Book
The correspondent : a novel / Virginia Evans.
"Sybil is seventy-three years old, in the winter of her life. Sybil has always made sense of the world through writing letters and through this epistolary novel we see how she comes to terms with her past and present and learns forgiveness"-- Provided by publisher.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780593798430 (hardcover)
- Physical Description: 285 pages ; 24 cm
- Edition: First edition.
- Publisher: New York : Crown, [2025]
- Copyright: ©2025
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Forgiveness > Fiction. Letter writing > Fiction. Letters > Fiction. Older women > Fiction. |
| Genre: | Epistolary fiction. Psychological fiction. Novels. |
Available copies
- 0 of 2 copies available at Tsuga Consortium.
Holds
- 22 current holds with 2 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeshore Branch | FIC Evans | 31681010417053 | FICTION | Checked out | 02/20/2026 |
| Stroud Branch | FIC Evans | 31681010449627 | FICTION | Checked out | 02/21/2026 |
- Baker & Taylor
At 73, retired lawyer and devoted letter writer Sybil Van Antwerp navigates her daily life and reflects on her past, but when unexpected letters open old wounds, she must confront a painful chapter that reshapes her understanding of herself and her world. - Random House, Inc.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ⢠#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER ⢠Discover the word-of-mouth hit hailed by Ann Patchett as âA cause for celebrationââan intimate novel about the transformative power of the written word and the beauty of slowing down to reconnect with the people we love.
âThe Correspondent is this yearâs breakout novel no one saw coming.ââThe Wall Street Journal
âI cried more than once as I witnessed this brilliant woman come to understand herself more deeply.ââFlorence Knapp, author of The Names
LONGLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE AND THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL ⢠A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: NPR, The Washington Post, Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, She Reads
âImagine, the letters one has sent out into the world, the letters received back in turn, are like the pieces of a magnificent puzzle. . . . Isnât there something wonderful in that, to think that a story of oneâs life is preserved in some way, that this very letter may one day mean something, even if it is a very small thing, to someone?â
Filled with knowledge that only comes from a life fully lived, The Correspondent is a gem of a novel about the power of finding solace in literature and connection with people we might never meet in person. It is about the hubris of youth and the wisdom of old age, and the mistakes and acts of kindness that occur during a lifetime.
Sybil Van Antwerp has throughout her life used letters to make sense of the world and her place in it. Most mornings, around half past ten, Sybil sits down to write lettersâto her brother, to her best friend, to the president of the university who will not allow her to audit a class she desperately wants to take, to Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry to tell them what she thinks of their latest books, and to one person to whom she writes often yet never sends the letter.
Sybil expects her world to go on as it always hasâa mother, grandmother, wife, divorcee, distinguished lawyer, she has lived a very full life. But when letters from someone in her past force her to examine one of the most painful periods of her life, she realizes that the letter she has been writing over the years needs to be read and that she cannot move forward until she finds it in her heart to offer forgiveness.
Sybil Van Antwerpâs life of letters might be âa very small thing,â but she also might be one of the most memorable characters you will ever read.
