The Wednesday Letters
Jason F. Wright
Fiction, Published 2007
Read Oct. 2007
4.5/5.0
Book Quotes…
In meeting “The King” and his ‘exquisite bride’
April 22, 1970
To my “exquisite bride,”
…I can count on one hand the number of experiences I ‘ve ever had that will live in my mind until they drag me from this earth. If I’m lucky, I’ll get to take this one with me.
Last night, against all odds, we visited Graceland! No, we didn’t jut ‘visit’ Graceland, did we, dear? …
How did you keep a straight face when you told him you suffered from Asian Stone Lung Disorder? And your cough-your cough was brilliant! It sounded like you had marbles in your chest. I don’t want to know when you found time to perfect that…
I love you,
Jack Cooper
Husband of the only known survivor of the Asian Stone Lung DisorderFebruary 22, 1961
Dearest Laurel,
…Speaking of “Natural” Bridge -and I’m writing with this complete knowledge it may someday be read by our children- taking my swimsuit at the hot springs and locking yourself in the car up the hill was an act of war. Did you see the look on that ranger’s face? I could have been ticketed! Take note. This is a battle I shall not lose. I will be waiting. You will not know the time or place, but rest assured, Laurel Cooper, before we leave this earth, you too will find yourself mooning the wildlife.
Jack the stRipper
Why did you choose this book?
I love the idea of letters. I’ve tried to save every letter or card that someone has sent me…yes, I’m a bit of a pack rat…but I think it’s nice to go back through the box and read things people wrote from years ago and I think it will be even more nice when I’m old and want to remember them. So the idea of a book about a man who wrote his wife a letter on every Wednesday seemed romantic. Plus, every reviewer on amazon gave it 5 stars…you can’t go wrong with that! The epilogue is cool too!
Briefly summarize the book without giving away the ending…
Suffering from a massive brain tumor, Jack has already outlived the time the doctor has told him he will live. So it takes him by surprise when his wife, Laurel, suddenly dies of a heart attack in bed one night. They are an older couple who have spent the latter 20 or so years establishing their B&B in Woodstock, Virginia. After Laurel has passed, Jack tries to get help but there is no one there. He quickly writes his last letter to his wife and suddenly fades away next to her in bed. They are found the next morning lying together in bed peacefully sleeping forever. Their three children come for the funeral, each in a different place in their lives, but they soon come together as they find their father’s letters and try to piece together the beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking lives of their parents.
What did you like most about the book?
I liked that this book was easy to read, I read it in less than 10 hours on and off. That’s pretty good for me since I will usually read for a few hours and not get back to the book for a few days. I liked how the letters became a puzzle for the family to put together, keeping them occupied during the sad days after both their parents pass away. Plus they learn that there was a lot more to the lives of their parents that they didn’t know about. Jack and Laurel were not perfect and they knew that, they let God help them through the hard times and learned to forgive one another.
What did you think of the characters?
I loved the characters in this book, especially Malcolm and Samantha. The funeral brings the three siblings back together when life had taken them in different directions. The letters solidify their sense of family and the gift of forgiveness.
