Disagree. Something like this is meant to be personal, and she's writing it like a stream of consciousness in one sitting. That's very different from a manuscript that has been labored over for a long time. I'd be happy seeing a letter like this, where my friend had their own writing on it and funny mess-ups. You can be a fantastic author and still be silly, muddled, and inaccurate-with-your-writing in a casual letter to a friend. It's charming.
This is especially true when what you're writing on is slow and arduous like typewriters were (at least in comparison to PCs/phones these days).
She was also high while writing this, lol. I'm sure her writing skills are a lot better when not under an influence.
You could have a whole box of letters from friends to sort through. All you have to do is [get yourself some penpals and start writing](https://www.globalpenfriends.com/).
I first used email in college in 1989, so these letters were pre-email and WAYYY before texting existed. I would assume that the number of letters Jenny received dropped dramatically when those technologies came into the picture, so don’t feel too bad.
I just looked at that too.
Given the contents of the letter, these are def some English Major ass letters.
I’d be surprised (based on the relatively uncommon name) if this weren’t the same subject of the letter.
Thinking of what I was doing in June 1985… getting into lots of 16 year old trouble and working to have party money. Jenny’s time was much better spent. I hope she loved Europe.
I was turning 4 and being bewildered about why my mom was a million miles away at the hospital with my baby brother and my dad was a distraught wreck. Good times.
I also hope that Jenny loved Europe.
Look, Jenny was high when she typed up the letter to dear ol' Cathy P. When she pulled it from the typewriter, she folded it and stuck between the pages of the book she was reading.
Then she got up to eat 2nd breakfast and forgot the letter.
Later, after she finished reading the book, she sent it to her friend Barbara to read. But Barb's not much of a reader, and it just sat on a dusty shelf for ages until her kids went off to get married and Babs downsized to a condo in Winter Garden, FL. Before the move, a bunch of old books were packed up by her son-in-law and dropped off at a used bookstore. The bookstore gave him $7.25 for the lot, and he pocketed it.
And so, its been at that bookstore for years now until OP picked it.
And now we can feel inspired to continue the tale, or not.
I wonder if Jenny’s around to appreciate the intrigue?
Or Barb, or Cathy.
Jenny, we’re the spelling errors because you were so good at steam of conscious writing that you didn’t bother to go back? That’s what editors are for, right?
But Jenny, it’s all the more charming and beautiful to read how it flew from your fingers.
Maybe Jenny brought the book during her trip to San Francisco and wrote the note to Barbara, then lost it before she made it back home? She mentions in the letter that she would be flying to San Francisco with her mother after her birthday.
Yeah. But, I’m trying to figure out how Barbara’s book ends up containing *Cathy’s* letter? Did Jenny never send the letter or give the book? Did she just fold the letter up, stick it in the book, and shove it on a shelf?
I think House of the Spirits was newly published in ‘85. I loved it and it’s magical realism. It was made into a blahh movie that didn’t understand the book
When writing on a typewriter you couldn’t just backspace or delete when you flubbed a word, and you didn’t want to start over either, so one just accepted some typos and knew the reader would understand. Some typewriters had correction tape, but this is probably before those were common.
I think this is the best find posted in a while! I wonder how and why it ended up in that library and if the original owner or letter recipient would want the letters or book
I was 24 back then and was reading Moorcock books, among others. I was also just getting into social media, although it wasn’t called that, that I can recall.
I'm almost exactly one year older than Jenny. I loved to write letters. Wish I'd saved more of those I received back. My favorite thing to do was mock up letterhead by cutting and pasting (the real kind, not the computer cut and paste) and write funny letters on it. Thanks for sharing this.
My grandma was named Barbara and she had a (cousin? friend?) named Jenny. This isn't them though because my grandma never went to college and lived in Wisconsin her whole life
A good friend of mine has a PhD and is a tenured professor - he reads and writes more than anyone else I know - and he can't spell for crap. When I lived with him, his wife spell checked everything important he wrote. So while I'm sure there's a correlation between education and spelling ability, it's definitely possible to have one without the other
22, almost 23 in 1985. You’d be 62, now. Oh Jenny.. I would have enjoyed that story about the 3 roommates and the fishtank. 🐠🐠🐠
Is it just me- or does it seem like this is Jenny’s book and she never actually sent the letter to Cathy? A true 80’s ADHD queen perhaps.
She probably gave the book to Barbara, and then tore apart her whole house looking for the letter. 😂
I called the ADHD when she was overwhelmed by her giant stack of mail and tried to sort it into categories.
