How Does Letterjoy Work?
Here are the basics:
- Real Letters: We visit archives and libraries around the world to find you rare & interesting letters from your favorite historical figures.
- Topics You'll Love: Customize your experience by choosing from our growing list of topic-specific packages.
- The Context You Need: Explore the history behind your latest letter with "The Postscript," our signature article format.
- Immersive Design: Premium paper, restored letterhead, and other little details make reading Letterjoy feel like time-travel.
As Seen In
Who Letterjoy Is For?
Letterjoy has members of every profession, from plumbers, to engineers, to governors and CEOs.
Some members buy Letterjoy for themselves, as a weekly escape from the digital world into the nostalgia of paper, print, and history.
Others purchase Letterjoy to enjoy with their children. While our letters can be difficult to read for younger learners, some families find them to be a fun, fresh way to inspire a love of history in their household.
Many more discover Letterjoy by receiving it as a gift, for Christmas, their birthday, Mother's Day, or Father's Day.
Though most of our members live in the United States, we have members in thousands of cities in all fifty states and dozens of countries around the world.
So, with such a varied membership, what binds them all? Who is Letterjoy for? Anyone who really loves history. If they don't, you'll probably want to buy them something else.
Meet Your Legendary Pen Pals
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Theodore RooseveltRough-Rider, best-selling author, president, and a favorite of our members. |
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Amelia EarhartDaring aviator, icon, and enduring source of mystery. |
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Thurgood MarshallCivil rights attorney, Solicitor General, and Supreme Court Justice. |
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Andrew CarnegieTelegraph-messenger-turned-steel-tycoon whose fortune was once the second-largest in the world. |
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Abigail AdamsWife and confidante of one president, and mother to another. |
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William T. ShermanLegendary Civil War general famous for his "march to the sea." |
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Allen W. DullesLong-time intelligence chief who built the CIA into the intelligence agency it is today. |
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Susan B. AnthonySuffragette who waged a decades-long battle for the right to vote. |
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Abraham LincolnCountry lawyer, emancipator, and war-time president. |
Frederick DouglassFreedman who rose from bondage to become one of the world's leading Abolitionists. | |
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Dwight D. EisenhowerSupreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe during World War II and the 34th President of the United States. |
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Henry ClayThe "Great Compromiser," Secretary of State to John Quincy Adams, a long-time legislator and a perennial failed presidential candidate. |
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Julius & Ethel RosenbergThe famous spy couple jailed and executed for collecting intelligence on behalf of the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War. |
These are just a few examples of the figures Letterjoy members receive letters from. A more thorough list can be found here
Out Of Many, One.
We sift through hundreds of letters to find one great letter for our members.
Why do we go to the trouble? It's simple, really. We've learned, through years of practice, that finding amazing letters takes time.
Over 90% of the letters in the world's major manuscript collections aren't digitized. Of those that aren't, many of them are sorted by date rather than topic. This makes sifting through them tedious, but it also almost guarantees that, if we look long enough, we'll find something new and exciting for our readers.
That's why, again and again, we plod our way toward the Manuscript Reading Room of the Library of Congress, The National Archives, and other research libraries near our office in Washington and elsewhere in search of letters.
Sure, our fingers will be sore from gently flipping pages, our eyes strained from squinting at messy handwriting, but, once we sift out the congratulatory letters, the dinner invitations, and the telegrams from opinionated strangers (of which there are many), we'll almost always find you a letter worth reading.
Member Testimonials
"My 12 year old history obsessed son loved his Letterjoy. It’s not just the letter- it’s the info that comes with it. My son is on Scholar Bowl and he sees these as a treasure trove of info. Took it to school today to share with team. Thank you!"
— Lauren, Florida
"If you are looking for a great holiday gift for someone in politics or who likes history I have really enjoyed @Letterjoy . They send you a historical letter each week and they are fascinating. One week might be from a WWII general & the next week about natural ice in the 1920s."
— John, Alabama
"We did the Letterjoy thing as a Christmas gift for our son, and I’m definitely the biggest beneficiary. I read them aloud to the whole family, in the accent/voice I imagine each author would have had."
— Stephanie, New York
P.S. You'll Love The Postscript.
When you ask a Letterjoy member about their experience, chances are, you'll hear these two words:
"The postscript".
In fact, "the postscript" is so popular that many Letterjoy members tell us they read it before reading their latest historic letter.
What is "The Postscript"? It's our signature article format, designed to teach you about your latest letter in a way that is fun, detailed, and efficient with your time.
How do we do this?>
First we do research. A lot of research. We read books, letters, memorandums, old newspapers, academic papers, and, when we're researching something very esoteric, we consult with subject-matter experts to check our facts.
Then, we distill this research down into a few pages of notes and outlines, which we then condense further into a 1,200-1,400 word article.
Next, we take out the hacksaw and cut fat, fluff, and flotsam until what is left is (ideally) a clear, accurate, and engaging story of your latest historic letter.
Finally, we edit and double and triple-check our facts. This mainly comes down to making sure we spelled names and titles correctly, but sometimes, this involves visiting an archive to verify or disprove a hard-to-believe story or quote.
There are many urban legends and apocryphal or misattributed quotes on the internet and in books. We work hard to keep them out of our postscripts.
"Those people on the internet are lying about my quotes."
- Abraham Lincoln, probably
In spite of all the cutting, we do our best to make sure that every postscript has plenty of fun facts, so that you can impress your friends, win your next trivia game, or discover a new historical niche you love.
To read some previous Letterjoy "postscripts" (and the letters they accompanied), visit our samples page.
Topic Choices
Explore our growing list of topics you can choose to receive letters about.