Posterity: Letters of Great Americans to Their Children gathers intimate, often surprising correspondence between notable Americans and their sons and daughters. Spanning more than three centuries, these personal letters open a window into family life, private values, and the evolving story of the United States.
From Thomas Jefferson advising his daughter about debt to General George Patton writing from the front lines on D-Day, each letter offers a candid glimpse into character and conviction. W.E.B. Du Bois writes movingly about integrity beyond race, while Oscar Hammerstein reflects on work, creativity, and purpose. Woody Guthrie reaches out to his young son Arlo from a hospital, Eleanor Roosevelt wrestles with family expectations, and Groucho Marx delivers fatherly wisdom with trademark humour.
Arranged as an epistolary chronicle of the American experience, this collection highlights how public figures navigated private responsibilities. Readers interested in history, biography, or family relationships will find both insight and emotional resonance in these voices from parent to child.
Highlights
- Personal letters from renowned American figures to their children
- More than three centuries of cultural and historical perspective
- Themes of love, duty, character, work, and compassion
- Reveals famous Americans in their roles as mothers and fathers
