Cover: De Sade Story
The real hit of the season ought to be 'Quills,' Philip Kaufman's smart bio-fairy-tale about the infamous proto-pornographer.

News: Civil Wars
Opposition mounts against forced pest spraying.

Newsgrinder: Important events as reported by daily newspapers and summarized by Daedalus Howell.

Gaga over Gadgets: Culinary doodads all the rage.

Open Mic: Off the Wall.

Geek Girl: Even for the young, retirement not as much fun as it's cracked up to be.

Buy the Bottle: Wine gifts for discriminating tastes.

Reality Bites: Surviving dysfunctional family holiday meals.

The Wide-Eyed Gourmet: Munching on McMuffins and vending-machine cuisine.

Heard It Through the Grapevine: Get to the root of all things wine.

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright: Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun-Fat light up the screen in Ang Lee's sweeping martial arts tale, 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.'

Lost at Sea: Empty-headed 'Cast Away' unwittingly delivers.

Digital Delights: A potpourri of new DVDs.

Supersurprise: Training a b.s. detector on 'Unbreakable.'

Pop Life: Old farts top year in review.

Rage On! Aggro-funk heavyweights issue best sides.

SF Club Guide: Disco divas, hip-hop connoisseurs and salsa suaves to flannel-clad pinball players, jazz luminaries and more from the City by the Bay.

The Short Answer: Three story collections will have 'em beggin' Santa for more.

Way of the Gun: Fresh perspective on our love affair with firearms.

Best of the West: New literature collection declares California's cultural independence.