BORDERLAND -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- OLD NOTIONS -- Democracy, equality, commonality -- The other shore -- The idea of the city -- Flags -- CHOOSING ICONS -- The Piarists, Slawinski, and Wright -- The slave Daniel -- GEOLOGY -- The stream -- PALEONTOLOGY -- The protector -- Obama's election -- THE ALLURE OF WHAT'S ANCIENT -- Tree of life -- Hunting the enemy -- The ambiguities -- Hates -- Ties -- Embracing civilization, fighting savagery -- CONTESTS -- Sculls -- The sports -- THE NEXT SEASON -- Being cold in Buffalo -- Christmas morning -- Christmas night.