Believing that a myth is as good for a smile as anything else, the author devotes a long section of this collection of verse to a quick retread of the Odyssey; the story of Orpheus and Eurydice; of Hero and Leander; of Vashti and Queen Esther- and leans upon a pun without compunction. There are lines to genetics, an election campaign, dreams, the zoo, a father and daughter dialog, gardening, family, etc., etc.; there's a section of limericks with agile play on words, and other sparks of interest. McGinley is brighter, Nash is more entertaining, but Newman has a certain scholarly inventiveness that has its special interest. A known, if well defined market.