I was astounded by Viv Groskop’s comment that “Most people didn’t own cameras” in the 1970s (‘It looked stunning on Joanna Lumley!’, 25 August). This might have been true in the early 20th century, but even my mother, born in 1916, had her faithful Box Brownie, with which she took photos of family and friends in the 40s and 50s, and later I was taking slides on an Agfa Silette 35mm in the 1960s.
Marie Paterson
Nuneaton, Warwickshire
• Re your editorial on writers’ abodes (18 August) and Michael Wild’s letter (20 August), I should like to point out that a cottage on the Newstead Abbey estate was the home of the bestselling novelist Dorothy Whipple for several years in the 1930s, and is the setting for her 1939 novel, The Priory.
Jeremy Hilton
Bridport, Dorset
• “Nothing can beat stepping inside the world of a writer by staying in their home,” says Dr David Rudrum (Letters, 25 August). One thing can: reading their work.
Neil Corcoran
Emeritus professor of English literature, University of Liverpool
• Looking at the names of letter writers on 24 August – Bert Love on hope and positivity and Brian Fish talking about food standards – it seems to me that you should only print letters from people with appropriate names.
Alan Wordsworth
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
• TV presenters often say there is a “risk” of rain in the UK. After several weeks of Saharan heat and drought, perhaps they should start saying there is “hope” of rain.
Dan Hartley
Solihull, West Midlands
• Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
