Great summer reading is "Something Wonderful," by Todd Purdum. I'll tell you why: *This is a smart, gossipy history of the collaboration between Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Purdum includes many first drafts by Hammerstein (OH was less gifted than Rodgers, according to Sondheim, but OH worked hard) -- and it's a treat to see how, for example, "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" grew out of some bad, bad drafting. *Each major R and H work gets its own chapter, so it's easy to dip in and out while still feeling you have had a full meal. For example, you might say, "I need to know everything possible about SOUTH PACIFIC tonight." Like a short story, the Purdum SOUTH PACIFIC chapter will give you everything you need to know. *If you're a nerd, like yours truly, you might wonder how Celeste Holm landed her role in OKLAHOMA, or how World War II impacted Hammerstein's choices, or how Hammerstein rewrote the ending of...