The Complete Letters of Henry James, 1872–1876

Book excerpt: The Complete Letters of Henry James fills a crucial gap in modern literary studies by presenting in a scholarly edition the complete letters of one of the great novelists and letter writers of the English language. Comprising more than ten thousand letters reflecting on a remarkably wide range of topics—from James's own life and literary projects to broader questions on art, literature, and criticism—this edition is an indispensable resource for students of James and of American and English literature, culture, and criticism as well as for research libraries throughout North America and Europe and for scholars who specialize in James, the European novel, and modern literature. Pierre A. Walker and Greg W. Zacharias have conceived this edition according to the exacting standards of the Committee on Scholarly Editions. This volume is the first of three to include James's letters from 1872 to 1876.