'Henry Handel Richardson (the pseudonym for Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson, 1870–1894, Mrs J. G. Robertson, 1895–1946) liked nothing better than to sit behind closed doors and play with words. Behind closed doors, adhering to a strict working regime, Richardson wrote six novels, fifteen short stories and sixteen articles, composed music and translated works from Danish and Norwegian. At the time of her death she left an unfinished novel “Nick and Sanny” and an unfinished autobiography. Following strict orders left by HHR, her companion, secretary, friend and—following HHR’s death—literary executor, Olga Roncoroni destroyed the unfinished novel and a large number of letters, both those written by HHR and a lifetime of letters from fellow writers and readers, as well as press cutting books. Her unfinished autobiography was not consigned to the flames,1 but was recognised as a significant record of the life of this very private writer and therefore spared the same fate.' (Introduction)