Dearest Arlette

The letters written by Emily de Montluzin to her young French cousin Arlette during the first decade after World War II showcase the experiences of two ordinary families, one American and one French, as their countries were adjusting to the challenges, stresses, and social changes of a postwar world. They are a testament to the close bond that developed between the two sets of cousins an ocean apart and to the extraordinary friendship that sprang up between Emily and Arlette, the family scribes. When Emily’s home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, Arlette knew that there was one thing she could do to help: She could return Emily’s letters and photos, carefully saved for sixty years. In that way, she could restore her past.

Paperback, 232 pages