Letters from Otto

— Letters from Otto is a memoir by D.A. Quigley that traces a heartwarming and humorous beginning on a farm in upstate New York to the start of a new life at the University of Dayton. More than 60 letters trace his early childhood in Spencerport, New York, first loves and best friends, explains author D A Quigley. “In today’s electronic age, letter writing is a dying art. This book is dedicated to collecting and saving of old memories, because they shine a light on yesterday while they continue to teach us about today.” Mr. Quigley says he was blessed with a humble beginning, rich with characters out of Dickens and Twain. “I see this as every man’s and every woman’s story, from kids’ pranks, the heartbreak of first love and leaving home to start a new chapter in a young man’s life, and the early adjustment of college life away from the farm” EXCERPT’s FROM HIS BOOK “The walk to the mailbox normally did not take long, but today it seemed to take forever. On this particular day, I was anxious to retrieve the mail from the box anchored by the roadside on South Union Street at the end of the tree lined driveway. I had waited weeks for some sign that my hard work had paid off. As I approached the mailbox it looked tired from being buried under the ice and snow and the constant pounding received from the highway department trucks which scrapped the roads during the past winter. I opened the metal lid, retrieving the mail and a copy of the Spencerport Star, the local newspaper, which was delivered once a week. I searched the stack of envelopes, looking for a long business type letter. Hidden inside the stack was the one that I had been waiting for. I recognized the institutional symbol on the outside corner of the envelope. Since I was not wearing shoes, I was twice as anxious to get back to the warmth of the house. I raced to the side door and quickly took a seat at the kitchen table. Mother was already making dinner preparations for my father who was busy doing chores in the barn. The house smelled of corned beef hash and applesauce which were cooking on the stove. I slowly opened the back flap of the envelope and took out the folded white paper that had a special logo woven into the fabric of the paper that could only be seen if you held the paper up to the light. Unfolding the letter I silently began reading its contents. It brought tears to my eyes. The words would change my life forever.”

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  I found `Letters from Otto' to be a well written and enjoyable book detailing the stories of a young man growing up and experiencing all that life has to offer. The book provides stories and life lessons that we can all relate to - often times recalling similar experiences from our own childhood. You will walk away from reading the book with a few laughs and an honest memoir that explores stories of childhood mischief, first loves and lifelong friendships.

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