Over more than a decade, I must have written at least a couple of thousand letters to your mighty newspaper. I lost the count, anyhow. In your wisdom, you have published exactly twenty-five of them to date. I am not complaining, it goes without saying, for you usually publish no more than ten letters a week, and it would be inappropriate to favor anyone in particular, no matter how talented. Or just zealous.

Yet many of my letters are gathering dust, even though they are available on my Residua website. Now, how about you publishing a selection of my letters in a book under one of your imprints? A couple of hundred letters would be just right for a plump and handy volume. Someone from the editorial office could make the selection and write an introduction. Edward Lukas comes to mind, as he seems to be a kindred soul.

Since the letters cover a wide variety of topics−such as geopolitics, economics, climate change, and even art−the book could be divided into several sections. The way I see it, it would be a lot of fun for all concerned. And it may find readers eager to better understand your Letters Section, coveted as it undoubtedly is. My luck so far might even whet their appetite for trying their luck in turn. Thus my most humble proposal.

Addendum I (December 12, 2011)

There is no reply yet to this tongue-in-cheek letter. Neither John Miclethwait, the editor-in-chief of the mighty newspaper, nor Edward Lucas, deputy editor of the International Section and Central and Eastern Europe correspondent, have found the time to send me a few words in the same spirit. After almost a fortnight, it is clear that they never will. Alas, another great book bites the dust!

Addendum II (January 19, 2021)

Well, well. My Letters to The Economist (2017) are long available on my Ca’ Bon Gallery website (www.cabongallery.org). And for free. To my joy, this selection from my writings pins down all my worldly concerns through 2011, the last year of my meticulous reading of the mighty newspaper. From time to time, I dip into it with relish. What I like most about my letters are the emotions that went into writing them. Indeed, I used to be no less than passionate about this literary genre. In retrospect, though, I am glad that this book of mine is, as it were, finished. Forever, too.