The claws of winter hold us firmly in their grip, and there is no escape from the Arctic vortex; no escape but to curl up with a good book under a warm blanket. To help you make your reading choices, the reviewers of the Ottawa Review of Books offer their insights into recent works of non-fiction and fiction by Susan Doherty, Rawi Hage, Anne Emery and Mike Martin, as well as a wonderful anthology edited by Rona Altrows and Julie Sedivy. Enjoy this issue, stay warm and dream of spring!