["Short Work of It: Selected Writing by Mark Harris"] might well stand on any writer's desk alongside a dictionary, a thesaurus, and "The Elements of Style"—the last three as reference, the Mark Harris as example, taskmaster, and, perhaps, conscience….

His writing here is so free of mannerisms that it is hard to identify a Harris style—but he always writes with a lucidity that seems suited to the subject….

Harris observes his subjects closely, then stands back to take in the wide view. It is a method that has never encouraged editors to seek him out for quick write-ups …, but has made the final product worth reading long after its publication date. For example, his piece on the hippies of Haight-Ashbury (written in 1967) is possibly the best in the book. Its thoughtfulness and energy (he punches up the prose with bits of graffiti) pushed me to one...