diff --git a/ChangeLog.md b/ChangeLog.md
--- a/ChangeLog.md
+++ b/ChangeLog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # HCL Change Log
 
+## v.1.8
+
+* updated to haskell stack
+* implemented MonadFail
+* better documentation
+
 ## v1.7.1
 
 * added `ChangeLog.md` to cabal file
diff --git a/HCL.cabal b/HCL.cabal
--- a/HCL.cabal
+++ b/HCL.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Name:           HCL
-Version:        1.7.1
+Version:        1.8
 License:        BSD3
 Author:         Justin Bailey
 Homepage:       http://github.com/m4dc4p/hcl/tree/master
@@ -14,22 +14,25 @@
   Dates, or other structured values), build lists of values, and use simple
   menus. It is not intended to build complex interfaces with full cursor
   control. It is oriented towards line-based interfaces.
-cabal-version: >= 1.8
+cabal-version: >= 1.10
 extra-source-files: ChangeLog.md
 Data-files: hangman/2of12.txt
 
 Library
-  Build-Depends:  base >= 4.7 && < 5, QuickCheck == 2.*, mtl, random, containers
+  default-language: Haskell2010
+  Build-Depends:  base >= 4.9.0.0 && < 5, QuickCheck == 2.*, mtl, random, containers
   Exposed-modules: System.Console.HCL
   Hs-Source-Dirs: src
 
 Executable hangman
+  default-language: Haskell2010
   Build-Depends:  base >= 4.7 && < 5, QuickCheck == 2.*, mtl, random, containers, HCL
   Main-Is:        Hangman.hs
   Hs-Source-Dirs: hangman
   other-modules:  Paths_HCL
 
 test-suite HCL-test
+  default-language: Haskell2010
   type: exitcode-stdio-1.0
   main-is: Spec.hs
   hs-source-dirs: test
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
--- a/LICENSE
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-Copyright (c) 2009, Justin Bailey <jgbailey@gmail.com>
+Copyright (c) 2009, 2018, 2021  Justin Bailey <jgbailey@gmail.com>
 All rights reserved.
 
 Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
diff --git a/src/System/Console/HCL.hs b/src/System/Console/HCL.hs
--- a/src/System/Console/HCL.hs
+++ b/src/System/Console/HCL.hs
@@ -350,12 +350,16 @@
     fmap f' x
 
 {- |
-@'Request'@ behavior as a @"Monad"@ covers failure - when
-a request results in @Nothing@, all bind
-operations fail afterwards. Thus, when one request fails,
-all subsequent requests automatically fail. -}
+@'Request'@ behavior as a @"Monad"@ all bind operations fail
+afterwards. Thus, when one request fails, all subsequent requests
+automatically fail. -}
 instance Monad Request where
   f >>= g = f `andMaybe` g
+
+{- |
+Request behavior as a @MonadFail@ covers failure - when
+a request results in @Nothing@, -}
+instance MonadFail Request where
   fail _ = reqFail
 
 {- |
@@ -649,10 +653,10 @@
     choice
 
 -- | Used to add an individual entry to a menu that is being built. 
-reqMenuItem :: String
-  -> Request a
-  -> [(String, Request a)]
-  -> [(String, Request a)]
+reqMenuItem :: String -- ^ the label for the selection
+  -> Request a -- ^ the @'Request'@ to run when selected
+  -> [(String, Request a)] -- ^ the menu being built
+  -> [(String, Request a)] -- ^ the resulting menu
 reqMenuItem label item = (:) (label, item) 
 
 -- | Creates a submenu within a menu. When the submenu exits, control returns to the item specified.
@@ -664,9 +668,9 @@
 reqSubMenu prevMenu label subMenu = (:) (label, reqForever $ reqCont (reqMenu subMenu) prevMenu)  
 
 -- | Causes the program to exit from the current menu.  
-reqMenuExit :: String
-  -> [(String, Request a)]
-  -> [(String, Request a)]
+reqMenuExit :: String -- ^ the label, e.g.: @\"quit\"@
+  -> [(String, Request a)] -- ^ the menu being built
+  -> [(String, Request a)] -- ^ the resulting menu
 reqMenuExit label = (:) (label, reqFail)
 
 -- | Ends a list of menu item definitions.