A hilarious and touching exploration of history, tradition and sheep. This is a young New Yorker's account of his travels in Austria with Hans Breuer, a "peripatetic philosopher" who sings Yiddish folk songs to his sheep as he wanders. Admittedly a comic quest, Apple nonetheless delves into some of the darker corners of Austria's history -- its anti-Semitism and role in World War II.  (AST74, $14.95)