An Outside Chance: Classic and New Essays on Sport

This edition of McGuane's 1980 collection of the same title contains five new selections. Most of the essays deal with the author's chief passion, fishing, at which he seeks taxing challenges like fly-casting for brook trout and pursuing the wily bonefish in the Caribbean. His other interests include hunting, where he is aided not at all by his lovable dog Molly, and moto-cross racing (he's but a spectator). Despite the subtitle, McGuane addresses topics other than sport, as in ``A Visit to Roderick Haig-Brown,'' an affectionate portrait of a Briton transplanted to Canada's Pacific Northwest, and ``Buster,'' about a Texas horsetrader bred in the ways of the last century. An affecting lyricism buoys this exceptional omnibus collection. (Oct.)