Reading a sitcom may seem as natural as watching a paperback, but an elegantly crafted comedy like Frasier actually translates superbly to book form. Fifteen scripts (selected by the producers) highlight the show's versatility, ranging from the hilarious mistaken-affection farce ''The Ski Lodge'' to David Hyde Pierce's near-wordless pants-on-fire fiasco ''Three Valentines.'' It's not surprising, though, that the episodes driven by Mensa-tinged dialogue (e.g., the flawless series pilot, ''The Good Son'') are a more vivid read than those that showcase star Kelsey Grammer's bombastic overreactions (Lilith's disastrous return in ''Room Service''). Frasier may no longer be the zenith of TV comedy, but Scriptslets us cut the writers some slack by showing what an unusually high standard they must live up to. A-
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