Dear Mary, Dear Luther

A Courtship in Letters

Non-Fiction - Memoir
342 Pages
Reviewed on 11/16/2015
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Patricia Day for Readers' Favorite

Dear Mary, Dear Luther: A Courtship in Letters by Jill Marie Snyder describes in intricate detail how a great love developed between Luther (Luke) and Mary. Their friendly affection and polite salutations become more endearing through the pages, never losing the reader's interest.
References to notable characters such as Count Basie, Claude Hopkins, and King George and Queen Mary of England add historical interest, as does the mention of the erection of the Empire State Building and much, much more. There is a lot of information packed into their love letters.

The book is not only a literary account of the lives of two very precious people, it is an intimate record of a man and woman of colour who overcame prejudice, societal judgment and verbal attack, and got on with the job of sharing trust and deep love as they grew their family in gentle grace, despite the adversity around them. Their devotion to one another, and the support they offer friends and family members alike adds to the integrity you sense in all they did throughout their lives. The letters contain a great amount of historical data that offers authenticity to the content, to Luke and Mary’s lives, and further offers to readers a delightful account of friendship maturing into a love capable of overcoming anything that life could throw at them.

I enjoyed learning about this delightful couple. Reading the story in letter form felt a little daunting because there are so many, but how else could I have become so attached to Luke and Mary, as well as to their family and the gentle ways in which they dealt with life. Very interesting read. Well worth the time.