What Is “The Postscript”?

"The postscript".

In fact, "the postscript" is so popular that many Letterjoy members tell us they read it before reading their latest historic letter.

So, then, what is "the postscript"?

"The postscript" is our signature article format. With each postscript, our goal is to teach you about your latest letter in a way that is fun, detailed, and efficient with your time.

How do we do this?

Well, first we do research. A lot of research. We read books, letters, memorandums, old newspapers, academic papers, and, when we're researching something very esoteric, we consult with subject-matter experts to check our facts.

We then distill this down into a dozen or so pages of notes and outlines, which we then condense further into a 1,200-1,400 word article.

Then, we cut some more. We cut fat, fluff, and flotsam until what is left is (ideally) a clear, accurate, and engaging story of your latest historic letter.

Finally, we edit and double and triple-check our facts. This mainly comes down to making sure we spelled names and titles correctly, but sometimes, this involves visiting an archive to verify or disprove a hard-to-believe story or quote.

There are many urban legends and apocryphal or misattributed quotes on the internet and in books. We work hard to keep them out of our postscripts.

"Those people on the internet are lying about my quotes."

- Abraham Lincoln, probably

Even amidst all these cuts, we do our best to make sure that every postscript has plenty of fun facts, so that you can impress your friends, win your next trivia game, or discover a new historical niche you love.

To read some past Letterjoy "postscripts" (and the letters they accompanied), visit our samples page.

Ready to get "the postscript" mailed to your door? Click here to find the Letterjoy package that's right for you.

P.S. If you've read this far, you're our kind of reader. Save $5 on your next order with promo code "postscript".