Adrienne Clarkson grew up in Ottawa after her family escaped Japanese-occupied Hong Kong in 1942. Decades later, she would become Canada’s 26th governor general. Clarkson reached out to Canadians everywhere, refashioning Rideau Hall into a real home and welcoming the public. Her determination to invest meaning in her official actions created controversy, and in her memoir, Clarkson reflects on the behind-the-scenes political machinations. Heart Matters is more than a public life remembered—it chronicles an astonishing journey through triumph and turmoil. Remarkably insightful and inspiring, it is an extraordinary work by an extraordinary Canadian.