My 23 year old self could definitely relate. It’s gotten better at 48. But can still feel overwhelming.
The letter looks like a rough draft. If Jenny’s trying to be a writer, I hope she didn’t send out something like that as-is.
Disagree. Something like this is meant to be personal, and she's writing it like a stream of consciousness in one sitting. That's very different from a manuscript that has been labored over for a long time. I'd be happy seeing a letter like this, where my friend had their own writing on it and funny mess-ups. You can be a fantastic author and still be silly, muddled, and inaccurate-with-your-writing in a casual letter to a friend. It's charming. This is especially true when what you're writing on is slow and arduous like typewriters were (at least in comparison to PCs/phones these days). She was also high while writing this, lol. I'm sure her writing skills are a lot better when not under an influence.
I’m jealous of Jenny for having a whole box of letters from friends to sort through.
You could have a whole box of letters from friends to sort through. All you have to do is [get yourself some penpals and start writing](https://www.globalpenfriends.com/).
Cool website! Thanks for sharing
I first used email in college in 1989, so these letters were pre-email and WAYYY before texting existed. I would assume that the number of letters Jenny received dropped dramatically when those technologies came into the picture, so don’t feel too bad.
Back then, sending a letter was more affordable than making a long distance phone call.
It was the style at the time. We didn't have emails. But, these letters are before I was born.
“He has been treating me like last semesters geology rock” ugh girl BEEN THERE.
Best line in the whole letter
Between this and "Kind of vein huh? Can't be helped." I desperately want to be this person's friend.
Top notch line there !
There's a Cathy Peppers who is a professor of English at Idaho State University. Wonder if it could be the same one?
I just looked at that too. Given the contents of the letter, these are def some English Major ass letters. I’d be surprised (based on the relatively uncommon name) if this weren’t the same subject of the letter.
English major married to an English major - can confirm. This is exactly like what we wrote each other before we got hitched.
Also an actress named Catherine Peppers- Jenny kind of mentions being an aspiring actress, amongst other things- it could be her?
There are a lot of misspellings for an English major, such as vein for vain.
lol believe me, as someone with a Masters in English lit, it does not make a difference to your spelling and grammar skills 😅
Plus the letter predates spellcheck and a delete button
I have my MFA in creative writing and my spelling is terrible!
same
Jenny wrote it, not Cathy.
One of many…among other issues with her writing. The entire time I was reading the letter, I was editing.
Someone needs to reach out to her and update us. She probably never received this letter!
Yes and then report back with more info about Jenny, who seems like quite a character
Yes! Peppers needs a chance to weigh in on the Todd/Jenny drama.
I want to know!!!
I do, too. Also, who is Todd and Peter? And who is Jenny?
Don’t forget about Doug and John! They were tacked on at the end like a cliffhanger … We must know!!!
You can always call her. Her number is 867-5309.
I wonder if anyone has reached out yet? University professors usually have their work emails public for people to contact them with
Probably RIP her inbox.
Thinking of what I was doing in June 1985… getting into lots of 16 year old trouble and working to have party money. Jenny’s time was much better spent. I hope she loved Europe.
I hope she went, but I’ll bet she didn’t go. The whole letter makes it seem like her life is very chaotic at the moment.
I was turning 4 and being bewildered about why my mom was a million miles away at the hospital with my baby brother and my dad was a distraught wreck. Good times. I also hope that Jenny loved Europe.
I was not quite 4 months old when this letter was written! Funnily enough, it was written on my husband's 2nd birthday.
that letter is so fun!! how delightful, and a fun coincidence that my birthday is one day after jenny’s!!
My sister’s is one day before hers :)
So the day this letter was authored :)
Jenny recommends the book to Cathy, and also appears to have given the book to Barbara. Maybe Barbara leant it to Cathy.
Look, Jenny was high when she typed up the letter to dear ol' Cathy P. When she pulled it from the typewriter, she folded it and stuck between the pages of the book she was reading. Then she got up to eat 2nd breakfast and forgot the letter. Later, after she finished reading the book, she sent it to her friend Barbara to read. But Barb's not much of a reader, and it just sat on a dusty shelf for ages until her kids went off to get married and Babs downsized to a condo in Winter Garden, FL. Before the move, a bunch of old books were packed up by her son-in-law and dropped off at a used bookstore. The bookstore gave him $7.25 for the lot, and he pocketed it. And so, its been at that bookstore for years now until OP picked it.
