Edward Ardizzone's long & prolific career spanned over half a century. He died in 1979, one of England's most beloved artists & illustrators. The man who gave us the definitive illustrations for Trollope, the stories of Eleanor Farjeon, & the beloved Tim & the Bold Sea Captain series was also an artist who could never resist the temptation of filling his letters to family & friends with enchanting vignettes & sketches. Like all of his work, these were done quickly, humorously, & lovingly, with a sure touch for outline, wash, & color that always distinguished his work. For the first time, here is a selection of those letters, envelopes, & illustrations, selected & edited by Judy Taylor, longtime children's book editor at the Bodley Head & among Ardizzone's closest friends & correspondents. Whether from his diaries of a float trip down the Thames, his sketches of Italy, Egypt, North Africa, & India, or the simple & immediate drawings he would dash off while visiting friends & relatives, these spontaneous, gentle, & vibrant sketches show him, his life, & the England he so loved at their best.