This large format also sharpens the drama. When the pigeon is knocked abruptly off course outside Santa Maria della Pace, we watch through her eyes as the 17th-century facade spins upside down, accompanied by flying feathers and the edge of the culprit soccer ball. It is somehow comforting to know that Rome's famous tumult can engulf airborne visitors, too. In ''Rome Antics,'' he goes well beyond that. Following the story, he offers a map of Rome keyed to the landmarks around which the pigeon has just flown, followed by a brief illustrated description of each building.
Solid information is mixed with playful surmise.
It would spoil the slip of a plot to reveal the message tied to the pigeon's leg. However, it can be noted that she finally arrives safely at her destination, having survived encounters with the soccer ball, a motor scooter, a cell phone, a dust mop and three of those Roman cats.