(That's really all I have to add. Why don't they reissue it?)

The previous two reviews are absolutely on target, and it is criminal indeed that this is out of print. (for New Yorkers: I saw one remaining copy at Strand Book Store) I would only add that this book was listed for the National Book Award in 1992 and won the PEN-Hemingway Foundation Award for best first fiction. These are moving stories that capture a time and place but transcend both, and reach beyond ethnic boundaries to larger truths. Maybe it's not a stretch to say that Jones does for D.C. what Joyce did for Dublin in "Dubliners."

This book of stories is one of the treasures of the 1990's, and it's a sad commentary that it is out of print. Jones hasn't helped himself by not publishing a follow-up, but Lost in the City is good enough to stand on its own. If you can find it second hand, buy it.

After looking at ten different writing texts, this one stands out as being so clear and to the point that almost anyone can understand how to craft a good, five paragraph, standard college theme. The student examples perfectly illustrate the priniples. The section on research is good. The section on punctuation and expression could be more detailed and use less jargon, but all in all, this is a user-friendly and worthwhile guide.