Contributors include names such as Yo Yo Ma, Naomi Wolf, Nick Cave, Helen Macdonald, Elizabeth Gilbert, and many others. Each letter feels intimate and generous. They write about creativity, doubt, courage, curiosity, kindness, failure, and the quiet urgency of becoming yourself. There is wisdom here, but it is never loud or preachy.

Each letter is paired with an illustration by a different artist, which makes the book a visual treasure in its own right. The techniques, styles, and moods vary widely, yet they sit together beautifully. Some illustrations are delicate, others bold or playful, others deeply poetic. It feels like leafing through a small exhibition, where words and images speak to each other and invite you to slow down.

What makes this book even more meaningful is that all proceeds are donated to the New York Public Library system. Libraries are described as bastions of democracy and oxygen for the life of the mind, and that belief quietly underpins the entire project. In a time when depth feels increasingly rare, this gesture feels both powerful and necessary.

Inspired by this book and by conversations with E-lene, we have made a decision. I will hold an exhibition of my art on the 15th of November next year, on her birthday. It feels like the right way to honour friendship, generosity, creativity, and the belief that art, like libraries, exists to be shared.