Tilt : A Skewed History of the Tower of Pisa

Any book you finish in nearly one sitting has to be good. While I am admittedly a history buff, this history of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, captivated me.

The book, which is bound in the shape of a parallelogram, mimicking the tilt of the tower itself, starts with information on the latest (and probably most successful) attempts to halt the tilt of the tower and protect it for future generations. It then delves into the far history of the tower, it financing, its design, its construction and its possible demise.

An excellent companion to this book would be this episode of PBS' Nova series, Nova: Fall of the Leaning Tower. It details the rehabilitation efforts that eventually halted the tilt and allowed for the re-opening of the campanile in 2001.