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(return to the letter)

Toledo Ohio

July 28, 1918.

Mr. H Goldberg

Your letter on hand and I was certainly surprised after I got through reading it. I surely did not expect to get a letter like that being that we have seen each others only once and then I did not have a chance to speak with you alone. I am sure that our correspondence did not lead up to that. I surely don’t see how you expect me to answer you but being that you say that you want to know if there is hopes, I must say that we all live on hopes, but we must see that our hopes come true. It would be a bad thing if we did not have “hope” with us.

I don’t know what you have heard of my father’s desire but I am sure that you would think different if you knew him. I surely can’t see what you meant by “answer as soon as possible.” If there is a chance for you were you can get a definite answer at once and I am keeping you back why don’t wait but go ahead. There is a saying “That a bird caught is worth more then a bird in the bush.”

Trusting that this letter reaches you in the best of health.

Hoping that I answered as soon as you wanted.

I remain, as ever,

Freida ___________

P.S. The family sends their best regards. Give my best regards to your sister.

(return to the letter)

Subj: hola

Date: 05/05/2008 8:32:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time

From: _______

To: _______

Sweetie, I havent had the chance to write you in a really long time, but I finally have a few minutes today, so I wanted to at least make sure I tell you I love you. I want you to know that I am glad that sometimes we have our little fights, and that it just means that we are being real with each other. That first little bit of a relationship is fun, but it isnt real, sometimes people disagree and they fight, and sometimes they get on each others nerves. My favorite rule of management is that you have to make sure that you are making enough mistakes, otherwise, you just aren’t trying hard enough. That same thing goes for love. I love that you make me want to be a better person, I love that you make me want to try to look better, be smarter, richer, stronger… You inspire me to greatness and to be who I am, and you inspire me to inspire you. Each day, I can feel us getting stronger, going further, understanding m more. I stand behind you in each decision you make, even when I disagree. I see and appreciate allthe great things that you do for me, and I hope you always remember that. I notice every little thing about you. Sometimes that can be annoying I know, but most of the time I am just seeing the way that you look at me, or the way that you go that extra mile to make me happy.

I guess I should stop writing eventually, or this thing will go on forever, but sweetie, I really love you.

Te amo

Hoy

Manana

Siempre

Con todo elcorazon y todo el cuerpo

(return to the letter)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Lots and lots of people contributed to this book (see below) but none more so than the amazing Julia Lazarus, Daniel Souweine, and the other superhuman reporters—Teresa Dumain, Betsy Levine, Claire Vath, Kalli Rasbury, Jen Trolio, and Natasha Sarkisian—who corralled their friends, called their exes, and cajoled their currents.

Thanks to my agent, Brian DeFiore; to Doris Cooper, Lauren Shakely, Laura Palese, and Min Lee at Clarkson Potter; and to Matthew Snyder, Jenny Sucov, Mark Jannot, Maura Fritz, and Bernard Ohanian for all of their smart ideas. And to my family—Sasha, Soren, Mom, Dad, Vicki, Dean, Haim, and Chris, too—who have taught me a thing or two about love.

Also, my deep gratitude to the hundreds and hundreds of people who searched their closets and hard drives, and shared their most personal possessions … as well as to those who didn’t want to share but still managed to convince their friends to do so. Without you, this book doesn’t exist: Amy Binder, Anna, Linda Permann, Paul Heaston, Barnaby, Jason Kersten, Judy Dutton, Angela Pierce, Molly, Ryan Shipp, Sarah Ballard, DRH, Carin Goldberg, James Biber, Jackie Mitchard, Jason Randel,