cover image The Ultimate

The Ultimate

William Poundstone. Doubleday Books, $15 (315pp) ISBN 978-0-385-24260-8

The author of Big Secrets and Bigger Secrets here presents another engaging volume that will settle some arguments and give rise to others. He offers resolutions to all manner of questions, from determining the most difficult holes in golf to the most popular American tourist attractions. Readers will be reassured to learn that the finest baseball player of all time was Babe Ruth; the most profitable investment is stocks in small companies; and the San Diego zoo is the world's best. American chauvinists will be surprised to discover that the tallest building in the world is in Konstantynow, Poland, and the hardest tongue twister comes from West Africa. Divided into sections on sports, adolescence, extravagance, world records, games and Americana, the book provides much amusement and much ready information. (Nov.)