Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:28:52 -0500
From: "Mike B." <yahoo at omniphile.com>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
CC: wsfa-forum at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [WSFA] Re: [Fwd: letters of note]
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

I once got a book for my dad, called, "Hate Mail Through The Ages".
There was one from Mark Twain to the Edison Gas and Light company (or
something like that) that was at least as good.  Really drives home the
adage about not making an enemy of someone who buys ink by the barrel.

An even better one was from George Bernard Shaw to the local opera
house, about their dress code, or lack of it.  Triggered by a woman with
one of those stupid hats that were popular at the time.  I can't
remember all of it...it was fairly long...but the part describing the
hat was really good.  "...which included the pitiable carcase of a dead
bird that appeared to have been nailed to the side of her forehead.
While I have no doubt that that edifice was of sufficient substance to
withstand the operation..." etc.

Not all of the letters were that good.  Some were just profanity-filled
diatribes, but there was one other good one.  It was from a critic,
responding to a hate letter from an author after a poor review of the
author's work.  It said, in full, "Dear sir.  I am seated in the
smallest room in the house; your letter is before me.  Soon it will be
behind me."

If you can find it, read it.  ;-)

-- Mike B.

mark wrote:
>  From Mark Twain, transcript is below.
>
> mark
>
> -------- Original Message --------
>
> http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/01/youre-idiot-of-33rd-degree.html
>