A Life in Letters

This collection of Henry James's letters-more than half of which have never been published-offers a vivid picture of his life of passionate creation and the complex world in which he lived. Through his exchanges with writers such as William Dean Howells, Henry Adams, Robert Louis Stevenson, H. G. Wells, and Edith Wharton, as well as presidents, prime ministers, bishops, painters, and great ladies and actresses, we gain a fascinating glimpse of James's views on sex, politics, and friendship as well as his novels and the art of writing. These letters constitute a landmark of James scholarship and the real and best biography of this most complex and compelling artist.

Henry James (1843-1916) was born in New York City. In 1865, he began writing reviews and stories for American journals. 1875 found him settled in Paris, then London, where he was very popular in society. He became a British citizen in 1915. He was a highly prolific writer of novels, short stories, and letters.

Philip Horne was educated at Cambridge University and is currently a reader in English literature at University College London. He edited the Penguin Classics edition of The Tragic Muse.