"The Family That Couldn't Sleep: A Medical Mystery," by D.T. Max. I spent a substantial chunk of my weekend with this fascinating non-fiction. Aside from offering a picaresque account of political and medical history, it also presents one with an eerie revelation of how things "come together." How is it possible that a scientist visiting London happens to see an exhibit in a museum that leads him to the researcher in New Guinea who could answer questions about sheep afflicted with an illness from Spain to Scotland? And how can any of that lead to answers about an Italian family that has suffered under an alleged curse for more than a century? (There is also a point to made about independent medical research--not guided by pharmaceutical companies etc.) Max is an amazing writer and this is one of the best books I've read in a long time.