Dear Virginia:

In “The Catcher in the Rye” Holden Caulfield says reading an extraordinary book makes him wish to contact the author. That’s me after reading your book about the seventy-something-year-old lady who compulsively wrote and received letters (the kind that traveled through post offices) with a variety of friends, relatives and, yes, even authors.

I read “The Correspondent,” your fictional book of letters written by and collected from Sybil, in a couple of sittings. Well, I’ll admit I occasionally stood up and moved about a bit when my smart watch encouraged me to do so, but even then, I carried the copy to continue reading those interesting exchanges. Collectively the correspondence told a story about Sybil and other characters I quickly began to understand. Your work caused me to appreciate universal challenges in their relationships, their health, and other situations.

Aside from gaining empathy and understanding concerning how ordinary people deal with living through times of joy as well as despair, I was also inspired to return to writing letters—something I’ve not been as inspired to do since email and texts have become part of my life. Letter writing requires more thinking, and that act alone creates a better understanding of whatever subject is being written about.

Sybil and her friend Rosaline often told and asked one another what they were currently reading as they closed their friendly and chatty letters. Most of those mentioned were books I’ve read, and by seeing those titles again, I was reminded of their worth. Others that I’ve not read are now on my reading list. I hope to get to them as I grow older and hope I won’t find the task as difficult for my eyes as it was for Sybil.

You mentioned Helen Hanf’s “84 Charing Cross Road,” a book I read years ago. That collection of letters shared between a bookseller and a frequent mail order customer was also a tribute to reading and writing. From that book, just as from your “The Correspondent”, I was left with suggestions of other books to explore.

As I end this letter, I’ll tell you what I’m reading these days. After having read “Theo of Golden,” “Whistler,” and “The Correspondent,” I’m inclined to choose a different type of reading experience next. Perhaps a mystery from the Cork O’Connor series by William Kent Krueger, what do you recommend, Virginia?

Then again, I may take a break from reading for a while and write loads of letters to family and friends.

Respectfully,

Jimmy Lowe