Widely recognised as one of the greatest female letter writers in English, Jane Welsh Carlyle (1801 1866) possessed a famous sense of wit and irony, which, together with her keen observational skills, made her an important literary figure in her own right. This three-volume set of her letters, published in 1883 and annotated throughout by her husband Thomas Carlyle, represents a fine example of the letter-writing genre. The publication of the letters made a significant contribution to a growing acceptance and critical recognition of this often dismissed literary form. Volume 1 (from 1834 to 1847) is introduced by Thomas, who recollects the events of the day in June 1834 when the first letter of the collection was written. Through Jane's correspondence with her family and friends, the reader will be entertained by her amusing descriptions of everyday life, and will gain a revealing insight into the highs and lows of her marriage.

Widely recognised as one of the greatest female letter writers in English, Jane Welsh Carlyle (1801 1866) possessed a famous sense of wit and irony, which, together with her keen observational skills, made her an important literary figure in her own right. This three-volume set of her letters, published in 1883 and annotated throughout by her husband Thomas Carlyle, represents a fine example of the letter-writing genre. The publication of the letters made a significant contribution to a growing acceptance and critical recognition of this often dismissed literary form. In Volume 2 (from 1847 to 1859) the reader will find humorous observations of eminent figures of the time, such as Emerson and Ruskin, witness Jane's strong devotion to her mother and sympathise with her failing health. Her descriptions of everyday life will entertain and amuse, and will reveal a fascinating insight into the highs and lows of her marriage.

Widely recognised as one of the greatest female letter writers in English, Jane Welsh Carlyle (1801 1866) possessed a famous sense of wit and irony, which, together with her keen observational skills, made her an important literary figure in her own right. This three-volume set of her letters, published in 1883 and annotated throughout by her husband Thomas Carlyle, represents a fine example of the letter-writing genre. The publication of the letters made a significant contribution to a growing acceptance and critical recognition of this often dismissed literary form. Volume 3 covers the years between 1859 and 1866: Jane died just a few days after her last letter, and the volume ends with a letter received by Thomas informing him of his wife's death. Jane's letters were praised by Virginia Woolf for their 'incomparable brilliancy', and the reader will be entertained and amused by her satirical observations of everyday life.