Six volumes in one, Edited by Albert Bigelow Paine. A prolificacy of letters, reflecting Twain's role as 'a mighty national menace to sham'. Like all life's, Twain's was a rich evolution of character and concerns as reflected in this collection of his personal correspondence. Throughout, he maintains a wonderful sense of humour and phrasing that is compelling to his readers. His younger letters are playful whereas his older ones show a more tempered tone - measured with loss, struggle, success, failure and friends. He clearly loved deeply and profoundly those in his life judged by his frequent audiences and topics. (Goodreads)