The Life and Letters of Lafcadio Hearn, Volume 1

This volume brings together a rich tapestry of correspondence spanning a quarter‑century, allowing listeners to hear Lafcadio’s voice directly through the letters he wrote to friends, colleagues, and family. The selection uncovers his modest humor, tender sensibility, and the curiosity that drove his explorations of cultures far from his native shore. Interwoven with the letters are brief autobiographical fragments discovered after his death, which help anchor the personal anecdotes within the broader sweep of his life.

The editor has trimmed purely business‑related passages and guarded the privacy of those still living, aiming to preserve the intimacy of Hearn’s private words while respecting his own wish to shield his weaknesses. The result is a vivid, readable portrait that feels less like a formal biography and more like a conversation with a thoughtful, slightly eccentric traveler who found wonder in the unfamiliar.