An e-mail:

Hey, *I’ve* read “Prime Obsession” twice (well, really, each page of the
technical bits once, then once again so I could be sure I understood them),
and all of Derb’s other books, too. He’s your (our?) Main Ren Man. I
wonder if he has read War And Peace in Chinese?!?! I wonder when his next
book will arrive? Will it be on Chinese Opera? Raising children in L.I.?
The End Of Days? I can hardly wait!