First published 2021
Colleen Kinder asked writers a simple question: can you write a letter to a stranger who left a lasting impression? The response overwhelmed her. Sixty-five accomplished authors, including Elizabeth Kolbert, Pico Iyer, Lauren Groff, and Gregory Pardlo, contributed intimate second-person essays about fleeting encounters that proved transformative. Their letters address a diverse cast of strangers: a first responder after a natural disaster, a fellow juror who gambled, a server in Istanbul, a Parisian cab driver, fellow travelers watching television in a La Paz hostel. Kinder organizes these pieces around themes like Gratitude, Wonder, and Farewell, creating a collection that spans continents while exploring human connection. Each letter captures how a stranger's glance, smile, or unexpected question can redirect a life's trajectory. The book offers readers both a literary journey across the globe and insight into the mysterious ways we affect each other through brief encounters.
Genres: essays, literary-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, slice-of-life
Setting: Istanbul, La Paz, Paris
336 pages · Paperback · Algonquin Books