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The authors reflect on how the events of September 11, 2001 (9/11) terrorist attacks in New York City influence writers and readers. They present eight pieces about the event, including Don Delillo's "Falling Man,"published in 2007, Denis Johnson's novel "Tree of Smoke," and "The Godfather" by Mario Puzo.

The author describes the experience of literary critic Edward Said in traveling back to New York City from Portugal in August 2003, nearly two years after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Looks at several books which present unique views on American history. Key features of the book "Iron Tears: America's Battle for Freedom, Britain's Quagmire: 1775-1783," by Stanley Weintraub, which looks at the U.S. Revolutionary War from a British perspective; Impact of books with an international perspective on the study and teaching of U.S. history; Discussion of themes in U.S. history since World War II; Influence of globalization and multiculturalism on the interpretation of U.S. history; Reference to the book "People's History of the United States," by Howard Zinn; Popularity of U.S. history books written from alternative perspectives; Impact of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S. on international relations; Importance of considering U.S. policy and history from an international perspective.

Discusses the report about the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the U.S.. Analysis of the report and its style; Unimpressive aspect of the commission's analysis and recommendations; Consistency of the report.

Discusses humor in modern literature and presents an analysis of the best new books. New books that are hoping to secure a significant spot in the revived humor landscape; How, after September 11th, Americans didn't know if they'd ever laugh again; Number of times the books listed will make the reader laugh out loud; "The Suburban You: Reports From the Home Front," by Mark Falanga; "Gasping for Airtime: Two Years in the Trenches of 'Saturday Night Live,'" by Jay Mohr; Others.

THE HUNT FOR KSM Inside the Pursuit and Takedown of the Real 9/11 Mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

POWER AND CONSTRAINT The Accountable Presidency After 9/11 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To the Editor: While I very much enjoyed Kevin Boyle's review of Tony Horwitz's ''Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War'' (Oct. 30), I found the following comment curious: ''It's impossible to read this fine book without thinking about the modern-day Browns, soldiers of a vengeful God, seeking righteousness in a fierce burst of violence, justice in the shedding of blood. Maybe Horwitz decided that he didn't need to make the comparison explicit.'' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTELLIGENCE AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICY Iraq, 9/11, and Misguided Reform [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To the Editor: Two of the misleading impressions left by Jonathan Mahler's review of my book ''The Rights of the People'' (June 12) deserve clarification. My research was framed less by my first thought on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001 -- ''There go our civil liberties'' -- than by my more nuanced second thought, as explained in sentences that followed immediately: ''It was a rash prediction, I knew, and I quickly re-formed it into a question about how firmly we would hold our liberties in such a time of testing, whether the Bill of Rights would sustain us. I figured there would be deterioration, but how much?'' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents several letters to the editor in response to articles published in previous issues including "Name Check," in the September 16, 2007 issue, "The Iranian Time Bomb," in the September 9, 2007 issue, and "Revisiting the Canon Wars," in the September 16, 2007 issue.

Presents letters to the editor in response to articles in previous issues of "The New York Times Book Review." "Dangerous Characters," an essay by Benjamin Kunkel focusing on the effects of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks; "In a Single Atom," which reviewed "The Universe in a Single Atom" by Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama.

Presents debate between John Lewis Gaddis and Paul Kennedy on the topic of U.S. foreign policy. Profile of Gaddis and Kennedy; Impact of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on U.S. foreign policy; View of the U.S. as an empire.

Examines the decline of reading. How technology and business can better serve readers according to Gabriel Zaid, a poet, critic and business writer; Mass taste and best-seller lists; Books associated with New York and 9/11; Mistakes colleges make with student readers; Jerome Charyn's "Gangsters and Gold Diggers: Old New York, the Jazz Age and the Birth of Broadway" compared with "The Colossus of New York: A City in Thirteen Parts," by Colson Whitehead.

Reports on the release of the book 'Portraits of 9/11/01: The Collected 'Portraits of Grief' From The New York Times.'