These are selected letters between Randolph & his brother Thomas, 12 years his senior. It is obvious that Randolph completely relied on his elder brother for advice & essentials. These letters show us a small window to a long gone world in which family mattered regardless of the distance. Letter writing was common in those days & one can see who was more literary. Still, Thomas J was very attentive to his brother Randolph. Randolph's death in 1815 ended the correspondence. An interesting look for historians seeking prime documents to read. This book, however, has only selected rather than all correspondence between the brothers. ( )