I am both thrilled and disappointed. Disappointed, because they cut out my references to Basket of Kisses, which sucks, but thrilled to sing the praises of our show:

Most people focus on the beauty and glamour of the period setting, or the smoking/drinking/sexism that seems so ancient and yet is so recent, but the greatness of “Mad Men” (Alex Witchel, June 22) is that people are and always will be people. You can watch a Jane Austen adaptation or a Merchant-Ivory drama and get caught up in the costumes and paraphernalia, but in truth, the fascination lies in how little is different: We still hope and long, deceive and get caught. When the newlywed Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) says he thought marriage would be magical, but instead his wife is “just another stranger,” he is not some 1960 period oddity; he is speaking to all of our childish desires for fulfillment without effort.

The characters of “Mad Men” are flawed, confused and compelling. Just like real people (but better-looking).

DEBORAH LIPP
Nanuet, N.Y.

The other letters they published about Mad Men were fascinating as well. Go read.