Editorial Reviews

The instructions were simple, but the results were extraordinary.

"You are invited to anonymously contribute a secret to a group art project. Your secret can be a regret, fear, betrayal, desire, confession, or childhood humiliation. Reveal anything -- as long as it is true and you have never shared it with anyone before. Be brief. Be legible. Be creative."

It all began with an idea Frank Warren had for a community art project. He began handing out postcards to strangers and leaving them in public places -- asking people to write down a secret they had never told anyone and mail it to him, anonymously.

The response was overwhelming. The secrets were both provocative and profound, and the cards themselves were works of art -- carefully and creatively constructed by hand. Addictively compelling, the cards reveal our deepest fears, desires, regrets, and obsessions. Frank calls them "graphic haiku," beautiful, elegant, and small in structure but powerfully emotional.

As Frank began posting the cards on his website, PostSecret took on a life of its own, becoming much more than a simple art project. It has grown into a global phenomenon, exposing our individual aspirations, fantasies, and frailties -- our common humanity.

Every day dozens of postcards still make their way to Frank, with postmarks from around the world, touching on every aspect of human experience. This extraordinary collection brings together the most powerful, personal, and beautifully intimate secrets Frank Warren has received -- and brilliantly illuminates that human emotions can be unique and universal at the same time.

Customer Reviews

Beautiful and haunting, 2009-11-21
by E. Markussen

This book will make you think, feel and laugh.
Enriches your life - seriously.

I love this book., 2009-10-11
by Gtownsurf.com (Galveston)

I bought this for my Girlfriend and she loved it. Me are going to see Frank speak this month in Texas.

Huge fan of postsecret.com but it didn't quite measure up, 2009-04-20
by Michelle

I was disappointed. This is the first of the books I've actually gotten and I plan on getting the other ones. I hope they will be better. It was ok and I'm sure it will be a great conversation piece though.

Intrigued but ambivalent, 2009-03-05
by camille (Chicago)

The artwork on many of the postcards was intriguing, evocative, and perfectly-suited to the secret. The secrets were, however, far more often than not depressing or worrisome. While the writers of the secrets may have felt released by sending them off (and that fact is itself debatable), I felt weighed down by knowing their secrets. Additionally, I felt a little manipulated in that we have no way of knowing if the secrets are real or fiction -- did at least some of these writers create secrets in the hope of eliciting sadness and concern in the readers? We have no way of knowing and that ambiguity leads to my ambivalence.

5 Stars, 2009-02-13
by Lauren Bross (Maryland, USA)

I <333 Postsecret and think it has a great message. I think this book is perfect for all adolescents and adults. 12+ though I'd say.

But I think it makes a fantastic gift. Especially for any sentinmental or hopelessly romantic people you know. Also a great casual gift such as birthdays. But also works as a thoughtful gift such as Christmas or Valentines day.

I say it is well worth the money. Hope this helps! =D