Jacob's Letters

“Never underestimate yourself.”
That’s the advice Jacob Rubin gives his high school study partner, Nate Chambers, and it becomes the thread that binds them for a decade.

Set against the turbulent backdrop of the 1980s, Jacob’s Letters follows an unlikely but powerful friendship between two young men from very different worlds:
Jacob, Jewish, bold, and unapologetically outspoken.
Nate. African American, introspective, and quietly searching for his place.

From Boston to Berkeley, their lives unfold through deeply personal letters, honest, raw, and often intense. As the years pass, their correspondence becomes a lifeline, helping them face the realities of identity, race, addiction, abuse, depression, and divorce.

And as both men confront what it means to truly be themselves, including the courage to come out—they must do so during one of the most devastating moments in modern history: the height of the AIDS crisis.

This is more than a story of friendship.
It’s a testament to connection, resilience, and the power of being seen.

In a world before texts, emails, and social media, Jacob’s Letters reminds us of something we’ve almost forgotten, how words written on paper can carry the weight of a life.