2008 Highlights: Must-Read Nonfiction

"This very readable biography gives the reader new insights into the life and work Peter Mark Roget, the man who created the thesaurus (and many more things, including the slide rule). Anyone who loved The Professor and the Madman should read this book!" --Carol Schneck, Schuler Books & Music, Okemos, MI

"By linking the stories of Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, and others, Chadwick creates the historical period at the near-end of the antebellum era. Included is a great portrait of a rather delusional president who is over-confident of his own policies and sure that history will absolve his stands." --Dan Domike, Jackson Street Books, Seattle, WA

"Benjamin Wallace has uncorked an absolutely fascinating account of the world's most expensive bottle of wine, an intoxicating read with the complexity and nuances of a great vintage. As your book 'sommelier' I recommend that you drink deep of this heady narrative concerning world-class connoisseurs, deep-pocketed collectors, and -- quite possibly -- a diabolically clever con man." --Joe Drabyak, Chester County Book & Music Company, West Chester, PA

"Pat Willard is a terrific food writer, and this book, which traces the WPA's 1935 documentation of American food traditions throughout the country, will have you itching to go on the road yourself to try and find the out-of-the-way diners, restaurants, and communities where food and its celebration take you to new gastronomic heights. If you love food, food writers, food junkies, food festivals, and food history, you must read America Eats!" --Gayle Shanks, Changing Hands Bookstore, Tempe, AZ

"Artfully blending narratives of Clarence Darrow, D.W. Griffith, and William Burns, Howard Blum has written a masterful account of the bombing of the offices of the Los Angeles Times and the trial of the McNamara brothers. Blum gives a strong portrayal of the labor unrest at the start of the 20th century in this excellent history of a society on the cusp of a new era." --Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, MI