Love letters

Love letters have no monetary value and aren't shown to anyone.

Yet, people hold on to them for decades, tucking them in dresser drawers or hiding them in secret shoeboxes.

Whether you're in sixth grade or celebrating your 60th wedding anniversary, chances are you've written or received one. Not only are these letters deeply personal expressions of love (sometimes embarrassingly so), but they also serve as snapshots of a moment in your life.

"The great thing about these letters is they make every day like Valentine's Day," said Bill Shapiro, who compiled the letters for "Other People's Love Letters" (Clarkson Potter, $22.50).

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The book is a voyeuristic look at actual cards, poems, letters, e-mails, texts and telegrams from real people. As a result, the book is like a work of art rather than page after page of letters. It also contains a few intense hate letters because Shapiro considers that raw emotion "part of love."

Love letters through history show a wide range of styles. Centuries ago, they were made with flowery writing and curly penmanship.

The new book, "Will You Marry Me?" by Helene Scheu-Riesz (Simon Schuster, $14.95) features seven centuries worth of such letters, including a Gothic-era note that begins: "Most illustrious and excellent lady, my dearest spouse #8230;"

Shapiro's book, on the other hand, contains more modern styles. One page shows a photo of a cell phone text message that says: "Sometimes I wish u wuz pregnant with my baby."

People tend to debate whether old love letters should be kept of not, but Shapiro advocates saving them.

"You wouldn't throw out your diary from when you were 22, why would you throw these out?" he said. "It's a wonderful record of your emotional life. It's that time when somebody knew you at your best. To go back and remember those moments, even if they're gone, that's fantastic."

Sometimes, love letters capture a moment in history. And next year, the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum in Chicago is planning a special exhibit to showcase love letters and valentines from soldiers.

The letters will be from all American wars (the collection already includes a few Civil War letters) and even a few art objects. One, from the Vietnam War, is a heart made out of melted lead bullets.

Since most communication from soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq is done digitally -- via e-mail, text or voicemail -- the museum staff is coming up with unique ways to display these expressions. One idea is to hang cell phones and let people push a "replay" button to hear messages.

Museum curator Ted Stanuga says soldiers' love letters are particularly powerful because of the conditions they're written in. Not only are they in war zones, but often they've been away from their loved ones for a long time, which amps up the emotions.

"From this very inhumane environment comes the most poetic human expression that we're capable of. The irony of that is beyond words," Stanuga said.

Anyone who has soldier love letters which they'd like to be considered for the exhibit should e-mail Stanuga at stanuga@hotmail.com or call Jennifer Komorowski at (312) 326-0270.

Shapiro also may solicit more love letters later this year via his Web site, www.otherpeoplesloveletters.com.