DEAREST EMILIE: THE LOVE LETTERS OF SIR WILFRID LAURIER TO MADAME EMILIE LAVERGNE Preface by Paul Gerin-Lajoie and introduction by Charles Fisher Toronto, NC Press, 1989. 160pp, cloth, $24.95 ISBN 1-55021-056-4. CIP Grades 12 and up/Ages 17 and up Reviewed by Paul E. Lewis. Volume 18 Number 3 1990 May For those who enjoy the literature of Canadian politics and who also relish the possibility of a tiny glimpse into the personal side of one of Canada's genuine political heroes, this is an excellent read. But it is a tiny glimpse indeed. The forty letters from Laurier to Emilie Lavergne, the wife of his law partner, span only the years 1891-1893. There is no scandal here, but charm, affection, true friendship and a candour never intended for public consumption. The English translation of these letters by Charles Fisher is excellent and each letter is accompanied by helpful explanatory notes making the everyday world of the 1890s understandable to readers a century later. Nor are there any political secrets buried in the lines. Instead, these letters only increase our understanding of Laurier's life and they give us a glimpse into another side of his character. As a bonus, the preservation of these letters in book form is an excellent example of how material such as this on any historical figure should be presented. Notes, commentaries, chronology, photos, bibliography and index all form a valuable complement to the volume. Paul E. Lewis, Ridley College, St. Catharines, Ont.