This is a useful book. I bought it because I was beginning a job search and was having a hard time composing all the required letters. The book begins with an overview of the basic form of letters, including e-mail, and then gives specific examples of both social letters and business letters.

I've never copied any of the examples directly, but they are a useful place to start when you are stuck with no ideas. It helped me write letters for my job search, and also came in handy when a distant relative died and I had to write sympathy notes to other distant relatives.

There are many silly letters here -- like those in the chapter on "letters to close friends and family." If they are all that close, what do you need the examples for? I think these examples are most useful in situations where you don't really know the people you are writing to.