Looking for analog hobbies? Try writing a letter
3/30/202622 min
Unlike texting and email, old-fashioned letters, hand-addressed and sent in the mail, are "read intentionally," says Rachel Syme of The New Yorker. In her book, Syme's Letter Writer, Syme offers advice on what to write about, how to find the perfect stationery, and why we should communicate more through snail mail. This episode originally published April 15, 2025.
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Clips
Showing 10 of 11Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 00:00
Do you love pop culture? Hate some of it too? You're in good company. Pull up a metaphorical chair to Pop Culture Happy Hour, the podcast that breaks down the best and some of the most questionable moments in pop culture. We'll tell you what's great, what's interesting, and break it all down with debates that'll have you yelling at your speakers, but in a good way. Listen to NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour by finding us wherever you get your podcasts.
Marielle Segarra· Host0:24
You're listening to Life Kit [upbeat music] from NPR. Hey, everybody. It's Marielle. [classical music] There is a scene in the Jane Austen novel Pride and Prejudice where the main character, Lizzie Bennet, receives a letter from her will they, won't they, hate you, love you, sexy crush man, Mr. Darcy. He actually hands it to her in person. It's really dramatic. And oof, when I tell you the anticipation I felt as she opened the envelope, the way I got butterflies in my stomach the first time I read this letter, I felt like I was her. That obviously says a lot about the immersive magic of a good book, but also about the potency of a well-written letter. The drama, the intrigue, the focused attention that it drums up in the recipient. Rachel Syme and I are kindred spirits in this way.
Rachel Syme· Guest1:17
I loved reading, like, novels that turned on a letter. I loved, you know, watching You've Got Mail and, and The Shop Around the Corner and, and all these sort of films about correspondence and