Gustav Mahler: Letters to his Wife is undoubtedly the best way to understand Mahler as a man and as a composer: in his own words, intimately detailing his inner world to his wife, Alma. ''Are Collected Letters a superior form of biography? When as numerous and 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 and gripping read . . . There is passion in this book to scald the hand.'' Sunday Times''A vivid and telling portrayal of Mahler''s personality in his voice.'' Times Literary Supplement