Signed, Sealed and Delivered: Epistolary Books You Need on Your Shelf to Celebrate National Letter Writing Month

When a freelance writer in New York City calls on a used bookseller in London in search of an obscure title, she finds something even more rare — the start of a 20-year friendship. Their relationship is founded in a love of literature and despite never meeting in person, soon blossoms into genuine affection. The camaraderie that develops over the course of this charming true story is a must-read that will become a favorite for book lovers.

The eponymous society in this story, concocted as cover during the German occupation of Guernsey during WWII, is packed with a charming array of peculiar characters. As an author tours post-war England promoting her newest release, unexpected correspondence and serendipitous events bring her face-to-face with newfound friends on the island — and they all have a story to tell. Fans of 84, Charing Cross Road will love this book club favorite.

Christian symbolism is woven heavily throughout The Chronicles of Narnia, but C.S. Lewis is equally lauded for his serious theological works. The Screwtape Letters is an incisive religious satire that inspects the human capacity for goodness, our weakness towards temptation and will to resist it. Written as a series of letters from one demon to another, the philosophical insights within are of perennial interest to those of any faith.

Travel to Transylvania and bury yourself in the tale that laid the foundation for future vampire literature. When most people think of Dracula, they wouldn’t think of it as an epistolary novel, but this haunting narrative is a collection of journal entries, ship logs, and newspaper entries that will send shivers down your spine. Start on May 3^rd if you want to read along in “real-time”.

Love and grief go hand in hand, and PS, I Love You is a brilliant example of this. Childhood sweethearts Holly and Gerry thought they found their happily ever after in each other… until Gerry dies. As her 30^th birthday approaches, Holly finds the letters Gerry wrote to guide her through this new phase of life without him. A tender, heartrending, and hopeful read, this is a book that you will need tissues for!

Bernadette has disappeared — and to find her (and not miss a long-awaited family trip) Bee must collect emails, documents, and secret correspondence in order to connect the dots. The hilarious and heartfelt story of a mother who goes missing and the daughter who sets out to find her, Where’d You Go, Bernadette is another perennial pick for book clubs and guaranteed to charm and amuse you. 

The story of two artists separated by continents and oceans and brought together by beauty and the written word, Griffin and Sabine is an intimate journey of lovers destined never to meet. Pen pals connecting through their mutual passions, their extraordinary tale is told through letters and ephemera hidden between the pages, awaiting discovery.

A young woman happens upon an unpublished manuscript and is so touched by the tale she’s compelled to track the author down. Finding him is easy, but only reveals new enigmas. As she follows the clues, she uncovers a cadre of characters who’ve also found themselves moved by the power of the same words. This is the kind of story — of new friendships, budding romances, and secrets revealed — that showcases the lifechanging power of books.