As Leonard Bloomfield’s lawyer and personal friend of his family during the 1920’s and 1930’s, the author evokes memories of Bloomfield himself and his family, with emphasis on the character of his parents and the intellectual and artistic achievements of his relatives. Illustrations are given of his personality, his (often bitter), wit, and his shyness. Light is cast on hitherto little known aspects of his life, especially on his marriage, the adoption of his sons, and his wife’s mental break-down in the 1940’s. Bloomfield’s character is contrasted with that of Edward Sapir (1884–1939), whom the author also knew during the latter’s Chicago years.