Angels and Ages: A Short Book about Darwin, Lincoln, and Modern Life Adam Gopnik – Two babies were born on February 12, 1809 an ocean apart. One in a log cabin. The other on an English country estate.

Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson – The animal scientist and autism advocate looks at the way animals are treated and explains what animals want and need.

Banquet at Delmonico’s: Great Minds, the Gilded Age, and the Triumph of Evolution in America Barry Werth – An inside look at the circle of philosophers, scientists, politicians and businessmen who brought Darwin’s ideas to America in the years after the Civil War.

The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama Gwen Ifill – The veteran journalist provides an introduction to emerging African American politicians and the impact of the election of Barack Obama.

The Decline and Fall of the British Empire, 1781-1997 Piers Brendon – A sweeping chronicle of the far-reaching British Empire following the American Revolution.

Disquiet, Please! More Humor Writing from The New Yorker David Remnick and Henry Finder, eds. – Amusing essays from the pages of the noted magazine. Every Living Thing: Man’s Obsessive Quest to Catalog Life, from Nanobacteria to New Monkeys Rob Dunn – A look at the exhilarating quest to study the natural world.

Fifty Miles from Tomorrow: A Memoir of Alaska and the Real People William L. Iġġiaġruk Hensley – This memoir of a native Alaskan recounts his upbringing and the formation of the Northwest Alaska Native Association and its work to protect the rights of the people who have called Alaska home for thousands of years.

God in the Foxhole: Inspiring True Stories of Miracles on the Battlefield Charles W. Sasser – A collection of true personal accounts from generations of American soldiers whose faith has been born or transformed under fire.

History’s Greatest Heist: The Looting of Russia by the Bolsheviks Sean McMeekin – How did the Bolsheviks manage to stay in power? During the early years the Russian Revolution was financed largely through artistic thievery.

How to Live: A Search for Wisdom from Old People (While They Are Still on This Earth) Henry Alford – The author interviews famous and/or accomplished people over seventy in this witty search for enlightenment.

The Little Book of Bull Moves in Bear Markets: How to Keep Your Portfolio Up When the Market Is Down Peter D. Schiff – How to protect your assets and invest your money.

Living Rich for Less: Create the Lifestyle You Want by Giving, Saving, and Spending Smart: How You Can Save $30,000 This Year Ellie Kay – New tips for saving during tough times.

The Longevity Factor: How Resveratrol and Red Wine Activate Genes for a Longer and Healthier Life Joseph Maroon – The noted Pittsburgh neuroscientist explains the recent scientific advances that have identified the natural substances that will promote health and longevity.

Making It All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and the Business of Life David Allen – Following up on his previous book, Getting Things Done, the author explains how to figure out where you are in life and how to get where you want to be going.

Note To Self: 30 Women on Hardship, Humiliation, Heartbreak and Overcoming It All Lessons learned from defining moments form the basis of these inspirational stories.

Nothing to Fear: FDR’s Inner Circle and the Hundred Days that Created Modern America Adam Cohen – An account of the critical first days of FDR’s presidency during the worst time of the Great Depression.

Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive Barbara L. Fredrickson – What is positivity? Can it transform our lives?

The Power of Less: the Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential…in Business and in Life Leo Babauta – Simple steps to help individuals increase productivity and efficiency and learn to work simply.

Racing Odysseus: A College President Becomes a Freshman Again Roger H. Martin – After surviving cancer, the author in enrolled in St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland as a 61-year-old freshman.

Rich Like Them: My Door-to-Door Search for the Secrets of Wealth in America’s Richest Neighborhoods Ryan D’Agostino – The author knocked on 500 doors in nearly two dozen of the most affluent towns in America to discover insights into what it means to have money and how to get it.

So Damn Much Money: The Triumph of Lobbying and the Corrosion of American Government Robert G. Kaiser – The author discusses how the increased growth of lobbying has had negative effects on politics and government.

Split: A Memoir of Divorce Suzanne Finnamore – On a list for one of a “best books of 2008,” this title captures the reality of one woman’s life after those four words: “I want a divorce.”

Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street Michael Davis – The saga of the influential and long-lasting children’s program.

The Third Chapter: Passion, Risk, and Adventure in the 25 Years After 50 Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot – A new look at a time of potential change, growth and new learning for older individuals.

The Time Paradox: The New Psychology of Time That Will Change Your Life Philip Zimbardo and John Boyd – There are seven common ways that people relate to time, each of which create benefits and pitfalls. The authors relate a plan for optimizing your time perspectives.

The World is Curved: Hidden Dangers to the Global Economy David M Smick – The author contends that the mortgage mess is a symptom of potentially more devastating trouble.