Miss Lonelyhearts is a wonderful, sardonic novella by Nathaniel West, and Ms. Goldstein would do well to read it (it is still in print and is published by New Directions). Nothing seems to have changed in the almost 80 years since West wrote the novella, which describes a ink-stained wretch, like Ms. Goldstein, who answers letters from the lovelorn. I believe Ms. Goldstein when she writes that 'thousands' of people turn to this column for advice. It's sad, but true. Perhaps the Globe provides a service, but we do need perspective here. And from the sound of many of these letters, there is a great sense of despair among those seeking advice. In the West novella, it succeeded in driving the ink-stained wretch to further misery. And I'm afraid that's what Ms. Goldstein is passing on to readers here.