Love Letters Of Great Men - Vol. 1

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These letters and the short biographical notes reveal some interesting, sometimes amusing details about famous people's private lives, such as the fact that Mozart and his wife both loved scatological jokes; Robert Burns was a dog (he got two women pregnant while carrying on with his "main", I guess you'd say, mistress; one of the pregnant women was the mistress's maid); Napoleon Bonaparte seems to have been very insecure about his wife's love for him and tortured over it; Charles Darwin made a pro-/con list when he considered marriage, "better than a dog anyhow" was on the pro- side and "not forced to visit relatives" in the con side (he subsequently sounded very happy with his choice though, even though he married his first cousin); Robert Browning's love for Elizabeth Barrett started as a fan's admiration; Mark Twain's in-laws had been conductors on the Underground Railroad; Alfred Douglas did not abandon Oscar Wilde after his process, on the contrary, he campaigned in the press against the sentence and petitioned the Queen for clemency. Practicing corporate securities law in Beverly Hills, California, he travels the world seeking adventure—from being fed fugu by a geisha in Tokyo, to knife hunting for wild boar on Haleakala. One of the men (and by this point I was so fed up with this, I didn't note which) referred to a woman as a literal "object" that he desired. You might enjoy this book if you are romantic and all but if you aren't, which is like me - battered, wizened and polished by age and experience - brace yourself for a massive cringe'athon. In an era dominated by text messages and instant communication, the appeal of love letters lies in their authenticity and depth.

His beloved Sonya bore him more than a dozen children over their many blissful and prosperous years together. These letters bridge the gap between eras, reminding us that emotions are a constant thread throughout history. But the time will come when you will sigh for any heart that could be fond and despair of one that can be faithful. Cynical as some of us like to claim we are, perhaps there's always a little part of us that yearns for old-fashioned romance. From the private papers of Jane Austen and Mozart to those of Anne Boleyn and Nelson, Love Letters of Great Men and Women collects together some of the most romantic letters in history.

A short introduction is given to each letter which was concise and welcome background setting the scene. There are also many beautiful period illustrations, which really give you a feel for the time the letters were written.

Though I expected the letters in this collection to be love letters, I must admit that I was overwhelmed with how gag-worthy many of them were. This is probably a book that is perfect to give as a gift to someone you love because it's so adorable but not too much and too cheesy! From about 1822 to 1848, Liszt lived in Paris, where he came under the influence of Niccolo Paganini.I particularly loved the letters by Henry VIII, Oscar Wilde and Pierre Curie and the letters by Mozart definitely made me giggle. The collection covers prolific men in history from the likes of King Henry VIII to Lord Nelson, Napoleon Bonaparte to Oscar Wilde, just to name a few.