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After the introduction of bleach and wood pulp to paper in the mid-19th century, books were mostly bound in cloth. Design began to be a little bit more elaborate on the cover as well as on the spine, while more care was paid to the choice of the book's typeface.

Then, in the 20^th century, more glaringly eye-catching cover design became part of book publishing. Dust jackets now caught the reader's attention, while the actual book still had a plain cover. And so it has remained today if a book is published in hardcover. There are, however, now so many other choices for book binding. Books are now published as paperbacks, as trade covers in which the cardboard cover has a flap just like a dust jacket, and then there are books made by small presses which use various forms of bindings and papers to attract the attention of a prospective reader.

Bringhurst, whose awards are too numerous to list here, is a champion of fine typography and book design. Recognized not only as a poet and linguist, he is also a well-known typographer, whose book, The Elements of Typographic Style, has been translated into 10 languages. His latest book, however, is concerned with book design in Canada from the 19^th century to the present. The Surface of Meaning - Books and Book Design in Canada takes a look at both English- and French-Canadian books, their design, and what this design implies about the contents of these books, and the cultural heritage of Canada. What appeals especially, aside from the book's actual design, is that his book introduces us to Native storytelling, something that cannot be found in any other book of this nature.

To be plain, this book is gorgeous, although it concentrates mostly on books published by smaller publishing houses rather than those catering to mass productions. Of course, it is not an easy book to hold because of its coffee table format, but it is a book that surely will find a treasured spot on the bookshelf after it has been read and thoroughly viewed. Its dust cover gives a brief preview of some of the illustrations inside the book, while the actual book has an off-white linen cover with the spine printed in black with white lettering with the exception of two red typographical symbols. This is elegance in the finest sense.

As soon as readers turn the pages of The Surface of Meaning, the texture of the pages and their scent will capture the viewer's attention even before the actual written contents. Printed on semi-gloss, wood- and acid-free paper, it is a book that will not deteriorate over the years. And, what we see so seldom now, this book happens to have been printed in Canada.

For a book of its kind, the text is well written and highly illuminating. Bringhurst knows how to hold a reader's attention without seeming too scholarly, for this is, after all, a scholarly book. In his prologue, the author asks 'What's a book — and why?' Here he opens up the subject of 'oral or invisible books', which are the tales told by Aboriginal Canadians. He then describes how Europeans began to create alphabets for Native languages and so made 'invisible books' visible.

Another essay turns to the subject of the history of typography in Canada. It turns out to be a slowly developing art, in part because of our small population. But it eventually caught on and there is now a distinctly Canadian look to typefaces and design, though I venture to add, it is not a mass-media look. And in the final essay Bringhurst touches on the process of digital type, which has made it possible for almost anyone to print a book without the help of a professional.