A.Grillot
Stöckenerstrasse 351, Stube 43 [351 Stöckener Street, Room 43]
Stöcken-Hannover
Hannover, July 18, 1944
To all of my very dear ones,
I’m sending these few lines to you this evening, Tuesday, to give you my news, which is still as good as possible. READ MORE
My parents are engaged in the slow process of cleaning out the home they’ve lived in the last 35 years. Recently, for example, they cleared papers out of an old secretary my grandmother used (my dad’s mother). Inside the desk were unused sheets of stationery and other things that had no real value. But they also stumbled upon something precious: my grandmother’s notebook from painting and drawing classes in 1921/1922. At the time, Charlotte was a student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.READ MORE
Thorn, the 4th of June, 1944 Carte
My little adored Marie,
I see, my love, that you have received good news from Jeannot (Johnny). I’m happy about that, darling. Yes, I also wish for him to return soon, close to his little wife and his Nicole. Yes, Loulou, let’s hope that everything will be finished soon so that we can all stroll together.
Last weekend I received an extraordinary message from a woman named Delphine.
“My mother-in-law, Suzanne Lamy,” Delphine wrote, “knew Marcel from Berchères-la-Maingot, where she lived when she was young. Marcel used to go hunting with her family… She was touched that you wrote this book that reminded her a lot from her childhood.”READ MORE
Perhaps it was because he was the only other living person in the graveyard. But the old white-haired man, sitting with a straight back on a stack of wooden stools caught my attention. Or, perhaps it was the sound of his work that piqued my curiosity; the graveyard was silent other than the tapping of his mallet.
I am always delighted to sign copies of Marcel’s Letters — especially when I know the book is being given as a gift. If you are looking for a gift for a design school graduate, or a family member who has an interest in typography, genealogy, World War II or French history, I invite you to contact me via email at carolyn (at) porterfolioinc (dot) com. Signed/gift wrapped/mailed copies are $26 (US only). READ MORE
Marcel’s Letters has garnered two more honors!READ MORE
This week I learned Marcel’s Letters was awarded a gold medal in the 2018 Independent Publisher Book Awards (the book tied with Armand Merizon: His Life and Art 1920-2010, by Muriel Zandstra).
I thought I’d try something different to blog about my April 4–7 book tour to Wisconsin, so here it is: a summary of the tour mostly in selfies! Thanks to everyone who came out to one of my presentations. The trip was a delight.
I recently received several lovely emails from readers of Marcel’s Letters. Their thoughtful messages noted how they couldn’t put the book down or how they, too, “fell deeply in love with Marcel, his family, and the font.” Emails like that make my heart swell until it feels like it could burst.
After I shared these messages with my husband, Aaron, we joked it was only a matter of time before I would receive a letter or email that contained an opposite sentiment. READ MORE
This letter was written and mailed by my grandfather, J. Emery Porter, to his sister, Lois Bayley. Forty or so of Emery’s WWI letters to Lois have survived (read more about these letters here). On the back of the envelope (shown above), he included a return address: “Pvt. Emery Porter, 646 Aero Squadron, American Expeditionary Forces, via New York.” I never met my grandfather, but I heard he was a life-long French speaker and unabashed Francophile, primarily due to the experiences he had while stationed in France.
“Nowhere in France”
March 24, 1918
Dear Sister,
I was the happy recipient of your letter today. It is the second I have received from home folks. I received one from Mother two weeks ago this morning but nothing since. Evidently you have written others which I may yet receive. This one was dated March 2nd or 3rd. Emily K. has written six but I have received two so far so you can judge why I don’t respond often.
