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letters

A Python app that displays random historic love letters from authentic sources, downloaded from Project Gutenberg.

Quick Start

python3 love_letters.py              # Show a random love letter
python3 love_letters.py -n 3         # Show 3 random love letters
python3 love_letters.py --list       # List available collections
python3 love_letters.py --source keats_brawne   # Filter by source

The letters/ directory ships with 1,300+ pre-parsed letters — no download needed.

Refreshing / Adding Sources

To re-download all letter collections from Project Gutenberg:

python3 download_letters.py           # Download (skips existing)
python3 download_letters.py --force   # Re-download everything
python3 download_letters.py --list    # List available sources

Sources

Collection	Author → Recipient	Period	Letters
Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn	Henry VIII → Anne Boleyn	c. 1527–1528	18
Mary Wollstonecraft to Gilbert Imlay	Mary Wollstonecraft → Gilbert Imlay	1793–1795	75
Letters of Abelard and Heloise	Abelard & Heloise	12th century	6
Napoleon's Letters to Josephine	Napoleon Bonaparte → Josephine	1796–1812	395
Letters of John Keats to Fanny Brawne	John Keats → Fanny Brawne	1819–1820	39
Robert Browning & Elizabeth Barrett Barrett, Vol. 1	Browning ↔ Barrett	1845–1846	281
Robert Browning & Elizabeth Barrett Barrett, Vol. 2	Browning ↔ Barrett	1845–1846	292
Robert Burns to Clarinda	Robert Burns → Agnes McLehose	1787–1794	60
Dorothy Osborne to Sir William Temple	Dorothy Osborne → William Temple	1652–1654	51
Beethoven's Letters (love letters selected)	Ludwig van Beethoven	1790–1826	30
Mozart's Letters (love letters selected)	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	1769–1791	60

All texts are sourced from Project Gutenberg and are in the public domain.

Requirements

Python 3.10+ (no external dependencies).