winston Churchill, Annie Oakley and Elvis, and everyday folks such as a young soldier writing to his parents just after the end of World War II, or the short collection of notes from mothers leaving their children at New York's Foundling Asylum in the 1870s. The letters range from funny to warm to heartbreaking. One favorite of mine is a letter written by journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson to a friend asking for life advice. Thompson was only 20 years old, but his letter is wise well beyond his years. There are so many letters that stick with reader — the late actress Katharine Hepburn's letter to her partner Spencer Tracy, a Hawaiian missionary's letter in the 1860s describing a successful but horrific surgery she undergoes, and music great Louis Armstrong's letter to a fan in Vietnam. Letter lovers can visit Usher's blog (www.LettersOfNote.com) for more letters, as well as his own thoughtful comments on the pieces and the authors into whose lives we get such an intimate peek.  “The Timewaster Letters,” by Robin Cooper You can find this one at the Ashland library. “The Timewaster Letters” is a goofy compilation of prank letters written by British comedy writer Robert Popper under a pseudonym to various trade groups, department stores, political parties and publishers. His letters are mildly funny, but the carefully courteous responses are often hilarious. It offers good fun for practical jokers and it's also a reminder of how the formality of a letter can lend weight and seriousness to a subject, sometimes more than it deserves.  The Ashland children's library has a number of fabulous books to inspire kids to write and introduce them to the joy of letter writing.  “Sincerely Yours: Writing Your Own Letter,” by Nancy Loewen. This short book for kids is a good how-to introduction to writing both friendly and business-style letters.  “Dear Mr. Henshaw,” by Beverly Cleary. In letters to his favorite author, 10-year-old Leigh Bott shares his feelings about his parents' divorce, being the new boy in school and feeling lonely. As the boy and his idol continue corresponding, Leigh also starts keeping a journal. Through his writing, readers see Leigh's growth and change as he finds his place in the world. Like all of Cleary's books, it is heartwarming and deeply insightful.  “Dear Napoleon: I Know You’re Dead, But ...,” by Elvira Woodruff Given a school assignment to write a letter to a famous person, young Marty chooses to write to Napoleon Bonaparte. He has heard all about him from his eccentric grandfather. When grandpa goes into a nursing home, he tells Marty that one of the other residents can actually deliver the letter to Napoleon. Several weeks later, Marty receives a letter, postmarked Paris, from the Emperor himself. The boy goes on to receive letters from Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, and Vincent Van Gogh. It's an odd and very sweet story with lots of historical details and a reminder of how awesome grandparents can be.    — Reach Ashland freelance writer Angela Decker at [email protected]. By Angela Decker DailyTidings.com By Angela Decker Posted Dec. 31, 2014 at 6:06 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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