In 1928, Gramsci was sentenced to just over 20 years in prison as a result of his political views and activities. The letters written to family and friends, reveal the author's ideas on politics, philosophy, history, literature, folklore, and education. They also chronicle the his political and personal activities before his imprisonment; the circumstances surrounding his arrest and trial; and the crucial role of his sister Tania Schucht in his life as a prisoner. In addition, they describe his declining health; his many efforts to obtain relief from physical and administrative oppression during his imprisonment at Turi; and his transfers from one prison to another. The letters focus on a variety of topics, including concern about his wife's family; his feelings about his estrangement from his wife and children; anti-Semitism and other problems of modern civilization; Freudianism, psychoanalysis, and the relationship between the individual and society in periods of social and political turmoil; and the philosophy of Benedetto Croce. Chronology of Gramsci's life, footnotes, index, and 84 references