A Last Frontier

About the Book

Today messages are sent with the click of a mouse. Few of us have time anymore to sit down and hand write a letter. E-mail is in and with the press of a key the written words disappear as if they had never been. Sadly the handwritten letter is becoming a thing of the past.

In 1955 when two young starry-eyed Americans left to take up their post in northeast Thailand with the United States Information Agency there was no such thing as E-mail. Had there been this memoir would not exist. In Korat, Thailand communication by means other than a letter required advance planning, practice and patience. An overseas call had to be reserved in advance. The call was made from a radio station via short wave. It was a frustrating exercise in speak, stop, over and listen, speak, stop, over and listen. Letters took two, sometimes three weeks to arrive; thus answers to questions came six weeks after the fact. Despite the time lapse our weekly letters home were treasured, passed around and saved. Today these letters tell the story of a different time, a distant place and a forgotten era.

About the Author

Following their two-year assignment in Thailand the Medds spent nine years in Japan. Returning to Washington in 1967 Charles worked as a news analyst for Voice of America until his retirement. Divorced in 1971 Iola lived in New York City and worked in film processing and distribution. Charles died of leukemia in 1989.