The second volume in The Complete Letters of Henry James: 1888–1891 contains 131 letters, of which 80 are published for the first time, written from April 23, 1890, to January 3, 1891. These letters continue to mark Henry James’s ongoing efforts to care for his chronically ill sister, develop his work, strengthen his professional status, and build friendships. They also trace James’s efforts to write for the theater up to the afternoon before the first performance of The American.