Clowns and Rats Scare Me

San Antonians love Cary Clack for the sparkle of wit and wisdom he brings to them in his column in the San Antonio Express-News.

But his style and sensibility make his work equally popular far beyond that city.

He offers pithy, probing coverage of national issues such as terrorism, racism, and child abuse, but his keen sense of humor often turns to the stuff of everyday life such as the inexplicable power of Krispy Kreme doughnuts and his terror of clowns.

The columns collected here sample the best of 13 years' worth of Clack's amusing and thoughtful commentaries, and begin with an enlightening foreword by noted poet Naomi Shihab Nye.