Letter from Washington by Elizabeth Drew. The President's advisers spend a lot of time explaining his Presidency thus far. The explanations are largely defensive and all of them get back to one question: the question of why Bush has not made more of an impression on the nation, which according to the polls, likes him well...

The Current Cinema YOUNG STUFF by Pauline Kael.

Dance Capoeira by Brad Kessler. Talk story about capoeira(pronounced "kop-ware-uh"), a Brazilian dance-martial art & about Jelon Vieira, the artistic director of DanceBrazil. Vieira is credited with bringing capoeira to the United States. Writer met him at the Vital Arts Dance Center, on East 18th St. where he teaches capoeira classes...

The Talk of the Town The Secret of Life by Bill Barol. Talk Story about Stanley Auster who grew up in a great egg cream dynasty started by his grandfather Louis(Pop)Auster, who may or may not have invented the drink around 1890. Stanley's father, Julius, & his uncles followed Louis into the business & the Auster family ran 5 candy...

Books by Brad Leithauser.

Profiles A COUPLE OF ECCENTRIC GUYS by Calvin Trillin. PROFILE of comedian Penn Jillette & his partner, magician Teller. Writer interviews Wier Chrisemer, who first brought Penn & Teller together, in a show called "The Asparagus Valley Cultural Society", which played in Princeton, and Philadelphia, and enjoyed a 2 1/2 year run in San Francisco, before Penn & Teller...

The Sporting Scene A BRITISH VICTORY IN BRITISH WEATHER by Herbert Warren Wind. THE SPORTING SCENE about the Masters Tournament & the layout of the Augusta National Golf Club. The tournament was won by Faldo, a 31-year-old Englishman. The drama that the 1989 Masters provided furnished further evidence that the tournament was born under a lucky star. Scott Hoch, a North...

Comment by Garrison Keillor. Comment about writer's ten days recovering from a flu virus. If writer mentioned his illness on the phone, the person on the other end said, "Oh, that's what I had three weeks ago." It was not the comfort that Apostle Paul tells the Christians to give afflicted persons, but in...

Letter from Cassino by William Murray. In the area surrounding Cassino, Italy there are 5 major military cemeteries for the soldiers who died in the battles over Cassino during W.W. II. The writer visits the Polish Military Cemetery at Cassino which is situated on the slope of a hill, west of town, that looks toward the...

Fiction Billie Dyer by William Maxwell. Writer recalls the life of Billie Dyer, a Negro, and surgeon, who was named one of Lincoln's Ten Most Distinguished Citizens in 1953, when Lincoln, Illinois celebrated its 100th anniversary. The writer used the diary Dyer kept during World War I, letters Hugh Davis received (son of the writer; s...

The Theatre FAMILY PORTRAIT by Edith Oliver.

The Talk of the Town Jukebox Saturday Night by Jane Boutwell. Talk story about attending a rehearsal of "Jukebox Saturday Night II", a musical salute to the 1940s & 1950s, which will be presented as a public television special next winter. At a dress rehearsal at the Grand Ballroom of the Mariott Marquis Hotel writer spoke with Jack Sameth, the show's...

Poetry A Moment at the Louvre by Dan Pagis. I'm hurrying to an urgent appointment...

Poetry The Flower Thief by Deborah Digges. Who watches behind curtains her landlord counting his hundred...

Poetry Loneliness in the City by Robert Mazzocco. Like a stroll through a midnight crowd...