Book Review by Barbara Fleming – Letters from Nettie

New Book Charms Readers with Letters

Ann Garbutt Ryan of north Fort Collins, whose forebear, Ted Herring, owned the iconic landmark Ted’s Place, has published a book of letters written by her great-aunt Nettie Garbutt to her grandfather, Cameron Garbutt. Letters from Nettie, available from Amazon, contains a compilation of letters Nettie wrote from her home in upstate New York to her brother, who had ventured west in the 1870s.

The letters charmingly depict life on the farm, Nettie’s experiences as a young woman and as a wife and mother, and 19th-century culture and mores. There is loss and sorrow — the death of her father, for one — along with joy and pleasure. The letters reveal the rhythms of everyday life for Nettie but also showcase her character and wit.

Ann Ryan is a retired art teacher who taught in Denver and Fort Collins schools. The cover is one of her paintings; her art also illustrates the book Muffin Magic by Libby James. This is Ryan’s first book.

Publication date: December 17, 2020

Available on Amazon

Book design by R. Gary Raham

Price: $15.00 120 pages Paperback

ISBN -13 979 8577120689