The written word has the power to inspire, astonish and entertain, as this collection of 100 letters that changed history will show. Ordered chronologically, the letters range from ink-inscribed tablets that vividly describe life in the Roman Empire to remarkable last wills and testaments, passionate outpourings of love and despair, and succinct notes with deadly consequences. Entries include: A resum from Leonardo da Vinci, with barely a mention of his artistic talents; Henry VIII s love letters to Anne Boleyn, which eventually led to the dissolution of the monasteries; Beatrix Potter s correspondence with a friend s son that introduced the character of Peter Rabbit; SOS telegrams from the Titanic; Abraham Lincoln's letter that contradicted his fight against slavery; a legal letter marking the end of the Beatles; Emile Zola s open letter ('J accuse!'); the scrawled note that brought about Oscar Wilde s downfall; as well as famous last words from Virginia Woolf to Kurt Cobain.