Comment by Jonathan Schell. The other day we visited one of NYC's most distinguished bookstores in search of "The Gulag Archipelago"by Aleksandro Solzhenitsyn. Failing to find it in the hardcover division under either"World History"or"Current Events," we, proceeded ...to the paperback dept. & asked a salesman there if he could find...

The Theatre by Edith Oliver.

Annals of the Former World RISING FROM THE PLAINS by John McPhee. ANNALS OF THE FORMER WORLD about geology and what the writer saw travelling across Wyoming with geologist David Love. He is supervisor of the U.S. Geological Survey's environmental branch in Laramie. He was born in the center of Wyoming in 1913, & grew up on an isolated ranch. He has...

The Talk of the Town Destiny by Mark Singer. Second part of a two-part Talk story about pet services. This one is about Barbara Meyers' car service for pets, The Critter Car (actually two Chevy Cavalier wagons each with enough space for 3 Great Danes). Drivers are skilled, pet-sensitive and wear beepers and have mobile phones to...

Fiction Boxes by Raymond Carver. Writer's mother is packed and ready to move. On her last night in her apartment she invites writer and Jill over for dinner. Writer says his mother sees Jill as an intruder - just another girl in a series that appeared after his wife left. Writer met Jill soon after he...

The Current Cinema COUPLES by Pauline Kael.

The Talk of the Town Some Art by William McKibben. Talk story about conceptual artists, most of whom are included in the current show at the New Museum of Contemporary Art, "Choices: Making an Art of Everyday Living." Artists mentioned are Barry Le Va (who's not in the show, but whose influence can be felt), Michael Osterhout who is in...

Letter from Mott Street by Calvin Trillin. Writer discusses prospective jurors eating lunch in Chinatown, which is located near the state and federal counthouses in lower Manhattan. While waiting in the big assembly room to be called for a jury panel, writer began calculating how many minutes it would take him to get to an elevator, descend...

The Talk of the Town Pneumonia by Susan Lardner. Talk story about visiting Janet in the hospital instead of meeting her for lunch. Janet suddenly came down with pneumonia and was all alone. Anecdotes about how the hospital is like a prison: the restrictions are awful, the food tastes like left over airline food, and the lady in the...

Dancing by Arlene Croce.

Fiction Webbing (What Happened. Really.) by Ian Frazier. Writer parodies certain current writing styles. "What's come over Janine, anyway?" Stu asks, reaching for the Chianti. We are at my mother's 3rd husband's summer house on L.I., approximately a 90-minute drive from NYC. Stu looks at me, but I don't answer... "Earth calling Pam! Earth calling Pam! "Nat...

Musical Events by Andrew Porter.

Jazz Poet by Whitney Balliett. Entire column on the life and career of pianist Tommy Flanagan...

Books by John Updike.

Poetry To His Importunate Mistress (Andrew Marvell Updated) by Peter De Vries. Had we but world enough, and time...

Poetry Alone in the Lumber Business by John Ashbery. It's still too early to make concessions...

Poetry A Walk by Katha Pollitt. When I go for a walk and see they're tearing down...