The Penguin Atlas of War and Peace

Rating:
Summary: Read one nonfiction book this year (and make it this one)
Review: This is the most enjoyable and concise way to get a basic primer of world events and even all of recent history. This should replace textbooks in high schools. The graphics are compelling and break down all sorts of conflicts. The writing is brief, fair, and brutally honest. If I can look at two pages of colorful maps and suddenly understand the ten-year Yugoslav conflict, this is a well-done book.