Letters of Note - New York City 🗽

By Shaun Usher.

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Letters of Note - New York City is an interesting and reflective collection that brings together historical letters connected to one of the world’s most iconic cities. Through a series of personal accounts, the book attempts to capture the many different ways people have experienced New York over time.

Curated by Shaun Usher, who has assembled several similar collections, the book gathers letters written by a wide range of figures. Each letter offers a small window into a specific moment in the city’s history, revealing the excitement, frustration, wonder, and nostalgia people have felt while living in or visiting New York.

The letters together highlight the city’s reputation as a true cultural melting pot. They reflect the perspectives of newcomers arriving with wide-eyed curiosity, long-time residents expressing fierce loyalty to their home, and others sharing moments of disappointment or struggle within such a demanding and constantly changing place.

As someone who absolutely loves New York City, I was especially excited to read this collection. It is a city that has such a unique energy and character, and I hoped the letters would make me feel as though I was stepping back into its streets through the voices of those who experienced it. While there were moments where that feeling came through, overall I found that it did not quite immerse me in the city as much as I had expected.

There were, however, several standout pieces. Helen Keller’s letter describing what she could “see” of the city was remarkable, both for its vivid imagery and for how beautifully she captured the spirit of New York.

I was also fascinated by the eyewitness account of the Stonewall Riots, which offered a powerful perspective on a pivotal moment in the city’s history. Another interesting letter proposed the creation of Central Park, arguing that New York deserved a public space worthy of its growing status.

The book is relatively quick to read and works best as something to dip in and out of rather than reading straight through. My engagement did vary depending on the letter. Being from England, there were quite a few references to historical figures and events that I was not particularly familiar with, which occasionally made the context harder to fully appreciate. I found myself much more engaged when the letters referenced people or events I already knew about, or places within the city that I had visited myself.

That said, Letters of New York remains an insightful collection that highlights the many different voices and experiences that have shaped the city across generations. For readers interested in history, literature, and the evolution of New York itself, it offers plenty of moments worth discovering.

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