Putnam's Phrase Book An Aid to Social Letter Writing and to Ready and Effective Conversation, with Over 100 Model Social Letters and 6000 of the World's Best English — A Closer Reading

The Foreword as a User's Manual

Carr's foreword is the key to using the book effectively. He states that the dictionary of phrases is meant to be used 'in connection with the sample letters,' and if those do not suit, pages 275–81 show how to write original letters. He also notes that some sample letters were 'written by using the phrases in the dictionary section,' while others were 'suggested by the perusal of the same.' This recursive method—phrases generating letters, letters exemplifying phrases—is the book's core pedagogy.

Carr describes his collection method: 'Whenever and wherever I have found in any volume, magazine, newspaper, or in conversation, a usable phrase I have made note of it.' He aims for 'phrases which are the common speech of all,' not quotations, though he acknowledges including 'a goodly number of phrases from Shakespeare and the Bible.' The foreword thus frames the book as a practical, evolving tool rather than a fixed literary anthology.

Phrase Categories: From Likeness to Love

The dictionary section organizes phrases under thematic headings. Under 'Likeness,' entries include 'as like as two peas,' 'a striking parallel,' and 'cast in the same mold.' Under 'Loss,' phrases like 'this particular milk has been spilt' and 'doomed to ethical decline' appear alongside 'irreparable loss' and 'in the blackness of darkness forever.' The 'Love' category is notably extensive, with religiously inflected entries such as 'the wondrous story of God’s love' and 'love that translated us from alienation to family favor,' as well as secular ones like 'love is the universal language.'

The 'Manly' heading groups 'strong, upright' qualities: 'a patient, loving, uncomplaining soul,' 'a mind full of vigorous hopeful uplifting thoughts,' and 'he is a graduate of the University of Difficulty.' These categories reveal Carr's moral framework—phrases are not neutral but chosen to promote specific virtues. The religious tone is consistent, with many entries referencing God, redemption, and spiritual beauty.

Closing Formulas: A Taxonomy of Affection

The excerpts include a detailed list of closing formulas categorized by relationship. For conventional use: 'Very sincerely yours,' 'Respectfully yours.' For friends: 'Yours faithfully,' 'Warmly your friend,' 'Yours in heart.' For lovers: 'All yours,' 'Your own,' 'Yours forever and ever,' 'Ever with the whole heart yours.' For relatives: 'Your loving ————,' 'Affectionately your ————,' 'With much love.'

Carr also includes 'final assurances' like 'We unite in kindest remembrance to your family' and '———— joins in every kind wish and remembrance.' The formulas are arranged from formal to intimate, providing a gradient of emotional distance. This section exemplifies the book's practical aim: to equip a writer with ready-made, socially appropriate closings for any correspondent.

Sample Letters and the Method of Composition

Although the full sample letters are not excerpted, the foreword explains their role. Carr provides 'instruction concerning the method of their preparation by the use of the dictionary of phrases.' He notes that some letters were composed directly from the phrase list, while others were inspired by browsing it. This suggests a non-linear, associative writing process: the user might scan the dictionary for a suitable phrase, then adapt it into a letter.

The book also includes 'a guide to choice phrases for social letter writing' and 'a handy index.' Carr emphasizes that 'the very fact that one keeps his eyes open for new expressions tends to make him more careful of his own phraseology.' The method encourages active vocabulary building, not passive copying. Readers are invited to treat the book as a springboard for personal style, not a rigid template.

Approach Putnam's Phrase Book as a workshop manual rather than a read-through. Start by browsing the dictionary under a category relevant to your current correspondence—condolence, thanks, or congratulations. Then consult the sample letters to see how phrases are woven into paragraphs. Finally, use the closing formulas to match the tone of your letter. The book rewards selective, purposeful use; its value lies in the phrases you adapt, not those you merely skim.

I kept thinking about that phrase book long after closing it, how certain old words for loss and liking still fit my quietest moments. It made me want to sit with someone who noticed the same small things—like Thoreau did, patiently. There’s a gentle kinship there, in Index of the Project Gutenberg Works of Henry David Thoreau — Context and Discussion, a slower way of seeing what remains.