In Praise of the Pencil

From Ms. Alexandra Lynch, Massachusetts. November 2010.

Sir: I love pencils. I love the wood casing, the lightness of them, the sense that many hands over many centuries—eons?—have held pencils much like mine in their hands to record thoughts, hopes, even history. And still, each one becomes …

A Dreadful Mistake

From Mr Clinton Morgan, May 2010.

Dear Sir,

Because I was successful at giving up my vice of drinking copious amounts of milk for Lent, I took it upon myself to give up idleness this year. Until Easter I would throw myself into doing stuff, whatever …

Why I Quit the Day Job

From Mr Jonathan Penny, July 2010

Dear Idler

I am writing to tell you about my experiences in the modern workplace during a sustained period of employment spanning from the early nineties up until earlier this year.

During this time I worked as an Architectural Draughtsman …

Only Connect

From Mr Horvath. January 2010

Dear Mr Hodgkinson,

I recently finished The Freedom Manifesto [the US version of How To Be Free], and, as an example of its impact on me, I have thus far purchased three additional copies to hand out to friends.

I’m …

Grab for Freedom

From Ms Barbara Kelly, August 2009

Dear Mr Hodgkinson,

I’ve just read your article online in the Daily Telegraph concerning proposed changes to the home ed scene in the U.K. I agree that governments have extreme difficulty handling any grab for freedom by the common man.…