Three- to five-word book reviews of Christmas-gift-worthy books.

Juan de Fuca’s Strait: Voyages in the Waterway of Forgotten Dreams, Barry Gough, 2012.
Mariners. Myths. Mystery.

The First World War: Volume I: To Arms, Hew Strachan, 2001.
Monumental. Might. Mayhem.

Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader, Anne Fadiman, 1998.
Personal. Pleasures. Passions.

Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth (CBC Massey Lecture series), Margaret Atwood, 2008.
Timely. Thought-provoking. Treasure trove.

Photo by John Hannah.

An Essay on Typography, Eric Gill, 1936.
Craftsmanship. Common sense. Composition.

Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury, 1951.
Disturbing. Dark. Dystopian.

The Canadian Press Stylebook, 16th Edition, Patti Tasko, ed., 2010.
Policies. Procedures. Packaging. Pointers. Pitfalls.

Lord Peter: A Collection of All the Lord Peter Wimsey Stories, Dorothy L. Sayers, 1972.
Period piece. Peerage. Police. Pursuit. Proof.

The Sisters Brothers, Patrick deWitt, 2011.
Bizarre. Brawls. Bloodshed.

The Keeper of Lost Causes, Jussi Adler-Olsen, 2011.
Denmark. Detection. Department Q.

Bring Up the Bodies, Hilary Mantel, 2012.
Reformation. Rogues. Royals. Retribution. Redux.

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