Comment by William Finnegan. Comment on 19 recently published studies and editorials about death by gunshot in the United States, in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Dr. C. Everett Koop, the former Surgeon General, and Dr. George Lundberg, the editor of the AMA journal propose that intentional violence and particularly gunshot deaths...

The Talk of the Town Candidate by Mark Singer. Talk story about Victor Rosen, the Department of Transportation's Assistant Commissioner of Manhattan traffic operations. Writer visits DOT to find out how it plans to keep traffic moving during the Democratic National Convention. Later in story writer comes up with idea of having Mr. Rosen be a candidate. He and...

The Talk of the Town Non-Stop by Susan Orlean. Talk story about Peter Benfaremo, 70, who has owned and run an Italian-style ice store in Corona, Queens, next to the store his father opened on 108th St., and 52nd Ave., since 1946. The sign outside the door explains his nickname and his calling: "'Benfaremo the Lemon Ice King...

The Talk of the Town Genie by George W. S. Trow. Talk story about the southeast corner of the Plaza Hotel's lobby floor, which is a huge, modern space which can be divided into "historical" layers. The Persian Room opened on April 1, 1934 since rich people "deserved" imaginative decor for their black tie garb. 5 murals showing history of Persian...

Fiction Do the Windows Open? by Julie Hecht. Short story about a woman photographer trying to travel by bus from New York to East Hampton and the bizarre situations encountered on the rides...

Annals of the Antiquities Trade THE ANGEL ON HER SHOULDER-II by Dan Hofstadter. ANNALS OF THE ANTIQUITIES TRADE about the theft and sale of Byzantine mosaics from a church in Lythrankomi, Cyprus. The writer did not succeed in obtaining an interview with Turkish businessman Aydin Dikmen, perhaps the most important figure in the affair. Dikmen claimed to be rescuing Cypriot church treasures from...

The Art World (The Art Galleries) by Adam Gopnik.

Letter from London by Julian Barnes. Over the last few years, the Royal Family has shed much of its dignity. The latest filthy gossip about the marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales did not come out of the clear blue sky. For a mother of four children to see the marriage of one of...

Around City Hall The Perfect Place by Andy Logan. In July the city would play host to two grand parties: the Democratic National Convention, at Madison Square Garden, and the celebration of the quincentennial of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the New World. Highlight of the latter party was July 4 parade of tall ships down the Hudson... Riots in...

Books by Louis Menand.

Poetry July by John Updike. Deep pools of shade beneath dense maples...

Poetry Blunt Morning by Edward Hirsch. It's almost unbearable to remember...

Poetry The Firemen by Deborah Garrison. God forgive me...