I enjoy ready collections of columns by popular columnists. Among my favorites are Andy Rooney, Ellen Goodman, Mike Royko, Russel Baker, etc. Does anyone have any books by local authors that are similar to those? Books of columns on social/political commentary? I already have all of the books by those authors and am interested in others. Especially ones that are not as well known.

Not columns, but similar in some ways, would be All I Did Was Ask, by Terry Gross, who is the host of NPR's Fresh Air. It's a collection of her interviews, and I found it very interesting. She's very good, and the subjects are quite diverse. Here's an Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/All-Did-Was-Ask-Conversations/dp/B000S6MF7W/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197122881&sr=1-1   and the PBS link: http://www.paperbackswap.com/book/details/9781401300104-All+I+Did+Was+Ask+Conversations+with+Writers+Actors+Musicians+and+Artists

If your political stance is center or left, you might enjoy the collection of columns by Molly Ivins, such as Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She? http://www.amazon.com/Molly-Ivins-Cant-Say-That/dp/0679741836/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197123257&sr=1-4 and Bushwhacked: Life in George W. Bush's America  http://www.amazon.com/Bushwhacked-Life-George-Bushs-America/dp/0375713115/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197123257&sr=1-3   If you're politically conservative, they may cause you to have a stroke.

Dave Barry, if you're into humor. His serious columns are very well-written, but few and far between.

Maureen Dowd - who is equally derisive of George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

How about Art Buchwald?

I miss Mike Royko. Loved his columns.

Les