Boy, Trillin can really write -- and he drags the reader along in his enthusiasm for food and travel (not to mention his neighborhood in the West Village). This slim book, with many of the essays originally published elsewhere, includes Trillin's priceless riff on bagels as bait to lure his daughters home from the West Coast, his quest for the best ceviche with none other than Douglas Rodriguez, as well as 11 other ramblings, many in search of local foods. Trillin casually interweaves stories of his many friends, strong-minded daughters and beloved wife Alice, in whose memory the book is dedicated.  (WLD40, $13.95)

Best of 2003
Best of 2003