A Box Full of Bees

No. 198 Box Full of Bees; Epistolary Memoirs; Mail Art from Latin America, Clive King, Tom Robbins, Yoko Ono, Marisol, Colin Jones, and Joe Cocker.

Mr. Zip, (or “Zippy“) was a cartoon character used by the US Post Office to promote the use of zip codes in the 1960s. Image: United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing for the Post Office Department: Public Domain

THEN & NOW

Writing about my parents’ letters and also receiving correspondence art from IUOMA members is making me more aware of the US Postal Service and the role it has played in the lives of immigrants—especially the military and civilian military staff during and after WWII. We still rely on the USPS today to deliver letters, cards, and packages, and to process our passports. I once worked in a community center with someone who was a beekeeper. One day, he received a priority package and held it up to his ear. The package contained bees!

USPS “World Peace through Law“ stamp with Zippy. Image: United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing for the Post Office Department: Public Domain

The USPS website reports that the service “retains the largest physical and logistical infrastructure of any non-military government institution.” We are all so obsessed these days with communications on the internet and social media, that we forget what an amazing job the USPS continues to do for us:

• Letters and postal marks: https://www.militaryphs.org/KUGEL/exhibits/USAPO/USAPO_1.pdf

• For example, take a look at these beautiful stamps produced by the USPS.

• And think about how much it has contributed to the common good of the United States https://facts.usps.com/history/

• Fun fact: USPS has a Stamp Fulfillment Service facility, called SubTropolis. It is located in Kansas City, MO in a huge limestone cave 150 feet beneath the ground!

“Delivering Democracy,” a history of the USPS,” begins and ends in a strange setting reminiscent of David Lynch’s “Black Lodge”¹ (from Knowing Better, on Nebula):

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WRITING

Anyone know of any good epistolary memoirs (especially those that recount family history)? I’m compiling a reading list. Although the New York Times published an article on the genre having a revival, it’s been difficult for me to find memoirs based on real letters—that have been stamped and delivered by a postal service—rather than fiction. Looking on Amazon, I see many epistolary non-fiction works that turn out to be posthumous “letters” written by offspring to parents who have passed on. There are also letters utilized in biographies about various writers, such as Emily Dickinson’s letters to Susan Huntington, the illustrated letters of Jane Austen, letters of Abigail and John Adams, or Recollections and Letters of Robert E. Lee, etc. In other words, most of these books are about famous writers.

There are very few epistolary memoirs from non-famous, everyday, working-class folks—perhaps because there is not much time for them to write flowery or philosophical letters. And what about all the correspondence sent from soldiers, sailors, and merchant mariners, and from immigrants writing to their families far away?

Here are several memoirs (excepting the last one, which is fiction) that look like they might be interesting, found in Better World Books and Amazon:

• The Transnational History of a Chinese Family by Halming Liu

• Letters from Italy: A Trans-Atlantic Love Story, by Marlo Dell’Olio

• Dear Clara: The Story of a Shattered Family, by Kathleen Burge

• This last one falls under fiction, but I can’t help but include it here: Letters from the Earth: Uncensored Writings by Mark Twain (11 letters from Twain addressed to the angels Gabriel and Michael)!

Do let me know if you are aware of any interesting epistolary family memoirs.

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RABBIT HOLE

• “Subverted, Sealed, Delivered: Mail Art in Latin America,” a talk by Vanessa Davidson for the Blanton Museum of Art (Texas):

• Still thinking about automatic drawing (which I mentioned in the previous issue), I discovered this video by artist Clive King. He set his students to making large automatic drawings at S. Utah University:

• Lost commencement address of author Tom Robbins (R.I.P.): https://rainshadownorthwest.com/2025/02/09/the-lost-commencement-address-by-tom-robbins/
  

• Yoko Ono redefined Art and Activism:

• Venezuelan artist and sculptor Marisol was a big deal in the 1960s; then the art world seemed to forget about her, until recently.

• Songlines: Colin Jones on Aboriginal Art & Storytelling:

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SOUNDINGS:

• Joe Cocker singing “The Letter”² (by The Box Tops) with Leon Russell on piano, 1970:

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My gratitude goes to everyone who reads Eulipion Outpost regularly, and especially to those who have subscribed or donated on my Ko-fi page to support my efforts.

My ongoing appreciation goes to the Mysterious M. for his excellent editing skills.

Website and blog: Jeanvengua.com

A Crooked Mile (a blog)

CommonwealthCafe (Filipino American & AAPI history and print culture)

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Notes:

1. From Twin Peaks.

2. "The Letter” written by Wayne Carson, performed originally by The Box Tops (1967).