A two-volume study of stones may sound like a dreadfully boring read, but, thankfully, readers of Tim Robinson's "Stones of Aran" got much more from that fascinating study of those islands and their distinct culture. Now, Robinson takes a close look at another rich region with Connemara. A winner of the Irish Book Award for non-fiction, this is regional history at its finest. Robinson, who lived in Connemara for nearly two decades, reveals more about the area than any straightforward history could through his use of fables and written records. His writing remains lively, poetic and finely detailed throughout. ($17 / 448 pages / Penguin)