Second Drafts of History

In his forty years as a working journalist and essayist for Time and other magazines, Lance Morrow has developed a sterling reputation as one of the most thoughtful and insightful of contemporary writers. Here is a selection of his best essays from recent years, drawn from Time, Civilization , his online writing, and other venues. In sparkling prose, he explores topics as varied as the joys of reading ("A Refuge for Insomniacs"), the grim reality of a visit to Sarajevo ("The Ruin of a Cat, The Ghost of a Dog"), and the lighter side of his high-school education under the Jesuits ("Fifteen Cheers for Abstinence"). In other essays, he relates his encounters with the ghost that haunted his house in rural New York and offers a sparkling tribute to the wit and legacy of Bugs Bunny animator Chuck Jones. Here, too, are his closely observed examinations of our globalized world: a wry observation on why tourists eventually destroy every place they visit ("I Came, I Saw, I Ruined Everything") and the impassioned, controversial essay that he wrote for Time on the afternoon of September 11 that won him his second National Magazine Award. Second Drafts of History presents one of America's finest writers at the top of his game.