A popular writer in the '30's this is a compulation of letters to family etc. He has a style and wit that is charming and makes a comfortable read. His devotion to his wife, Frances, and his children is heartwarming and ever present in his letters. It causes you to realize the lost art of letter writing and the ease which now-a-days people communicate. There are also wonderful family photos and mentions of famous people who were his friends during that era.

While reading, David Stuart's THE LIFE AND RHYMES OF OGDEN NASH, I learned of the out-of-print book by Linell Nash Smith entitled, LOVING LETTERS FROM OGDEN NASH: A FAMILY ALBUM. I immediately found and purchased a copy from the out-of-print section of amazon.com. I am so glad I did.

Stuart offers a very unflattering portrayal of Ogden's wife Frances. She appears like an exploitive, mean-spirited person. After reading Ogden's letters to her, it is obvious that my interpretation of Stuart's biography is grossly inaccurate. Frances Nash is a quiet person who was devoted wife and mother. I suspect that Stuart misinterpreted her shyness as being aloof. As I read Ogden's emotionally intense letters, I can easily see how a shy person would be reluctant to share her inner feelings with the general public. I understand that Frances' letters (her replies) have been destroyed. This is sad. If I could speak to Frances Nash, I'd ask her to read DATA SMOG by David Shenk. She would be assured that the most private place to store her letters is in a public place (i.e., Edgar Allan Poe's "The Purloined Letter").

I love our age of information technology. However, because of it we have lost the art of letter writing. Email is not the same as receiving a letter from the US Post Office. The elegance of Ogden's passion for Frances would have never reached its intensity via email. If you want proof, read EMAIL: A LOVE STORY by Stephanie D. Fletcher.

Nearly 700 letters were written to Frances. This equals one letter every 2 ½ days when Ogden and Frances were apart. Most interestingly, the passion found in Ogden's letters did not waver after they were married. These letters are delightfully charming and heart warming - even for a cynical person. Reading Ogden's letters can help one restore faith in humanity.