' Are Collected Letters a superior form of biography? When as numerous & meticulously edited as these of Gustav mahler when they provide a time capsule ride back to the last days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire the answer must be yes.. . This remarkable book is unputdownable even for a non-Mahlerite.' Literary Review ' The letters are linked by a commentary that makes the volume both an easy & gripping read.. . There is passion in this book to scald the h&.' Sunday Times 'A vivid & telling portrayal of Mahler's personality in his voice.' Times Literary Supplement