In this compilation of eleven previously published and two new essays, James L. W. West III provides insight into the meticulous field of scholarly editing. To "make the archives talk," West details how a scholarly editor reads, selects, edits, emends, annotates, interprets, evaluates, identifies, classifies, questions, and finalizes texts by utilizing published editions, drafts, proofs, and other documents found in authors' and publishers' archival collections.