Last Wednesday morning, Mike Nichols died. An amazing talent left behind a loving wife and family, together with a truly amazing body of work. Here’s the New York Times obituary by Bruce Weber, along with Remembering ‘Comic Meteor’ Mike Nichols by Scott Simon for Morning Edition Saturday on NPR.

The Talk of the Town lead column in the November 17 issue featured Steve Coll, with Two More Years. Mr. Coll is a great, great reporter (and the dean of the Columbia Journalism School), and the author of Ghost Wars:  The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001. Alas, for any reporter timing counts, and Mr. Coll’s piece