All the signs show that the worthy art of letter writing is in decline. One third of 16-years-old have never written a letter, and in the next ten years it is predicted that first-class mail will drop by 37 per cent. Emails and texts have overtaken the humble pen and paper as the most popular method of communication. In "Kind Regards", Liz Williams explores the popular history of letter writing and how it has shaped the world today - from the early Greek philosophers, to the great letter writers Byron and Walpole and famous letters that changed the world.

It also covers the invention of the fountain pen and the growth of the mail delivery system. This is the fascinating story of how a simple piece of paper revolutionized global communication and how, despite the ever-growing influence of technology, handwritten letters are regaining their value, meaning and popularity.