"Michael Madhusudan Dutt's [1824-73] exclusive role in carrying forward Bengali literature--especially poetry and drama--into the modern era, remains uncontested....Dutt's letters offer an excellent point of entry into the heart and mind of this great poet. Nowhere else did he express himself as freely as he did in his letters which provide invaluable insights into his life, character, and, above all, his art.

Although originally written in English, no standard edition of his letters is in existence. The present volume, edited by Ghulam Murshid, provides extensive annotations to individual letters, brief biographical sketches of their recipients, as well as glimpses of the poet's life."

-- from the cover jacket.