It takes an unusual talent to shape reams of historical detail into a narrative of almost Crichtonian power and fascination, but Winchester does it in this account of a catastrophic volcanic eruption that rocked the entire world and changed our puny human lives forever.
Epic times call for epic art, and nothing moved us more than The Return of the King. Other things we loved: Louis Vuitton, William Boyd and BBC's The Office And to the Atlanta group OutKast, we say "Stank you very much!"