THE OUTSIDER: THE LIFE OF PIERRE ELLIOTT TRUDEAU Michel Vastel Toronto, Macmillan, 1990. 266pp, cloth, $27.95 ISBN 0-7715-9100-4. CIP Grades 11 and up/ Ages 16 and up Reviewed by Thomas F. Chambers. Volume 18 Number 6 1990 November The first thing one wonders when reading a book called Trudeau le Quebecois (Editions de 1'homme, 1989) in French is why the title became Trudeau the Outsider in English. This is no translation at all. The grammar in this book is poor. and the writing style awkward. This makes the book difficult to like. If one assumes that Vastel's French was correct, then the translator and the editor are responsible. A few examples illustrate this problem: "No more with political movements than with the Canadian army." "For sentimental reasons — he was engaged to a psychol­ogy student at the time — and also out of personal preference, no doubt, Trudeau would probably rather have entered the more cerebral disciplines, psychology in particular." The book does little to help us like Trudeau. Statements such as the following quote only enhance his reputation for arrogance: "My venerable profession and my great personal value assure my access to the most distin­guished milieus of our Dominion." In an attempt to help his readers better understand Trudeau, Vastel includes many insignificant details. Most of these are boring. He also uses many quotations without giving references. No doubt this is done to add authority to the remarks but it is annoying since it is impossible to find out who made the quote. The Outsider adds little to the Trudeau legend. Thomas F. Chambers, Canadore College of Applied Arts and Technology, North Bay, Ont.