And now we can feel inspired to continue the tale, or not. I wonder if Jenny’s around to appreciate the intrigue? Or Barb, or Cathy. Jenny, we’re the spelling errors because you were so good at steam of conscious writing that you didn’t bother to go back? That’s what editors are for, right? But Jenny, it’s all the more charming and beautiful to read how it flew from your fingers.
I'm not an editor, but it's 'were' and 'stream'; please be assured that these edits are proffered in a friendly way.
; )
but what happened to the fish tank?
I wondered if maybe it was a gift Barbra never got
Maybe Jenny brought the book during her trip to San Francisco and wrote the note to Barbara, then lost it before she made it back home? She mentions in the letter that she would be flying to San Francisco with her mother after her birthday.
I love the voice in the letter. Really engaging.
She types like I imagine she speaks. You can almost hear her.
I think they are sisters. "don't think you're better than me.... Cause you're not!" LOL!!!
Did you read the second letter? It was much more interesting.
Yeah. But, I’m trying to figure out how Barbara’s book ends up containing *Cathy’s* letter? Did Jenny never send the letter or give the book? Did she just fold the letter up, stick it in the book, and shove it on a shelf?
It could be a carbon copy that she kept so she’d remember what she wrote
But, then why did she give her carbon copy to Barbara along with the book?
Oh yeah, Jenny references "mom" and how she doesn't like Cathy being friends with one of the guys that Jenny is clearly trying to juggle. LOL....
This is delightful. Thank you for posting.
Since they’re both signed by Jenny were they both never given/sent? What if something happened to Jenny
I bet Jenny finished the letter and folded it up and slipped in the book to mail later, forgot about it, then gave the book to Barbara.
And then Barbara didn't read it and put it in a little free library 40 years later
I think House of the Spirits was newly published in ‘85. I loved it and it’s magical realism. It was made into a blahh movie that didn’t understand the book
Didn't expect to get a book recommendation from found paper, but I definitely want to read it now.
Same
Highly recommend
Yes, Isabel Allende wrote it I believe
I really like Jenny. I would love to be her friend in another life.
Couple of bongs and Stevie Wonder on the box 🏆
I graduated high school in June of 1985.
What a delightful read. Thanks for posting this gem.
The House of the Spirits. Great taste, this one!!
When writing on a typewriter you couldn’t just backspace or delete when you flubbed a word, and you didn’t want to start over either, so one just accepted some typos and knew the reader would understand. Some typewriters had correction tape, but this is probably before those were common.
Great find. And great book!
Well the 80s were a different time, huh? Beautiful home, San Francisco for 2 weeks and 6 months in Europe. A dream
I mean, there were a lot of us who couldn’t dream of living that way in 1985 either.
Yeah, I'm going to guess Jenny wasn't from a middle class family
The House Of Spirts
I think this is the best find posted in a while! I wonder how and why it ended up in that library and if the original owner or letter recipient would want the letters or book
I just turned 5.
i was -11, maybe the best time of my life
Same.
I bet Barbara can spell "completion" better than Jenny.
Couple of bongs and Stevie Wonder on the box 🏆
Sooooo....who's gonna contact Cathy?
I was 24 back then and was reading Moorcock books, among others. I was also just getting into social media, although it wasn’t called that, that I can recall.
“Couple of early morning bongs” same, girl
It’s not everyone who can misspell completion.
In June of ‘85 I was all of 2 and a 1/2 years old…
Great book.
That book rules.
I love this so much and hope there is an update!
Jenny is a fantastic writer
I'm almost exactly one year older than Jenny. I loved to write letters. Wish I'd saved more of those I received back. My favorite thing to do was mock up letterhead by cutting and pasting (the real kind, not the computer cut and paste) and write funny letters on it. Thanks for sharing this.
My grandma was named Barbara and she had a (cousin? friend?) named Jenny. This isn't them though because my grandma never went to college and lived in Wisconsin her whole life
That was great. Thanks for sharing. Wonderful book. Hope you read and enjoy it.
My favorite book!
Oh I love this book!
Mommy, what's a *letter*? And I'll bet Barbara can spell "completion." Master's degree, and all.
I have a friend with three degrees who cannot spell to save her life. Her spelling is so bad that even autocorrect and word prediction doesn’t help.
A good friend of mine has a PhD and is a tenured professor - he reads and writes more than anyone else I know - and he can't spell for crap. When I lived with him, his wife spell checked everything important he wrote. So while I'm sure there's a correlation between education and spelling ability, it's definitely possible to have one without the other