People, Places and Books

Some years ago I reviewed three of Gilbert Highet's books, hoping to introduce him to physicians who are interested in books, that they might profit by familiarity with a most excellent teacher, writer, and classical scholar, who in addition could lay claim in his own right to being a poet of parts. This book consists of literary vignettes originally presented as a weekly radio broadcast on literature given in New York City several years ago. These charming essays, for that is what they are, range widely and perceptively over a pleasant variety of literary matters including and exemplifying a combination of scholarship with graceful presentation which lends distinction to them without sacrificing the warm immediacy of conversation. Though many persons feel that singular and formidable differences should divide writing meant to be read and writing meant to be heard as the spoken word, these two are not in any sense