The Whalestoe Letters

The Whalestoe Letters  

Cover to the first edition
Author(s) Mark Z. Danielewski
Country United States
Language English
Genre(s) Epistolary Novella
Publisher Pantheon Books
Publication date 10 October 2000
Media type Print (Paperback)
Pages 86 p. (paperback edition)
ISBN ISBN 0-375-71441-3 (paperback edition)
OCLC Number 44811700
Dewey Decimal 813/.54 21
LC Classification PS3554.A5596 W48 2000
Preceded by House of Leaves
Followed by The Fifty Year Sword

The Whalestoe Letters (2000) by cult author Mark Z. Danielewski is an epistolary novella which more fully develops the literary correspondence between Pelafina H. Lièvre and her son Johnny from 1982-1989, characters first introduced in Danielewski's prior work, House of Leaves.

The letters are included in the second edition of House of Leaves, in Appendix II, under the name E - The Three Attic Whalestoe Institute Letters, although the companion piece includes eleven additional letters not found in House of Leaves.

Plot introduction

Pelafina writes these letters to Johnny from The Three Attic Whalestoe Institute, a mental institution where she has been residing for a number of years. While a number of these letters appear in House of Leaves, The Whalestoe Letters introduces a number of new letters which serve to more fully develop Pelafina's character as well as her relationship with Johnny.

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