This volume attempts to determine the early influence shared between William Dean Howells and Henry James by reconstructing and evaluating documentary evidence of their literary cross-fertilization. Of the 151 letters included in this volume -- most of the extant correspondence between the two men -- only half have been printed elsewhere. All items previously unpublished are letters by James. The selection represents each writer's most significant criticism of the other, providing a valuable tool for historically informed comprehension and appreciation of both men's work.