"Axel Nissen gives a vivid account of Harte's tumultuous life, from his birth in Albany, N.Y., in 1836 until his death in a sleepy English village in 1902." "Based on extensive new sources, Harte's latest biography focuses on Harte's love-hate relationship with Mark Twain and examines the homo-erotic element in his life and work. He also offers a satisfying account of why Harte became so famous in his own time and why in ours he has suffered a decline."--BOOK JACKET.