An agreeable if not profound latter-day commonplace book combining observations of seasonal changes and village life in New England with thoughts on all sorts of other things: books, work, politics. Among his observations is -- and I paraphrase -- that young (or at-least first-time) authors tend to sell themselves short in their desperation to win exposure. I think he's right, but I must balance that against the annoyance of having a few cartons of unsold masterpieces under the guest-bed. ( )