The Current Cinema LOVE, WAR AND CUSTODIAL SERVICES by Pauline Kael.

Comment by James Stevenson. A friend whose daughter lives in a cabin on Cape Cod has forwarded a recent communique from her: It's been a hellish winter up here. Really cold. I have a wood stove, but my neighbor stole all my wood. I would have gone to get more, but my car didn't...

Musical Events Tunes of Long Ago by Nicholas Kenyon.

A Reporter at Large SOUTH OF 60 DEGREES SOUTH by Katherine Bouton. REPORTER AT LARGE about a visit to Antarctica. The writer was there in late 1979, summer in the Southern Hemisphere, dividing her time between the naval base at McMurdo Sound, a trip to the South Pole, and a scientific expedition to the Ellsworth Mountains. 750 people live in McMurdo in...

Fiction The Swiss Army Fork (Illus.) by Bruce McCall. Highlights of the history of the development of the Swiss Army fork, with pictures of the various designs. In 1797, the Confederation is determined that the dream of a Swiss Army fork remain thirteen different dreams of thirteen different Swiss Army forks. In 1812, Marshal Bovril, Inspector General of Flatware...

Books Worlds and Worlds by John Updike.

The Talk of the Town Filmmaker by Veronica Geng. Talk story about John Sayles who, at the age of thirty, wrote, produced, and directed "Return of the Secaucus 7," a movie about the reunion of seven young political activists who are now trying to be more practical because there's no major political movement to plug into. He made the...

The Talk of the Town Superstoves by Bobbie Ann Mason. Talk story about the Wood Heating Alliance's International Trade Show and Seminar in New Orleans. Describes the Louisiana Superdome, where the show was held. Writer goes to a workshop to see a wood splitter and sees a slide show about chainsaw safety. Everybody talks about things "coming down the pike...

The Theatre Off Broadway by Edith Oliver.

Fiction A House Abroad by W. S. Merwin. Writer is an American who has often thought about houses as a youth, and in his 20s buys, by chance, a house in southwest France. He describes in detail the countryside and its farmers, who are proud of their way of life. The house hasn't been occupied for 35 years...

Dancing So Rare by Arlene Croce.

Poetry The Unbelievers by Carolyn Kizer. At first it was only a trickle...

Poetry Listening by a Woodpile, Night of Moon After Snow by Brendan Galvin. Having done all I can for now...

Poetry Rain on 67th by Jane Mayhall. The rain smells like good fish swimming off...