A captivating chronicle of the world's most famous frescoes, Michelangelo's painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Featuring a corrupt and maniacal pope, an artist unsure of his abilities and a "who's who" of 16th-century Italians (Raphael, Machiavelli, da Vinci), this is the stuff of great fiction, and it's all true. Ross King, author of "Brunelleshi's Dome," presents the story with flair and a wealth of research.  (ITL464, $16.00)