A collection of gleanings from the pens of the mighty- Wolfe, Anderson, London, Thurber, et al concerning our fabulous country with an enthusiastic finger pointed by the sibilant siren himself. Mr. Laughton obviously shares with his authors a thirst for the variety of the sensible world, responding to its demands and enjoying the ludicrous, the unexpected. Therefore his comments lead rather than lecture. From Thomas Wolfe's and Clarence Day's New York; from Thoreau's Cape Cod and Stevenson's San Francisco; from the better known selections to those few gems not so well known, this collection of fine writing, with the Laughton , adds up to a reliable staple and a top-notch gift item.