Love Letters, Lost

Book excerpt: Love letters can be passionate, sad, goofy, serious, bittersweet, angry, tragic, embarrassing and even romantic. Over the years, some were saved, others were not. Love Letters, Lost is a collection of love letters salvaged from flea markets, garage sales, swap meets and internet auctions. Here Babbette Hines pairs them with vintage photographs of lovestruck young couples holding hands, laughing, dancing and mugging for the camera. In an age of e-mail greeting cards, this beguiling book is a reminder of the simple beauty of a tender letter. For those who might want to try writing one themselves, suggestions from a 1919 booklet on how to write love letters is included.