Dear Pussycat: Some of us find it easier to say in a letter whatever it is we want to express -- love, rage, outrage, affection, resentment, enthusiasm, a request to do a chore -- than we do person to person or even phone to phone. I've been writing letters, somewhat successfully I think, since I was eight years old. I got President Franklin Roosevelt to write to my wheelchair-bound (from polio) sister by dropping him a line at the White House. Some of my letters don't quite make it, of course -- trying to get "New York Times" publisher Arthur Sulzberger to fire his vicious play reviewer Frank Rich who tore apart my husband's perfectly fine play, A Few Good Men. He wouldn't do it -- no recourse but to write the reviewer himself, "Dear Frank, you bastard etc." I've thanked designer Emilio Pucci for turning small bust and big hips into goddess stature with whammo fabric and genius engineering, kept a few beloved employees from jumping ship or into the river with careful flattery, consoled the grieving. Wouldn't you like to see a little collection of my best, meanest and happiest notes that reflect a pretty fascinating New York life, a career they don't make many like, love and friendship with junior high school buddies and a few razzle-dazzle celebrities? Okay...if you like good old-fashioned staying-in-touch by correspondence, here they are Helen Gurley Brown
It was very refreshing to read HGB's letters and her approach to many situations. For those of you who are intimidated to write notes or want to write to someone of star status, you may find this book will encourage you to put pen to paper. And for those Cosmo readers out there, you will gain more insights into the great HGB.
For real
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 20 years ago
Being the proud recipient of several letters from Helen Gurley Brown myself, I can testify this is how she really writes letters to everyone, not just the rich and famous. I'm everyone, not rich, not famous. HGB's defining quality is her sheer enjoyment of life, of people, of being part of the daily drama/comedy/tragedy. She's also shiningly intelligent, highly creative and nobody's fool. I found the review comment about her sense of self-importance interesting because, in the letters she's sent to me, the sense is just the opposite. She's just one person responding to another in the most friendly, generous and genuine way. Few celebrities of her stature write anyone about anything; she not only writes but most personably and personally. I find it interesting that as she grows older she looks better, not worse. I think the secret there is that joy of life oozing to the surface. It can't be bought or faked. She's got it.
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