Neither Snow Nor Rain: A History of the United States Postal Service

Few institutions are as loved, as loathed, and as historically important as the United States Post Office, the subject of this landmark century-spanning social, political, and economic history.

Updated with new reporting from the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic and the historic 2020 election, the first full history of the United States Postal Service.

The first major history of the United States Postal Service in decades, now updated with new reporting, Neither Snow nor Rain is the fascinating, centuries-long story of an extraordinary American creation, originally founded by Benjamin Franklin. In this rich, character-driven, multifaceted history, journalist Devin Leonard relates how the USPS bound far-flung Americans together, fostered a common culture, and helped American business to prosper. While over recent decades the USPS has been imperiled by corporate competitors and falling federal support, the horrors of COVID-19 and the surge of mail-in voting during the pivotal 2020 election reminded everyone that this essential service offers a crucial source of contact and connection in a time of unprecedented isolation, once more reaffirming the importance of the Postal Service to American lives and the future of the country.