J.C. Beaglehole, historian and Cook scholar, was also a passionate writer of letters. He wrote frequently, at length, and throughout his life, to family, friends and colleagues - wittily, affectionately, intimately, eruditely, acerbically, and always with an eye to style - and left a large and rich correspondence. This selection, made by his son and biographer, has been chosen to reflect the range of J.C.'s associations and interests - in history, particularly his scholarly field of Cook adn the Pacific, in music, art and architecture, typography and publishing, and friendship - to show his epistolary virtuousity...