Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. CONTENTS vii
3. A HARD DAY AT THE OFFICE 1
4. SLICE OF LIFE 6
5. FLESH AND THE DEVIL 14
6. MUD IN YOUR EYE 21
7. AFTERNOON OF A FAUN 24
8. INTERIOR WITH FIGURES 38
9. GOOD BOY 42
10. TULIP 48
11. EVERY LEAVE THAT FALLS 53
12. COMPULSION 63
13. SCENE 69
14. A CRYING NEED 74
15. IN DEFENSE OF SELF-PITY; OR, PRELUDE TO LOWENBRAU 82
16. THE HIGH GROUND; OR, LOOK, MA, I'M EXPLICATING 89
17. THE INDEPENDENT VOTER AT TWILIGHT 95
18. THE CONVERSATIONAL BALL 102
19. ADVENTURES OF A PEOPLE BUFF 108
20. HEART 115
21. REQUIEM FOR A NOUN; OR, INTRUDER IN THE DUSK 124
22. THE HOUSE OF MIRTH 130
23. SPLIT-LEVEL 135
24. TILL THE SANDS OF THE DESERT GROW COLD 146
25. FROM THERE TO INFINITY 150
26. OVERTURE 157
27. REUBEN, REUBEN 162
28. TOUCH AND GO 169
29. FALL GUY 177
30. YOU AND WHO ELSE? 186
31. NOBODY'S FOOL 194
32. BLOCK 200
33. DOUBLE OR NOTHING 208
34. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE ROOM 215
35. DIFFERENT CULTURAL LEVELS EAT HERE 220
36. DIFFERENT CULTURAL LEVELS EAT HERE 228
37. THE ART OF SELF-DRAMATIZATION; OR, FORWARD FROM SCHRECKLICHKEIT 234
38. THE CHILDREN'S HOUR; OR, HOPSCOTCH AND SODA 240
39. THE IRONY OF IT ALL 246
40. LAUGHTER IN THE BASEMENT 257
41. PART OF THE FAMILY PICTURE 263
42. YOU KNOW ME ALICE 273
43. A WALK IN THE COUNTRY; OR, HOW TO KEEP FIT TO BE TIED 282
44. THE LAST OF THE BLUENOSES 288
45. SCONES AND STONES 292
46. FOREVER PANTING 297
47. JAMES THURBER: THE COMIC PRUFROCK 304
48. EXPLORING INNER SPACE 312