A reader writes:
I love the emails. It's wondrous to me how much time and effort people put into them when they know they will get no recognition - but that anonymity also brings out more honesty and passion. People write because they feel strongly about something and that comes across.
I think the dynamic of communicating with you through e-mail has always lended your blog a certain personal quality that I've never seen elsewhere. On most blogs where there are comments, I always feel I'm talking to an audience. But when I e-mail you I feel like I'm actually talking to you. So I find that much of the time I say things that I think you'll find interesting that aren't necessarily of interest to the world at large.
The end result is that I always feel a lot more personally engaged with what you write. I find I enjoy the writing of many other bloggers but that when I read your blog it's more like I'm reading something a friend has posted. Especially when you drift into topics like religion or conservative philosophy that I can't imagine appearing on just about any other major blog.