(ANS – Rome) – How should one approach the 4,682 letters written by Don Bosco between 1836 and 1888 and collected in the ten volumes of the Epistolario, edited by Francesco Motto between 1991 and 2023 and now available online through the Salesian Historical Institute? There are, of course, many ways to read them, but several are explored in the new volume L’Epistolario di Don Bosco: Prospettive multidisciplinari di lettura (Don Bosco’s Correspondence: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Reading) (Rome: LAS, 2026), in which the editor brings together contributions from scholars who have presented and analyzed this monumental work in recent years.

Fifteen scholars specializing in political and ecclesiastical history, pedagogy, spirituality, communication, and the creative arts offer innovative perspectives on the correspondence, highlighting its historical, cultural, religious, and social significance. The result is a fresh and dynamic portrait of Don Bosco, viewed within the political, ecclesial, and social realities of his time and set against the broader cultural landscape of nineteenth-century Italy and beyond.

One contributor observes:

“His letters are so compelling to his correspondents because he does not resort to rhetoric, indulge in flattery, or plead for sympathy. Don Bosco describes what he sees, asks for what is needed to help others, and does not exaggerate the hardships he encounters. He does not exploit them for personal gain or dwell on them unnecessarily. He is clear and direct. Those who read his letters have nowhere to hide, no illusions or dreams in which to take refuge. They are neither cajoled nor pampered. They can only decide whether to help—and, in doing so, contribute to the salvation of their own souls—or to look the other way. It is no surprise that so many listened to him.”

Among those who continue to listen are the Salesians of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, wherever they carry out their mission on behalf of the “poor and abandoned young people” whom Don Bosco so frequently referenced in his almost daily correspondence.

Of particular interest to members of the Salesian Family are the editor’s concise concluding reflections. He explicitly encourages readers to explore Don Bosco’s letters both chronologically and thematically, while also offering what amounts to a spiritual testament from a scholar who has devoted decades to studying the correspondence of his holy founder.