Dave Barrys Greatest Hits

Miami Herald syndicated columnist Barry has a captivatingly zany sense of humor, shown off to advantage in this collection of his pieces, which range from a report on his rock band, ``The Urban Professionals,'' noted for their song about Tupperware, to one about the stupidity of his pets. He writes of our inability to forget the most embarrassing moments of our past, the anguish of teaching his son to fish, dealing with the irrational elements in some religions, and the differences between men and women in both playing and observing sports. The funniest essay is ``Can New York Save Itself?'' written in response to a New York Times article, ``Can Miami Save Itself?'' Anyone who has ever had misadventures in the Big Apple will find this on the mark. (July)