"Dear Elaine" is. .a rich trove of correspondence between two women, providing realistic glimpses into the female mind and a sharp commentary on the social climate during the final two decades of the twentieth century. Elaine is a Long Island musician, wife, and mother of six. Marla, a Cape Cod poet, is a wife and has three children. After their first meeting, these women quickly find an intellectual, emotional, and spiritual connection. They are soon sharing their common love for many of life's pleasures, such as books, music, and a passion for word games and puzzles. Searching, self-awareness, and twelve-step recovery challenges are interspersed with strong moral values and love of family. Whether it be issues of motherhood and marriage or excitement over words and literature, the intimacy of shared confidences brings the letters to life in this moving tribute to the bonds of sisterhood. Elaine's husband, Robert E. A. Lee, narrates the saga of her earlier years. He also bears witness to the grace with which Elaine coped with numerous medical problems and the tenderness, poignancy and beauty of her life's end. ..".a testimony to all that is contained in those promises to love and to cherish."-Dr. H. George Anderson, Retired Lutheran Bishop ."an invitation to make friends with a remarkable woman. Love is alive in this book from beginning to end."-Mary M. Solberg, Ph.D., Theologian, Gustavus Adolphus College "Beautifully and candidly written.an emotional roller coaster. I laughed, I cried, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience."-Susan Bram, Ph.D., Psychologist, New York City