Hell Hath No Fury

It's as old as time: the breakup letter. The kiss-off. The Dear John. The big adios. Simple in its premise, stunningly perfect in its effect. From Anne Boleyn toSex and the Citywriter/producer Cindy Chupack, from women both well-known and unknown, imaginary and real, the letters here span the centuries and the emotionsproviding a stirring, utterly gratifying glimpse at the power, wit, and fury of a woman's voice. In a never-before-published letter, Anais Nin gives her lover, C. L. Baldwin, a piece of her mind. Charlotte Bronte, in formal fashion, refuses the marriage proposal of Henry Nussey. In a previously unpublished letter, Sylvia Plath writes to her childhood friend and brief lover, Phillip McCurdy, expressing her wish to maintain a platonic relationship. And "Susie Q." lets "Johnny Smack-O" know that she's onto his philandering. The brilliance of the mad missives, caustic communiques, downhearted dispatches, sweet send-offs, and every other sort of good-bye that fills these pages will surely resonate with anyone who has ever loved, lost, left, languished, or laughed a hearty last laugh.

Anna Holmes is a writer whose work has appeared in Glamour, Entertainment Weekly, Harper's, Sports Illustrated, and the New York Times. She was born and raised in Northern California and lives in New York City.