Yesterday, an essay about reading, written by my friend John Feffer, appeared in the New York Times. Feffer and I went to Haverford together and not only shared our writing with each other (he was much better at that time, with an amazingly assured voice) but were also regular gym-class badminton partners. And now he has grown up to be a playwright, a novelist, and an international expert on North Korea.

I wonder if he still plays badminton. Tom and I played yesterday and, as usual, I lost.

Tomorrow my family begins its long trip into the heated south. I have no idea what my time and internet capacity will be, but I will attempt to keep a travelogue. Among other adventures, I'll be spending five days with Lucy, one of the Winter's Tale readers. Maybe Paul and Lucy and I will get to finish reading act 5 together.