Still loved up after Valentine’s Day, a few 26ers wear their hearts on their sleeves and share their thoughts on love letters.
Four Letters of Love
Thinking of love letters makes me think of Four Letters of Love, a sadly overlooked first novel by Niall Williams, but fortunately still in print. It’s an elegiac tale about love and destiny, and following your impulse. Set in Ireland, it has the lyricism and sweep of landscape that so many Irish books have. The four love letters that the book revolves around are masterpieces of the art. Martin Lee
E-romance
Nobody’s ever written me a love letter as such, but I’ve fallen in love with someone just through writing emails to each other, which we did for weeks and weeks before actually meeting. It was the most wonderful time. The relationship didn’t work once it was off the page. That’s all I’m willing to say! Maddie York
The new love letters
Want to hear something tear-jerkingly sad? I don’t think I’ve ever received a love letter – at least, not a proper one with all the trimmings. Don’t get too misty on my behalf. I hadn’t considered this until now, so it’s fair to say I haven’t lived in a state of ongoing upset. And now, married for 20 years, it feels a tad late to start (spare me any “rekindle the spark” platitudes). Plus I suppose it’s all sexts these days, accompanied by blurry snaps of genitalia. Roger Horberry