When I returned home after being discharged from the army in September 1947, my mother gave me a carton containing all of the letters I had written home, in their original envelopes, with the pictures and other memorabilia that came with them. That carton stayed unopened for 60 years, because I never felt any compulsion to read the letters or in any way relive my army experience. In fact, this book might never have been written if it were not for that carton and for the fact that our daughter, Paula Yudenfriend Green, persisted in overcoming my resistance to being videographed with my wife, Minya, for the purpose of describing our life experiences for our progeny. The evening before we were scheduled to be videographed, I opened the box of letters, and read about ten of them. It was then that I realized the need to read all of the letters, and I began the next day as soon as the videographers had left. I was amazed at the amount of personal and American history they contained, especially since all the letters were written when I was between 17 and 19 years old. I was also impressed with their clarity and perceptiveness. Ive never been the same since I read the letters, and this book is the result. Many things contained in the book were not included in the letters. Events occurred about which I didnt write, because I didnt want to cause concerns at home about my physical condition or the potentially dangerous or ugly situations in which I was involved. I have also included clarifications and elaborations of events described in the letters that I think are appropriate to better understand the experiences which I had. After more than 60 years, I have forgotten details of some of the things that happened, and the names of people with whom I had contact, some on a daily basis. On the whole, however, I found that putting this book together was a fascinating journey, and I hope you find it so as you read it.

Jonathon Bender had something to say to the world; unfortunately, the world wasn't listening, and didn't start until Jonathon committed suicide. Dear Everybody is his last will and testament: unsent letters addressed to relatives, friends, teachers, classmates, professors, roommates, employers, former girlfriends, his ex-wife, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, the state of Michigan, and a weather satellite, just to name a few, alongside the eulogizing reminiscences of his closest acquaintances. Michael Kimball fills in the story of Jonathon's life through his letters, bringing the reader to laughter and tears in an involving and sympathetically written work of fiction.

He's the Ann Landers of anomie, the antidote for sniveling sensitivity, a caustic balm for our broken hearts--he's "The Gangster of Love." This collection of his columns features questions from anxious readers--with the Gangster's more or less helpful replies--which are loaded with quirky counsel on sticky problems and endless anecdotes.

Collects more than six hundred letters to and from the editors of "Poetry" that were written about and by such figures as Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, Robert Frost, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Wallace Stevens.

When Toby Little was five years old, he decided to write to someone in every country in the world. With the help of his mum, Toby started handwriting and posting letters to everyone from research scientists in Antarctica to game-keepers in Chad and even the Pope. Not only did Toby achieve his goal but the world wrote back. Dear World, How Are You? is a collection of the most fascinating and heart-warming letters he sent and received. It shows that the world is only as big as your imagination and is full of potential friends, waiting to be discovered, no matter where you live.

"A rare, no-holds-barred documentation of an American teenager's life." —Publishers Weekly Told through the actual diary entries of a real teenage girl, Dear Nobody chronicles Mary Rose's struggles with drug addiction, bullying, and a deadly secret in this raw, authentic book. Her story will inspire you—and remind you that you're not alone. They call me a freak. I'm sick of it. It makes me want dangerous, bad things. Drugs—hard drugs—and people who are bad for me, but I don't care, because I'm so lonely and no matter what their intentions are at least they're talking to me... They say that high school is supposed to be the best time of your life. But what if that's just not true? More than anything, Mary Rose wants to fit in. To be heard. To be loved. And she'll do whatever it takes to make that happen. Even if it costs her her life. Compelling and unflinchingly honest, Dear Nobody is perfect for readers looking for: contemporary young adult nonfiction true stories about drug addiction books like Go Ask Alice and Lucy in the Sky stories that spark conversation about issues teens face